10 February 2020

a student newspaper of the University of Tulsa

February 10, 2020 issue 16 ~ volume 105

ESPorts Lounge opens, PG. 3

ABC highlight, pg. 7

Iowa caucus disappoints, pg. 9

Book recommendations for any mood, pg. 11

Housing

selection

Feb. 14 - Mar. 14 Check out utulsa.edu/housing for information and helpful videos.

Hey Freshmen!

CHECK OUT YOUR OPTIONS FOR HOUSING NEXT YEAR. n n

Retain your current space (if available) or select a new space Live in a Living-Learning Community

Log on and sign up before the deadline, Feb. 28.

Freshmen must sign up for campus housing or complete a housing exemption form in order to enroll for fall classes.

New LivingLearning Opportunities Some of our dynamic co-curricular communities include: n n n n n

Sophomore Housing Experience (SOHO) University Honors True Blue Neighbors LLC- focusing on highimpact community service TU Treks: Outdoors & Wellbeing- developing outdoor leadership skills with wellness Gender & Sexuality Inclusivity- in our apartment community

These common interest communities offer residents exclusive learning opportunities with faculty and staff around shared passions to apply what they learn in class to everyday life.

Housing Office: 918-631-2516

utulsa.edu/housing Housing Selection Collegian Ads 1 and 2 TU20027.indd 1

1/29/20 12:47 PM

10 February 2020

Sports

The Collegian: 3

TU builds new esports facility Veteran TU sports journalist Hannah Robbins and Sports Editor Brennen Gray report on the newest edition to TU’s student services: a brand new gaming lounge.

TU has built its very own esports lounge in what used to be known as the Fish Bowl, a little-used all purpose room in the Pat Case dining center. Renovations lasted through a good part of Fall Semester 2019, and the lounge opened in late January. The room has 26 gaming computers, a library of board games and various consoles open for student use.

Dr. Mel France, associate vice president of campus services, gave the background info for why TU decided on such a big upgrade for the unused space.

“The popularity of esports is rapidly growing; 90 percent of teens report playing esports,” said France.

While esports is a relatively broad term, it would be impossible to argue against the exponential growth in gaming has seen as an industry.

France also said that “hundreds of universities across the country are making investments in this emerging market, which is expected to reach $1.79 billion in global revenue by 2022.”

There is of course the question of whether or not the space is being used, and it seems that popularity is not a place in which the lounge is lacking.

France reported that “in a two week period there were over 625 swipes to access this space to practice their sport.”

Another advantage to the lounge is that it can function as a meeting place for clubs and organizations. Tabletop games have exploded in popularity the last couple years, and the recent release of “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” has furthered the need for a reserved space for community gaming.

According to France, the esports lounge is “now home to the SMASH club who host a weekly event and to LANBrew who [hosted] their first event Feb. 7.”

Of course, the lounge itself has much bigger implications that a new place to hangout, TU now has esports teams as well that can use the space for honing their skills. This venture could prove advantageous for TU if the school hopes to bring home a national trophy in a sporting event in the near future.

TU’s “current varsity teams are: ‘League of Legends,’ ‘Rainbow Six,’ ‘Beat Saber,’ ‘Overwatch,’ ‘Magic: The Gathering,’ ‘CS:GO’ [‘Counter-Strike: Global Offensive’] and ‘Call of Duty,’” said Dr. France.

The esports season is just starting out for these teams, but Tulsa is holding their own with some room to grow.

The Collegian spoke with Matthew Owens, captain of Tulsa’s League of Legends team, which is currently 2-1 after a loss against UT Arlington on Saturday. Owens believes the team has a “high chance of making the south conference playoffs,” and so far the team seems to rise to the occasion.

Having a space to practice and dedicated resources has helped the team, and Owens believes that having a dedicated esports

lounge “motivated [my teammates] to do well in the College League of Legends,” and has led to “more dedication” from the team.

On the other hand, this space is not as helpful for some of the rest of the teams on campus. The Collegian spoke with Morgan Dunn, one of the broadcasters for the Twitch channel, who volunteers his voice to commentate on many of the games Tulsa has played in.

This gives Dunn a unique perspective on the teams since he has not only seen their matches up close and personal, but interacted with the teams before and after matches.

While some teams compete from different locations, such as the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive team led by Caleb Gardner, the Call of Duty team “is constantly practicing” and competes in the esports lounge, which allows them to discuss their matches with the broadcasters once the games are completed.

While the team is together, they aren’t all on the same wavelength. The team is still “working out some kinks,” and hopefully bringing in people from other organizations, including “Socks” from Praxis, a team Tulsa lost against in January, will give the team the edge they need to cool down and work cohesively to improve their 1-3 record.

Hopefully these student-lead teams will continue to improve as their seasons go on, and the campus can tune in on Twitch to see their games live.

At any rate, the esports lounge is a popular, much asked for addition to campus that seems to be doing a good job of enriching student life, regardless of how the new esports teams fare in competition.

Dr. France also mentioned that much of the renovations were done “in house using [the] physical plant to save on costs,” and that “several tables and chairs are repurposed from other spaces, especially in the teams room.”

The thrifty spending reportedly saved the university a lot of money. The largest cost was purchasing the 26 gaming computers.

Dr. France believes housing spent “around $3,000 for each gaming computer setup” She also cited that there was “minimal construction” needed considering the space is technically being used much as it was designed, although it was repainted and recarpeted to complete the look. In fact, many of the TV’s were already in the lounge, they were just moved around.

Even the old cell phone charging stations were repurposed as USB charging stations.

In addition to the 26 computers, the only other large cost reported was replacing the overhead light fixtures, which cost “around $20,000.”

The new facility is open noon to midnight every day of the week, and so far it has met with very positive reception from the students.

Students have been using the lounge since its opening.

The Collegian also arranged an interview with Caleb Gardner, TU’s “CS:GO” captain.

1. Why do we have esports teams and an esports lounge?

Caleb: A student survey discovered that this was one of the most demanded student services as yet unseen on TU’s campus, so Housing & Dining prioritized the esports program here at TU for rapid development.

Similarly, many students wanted to play esports under the TU banner, which is combining well with the lounge and new capabilities derived from it.

2. Can you tell me about the lounge?

How good are the computers, do you know the total cost of the lounge?

Caleb: The lounge is a really thoughtfully designed space.

It resides in what used to be the Fishbowl, and the studio/office are in the old card services offices just next door.

I like spending time in both spaces; equal attention is given to comfort, video gaming and more traditional board gaming.

The studio is well set up to stream our matches and is well equipped just like our team office, where the different teams can come to practice and play their matches together.

Every computer in the lounge or the office is extremely powerful, with some of the best hardware and monitors to give our students the most pleasure in casual gaming and our teammates the most competitive edge in matches.

Chrystian Marshall and Trevor Evans enjoy the lounge on opening day (left). Goldie greets students as they arrive on opening day (right).

photo by Hannah Robbins

3. Are esports NCAA regulated? how is it different than an athletic team?

Caleb: Our TU esports program is now officially under the school’s umbrella, but we are not under any athletic banner such as the NCAA. Our official teams all play in certain leagues, for example the “CS:GO” team and the “League of Legends” team both under the Collegiate Starleague (CSL). All the different leagues have their own rules and regulations. The main difference, I would imagine, is more time is spent practicing the actual game in esports than might happen in traditional sports. That is to say, traditional sports involve a lot of physical conditioning that while very useful to the highest level esports athletes, is not an essential part of amateur esports training. However, there are certain similarities like having film days or strategizing sessions.

4. How does one join an esports team?

Caleb: Housing & Dining has put out an online form anyone can fill out to demonstrate their interest! All of the games we offer are listed there, including roles in broadcasting and streaming and behind the scenes.

5. Do you host tournaments open for viewing?

Caleb: Our Twitch channel is twitch.tv/ tulsaesports, where we stream all of our official matches that we can! We also have a calendar of events that will sometimes include in-house competitions between students.

photos by Tommy Reid

Sports

The Collegian: 4

10 February 2020

UConn plows past Golden Hurricane Basketball journalist Hannah Robbins discusses Tulsa’s loss against UConn and the team’s inability to put together plays when it mattered.

The Golden Hurricane was planning to add to their six game win streak on Thursday against UConn, but unfortunately the Huskies had one final sucker punch before they left the American Conference: handing Tulsa a loss.

While Martins Igbanu scored a career-high 29 points, his successes were unable to transform into a win as the Golden Hurricane made only a single 3-pointer all game.

The Golden Hurricane started off strong by winning the tip off.

Then Brandon Rachal hit his free throws to put Tulsa on the board first.

The Huskies responded, but another pair of free throws by Joiner put Tulsa up by three. UConn made Tulsa fight for every shot and ended up edging above the Golden Hurricane with a three pointer by Jale Gaffney.

After that, both teams began to miss back to back until Rachal hit a two pointer and followed it up with a free throw. Igbanu hit a layup then a jumper to put Tulsa up by five.

The teams went back and forth, with TU keeping their narrow lead.

But during the next few minutes of play, threes by UConn were only met with two pointers by Tulsa, narrowing their lead to three toward the end of the half.

When Rachal missed the first of his pair of free throws, it signalled the end of Tulsa’s lead.

After another pair of free throws

by Igbanu, UConn hit seven unanswered points before Igbanu could put up one more jumper to bring the Golden Hurricane up to only a two-point deficit.

At the start of the second half, UConn seemed energized while Tulsa struggled to keep up, only answering four points at the top of the half with a pair of free throws

by Igbanu.

The Huskies quickly gained a 10-point lead, but Tulsa fought back. Igbanu quickly put up six points, with a layup by Darien Jackson right after and a dunk by Igbanu brough the Golden Hurricane back in the game. Unfortunately, that did not last.

Rachal went down with an ankle injury and left the game at the worst time. James Bouknight singlehandedly gave the Huskies a 10-point lead as Tulsa watched on. Finally, Joiner hit Tulsa’s first 3-pointer of the night and got the team back on the board with eight minutes left, but the team was unable to capitalize on that. The team continued to miss threes and give the Huskies possession without putting points on the board, and in the last eight minutes the team scored only six points, finally being put out of their misery 72-56.

The team was not on their A game against UConn, and since they beat UConn only two weeks ago in overtime, Tulsa should have known they had to fight for every point, but the abysmal accuracy in three pointers and reliance on Igbanu for most of the points made it easy for UConn to outplay Tulsa.

Just because the team was on top doesn’t mean they will always be, and that might be a lesson Tulsa needed to learn before the season ended.

Igbanu throws down a thunderous dunk (top). Igbanu looks to shoot (left). Rachal flies high above the defense for an attempt at the hoop (right).

New WNBA contract to benefit female athletes Student journalist Zack Long covers how and why the new deal will bring women’s sports closer to equality with men’s sports.

The start of the new year brought about a new agreement between the WNBA and the players union. This new agreement has the potential to make a large The start of the new year brought about a new agreement between the WNBA and the players union.

This new agreement has the potential to make a large impact on both the women of the WNBA and on female athletes in professional sports in general.

The push toward the measures outlined in the contract is certainly not a newfound effort, however.

Professional female athletes from

a multitude of sports and levels have been pushing for a change for years in the areas of compensation, maternity, childcare and more.

Such calls for change continue to garner attention today as the lawsuit over equal pay for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team, spearheaded by Megan Rapinoe, is scheduled for this May. Several changes outlined in the proposed contract will be aimed at creating a standard of salary for athletes in the WNBA that better reflects the demands of the job than the current compensation system. This includes a 53 percent increase in

cash compensation, a set minimum of $750,000 in prize money for special competitions, higher cash bonuses for performance awards and a new 50-50 revenue sharing system contingent on the league achieving revenue growth partnerships.

Beyond this, the contract will bring about an increase in quality travel elements for players (i.e., better hotel room accommodations and Premium Economy Class flight status for regular season travel) and motherhood provisions that include full salaries for players on maternity leave.

The benefits for players don’t stop there as the contract also lifts the free agency restriction to one year earlier than under the prior agreement and aims to help the WNBA facilitate career development workshops and opportunities for players and their post-play careers.

Such a deal would also have the potential to impact players and teams around the world.

Under the new agreement, players with more than three years of WNBA experience will be required to play the entire WNBA season. If they are playing for another league and subsequently fail to report to their WNBA team, they can be deemed ineligible.

This stipulation has the potential to motivate foreign leagues to restructure their season schedules so that players don’t have to choose one league over the other.

The higher earning opportunity for WNBA players is also aimed

photos by Tommy Reid

at keeping top players in the U.S. from having to play in such leagues overseas to earn supplemental income in the off-season, which can actually be quite exhausting and lead to injuries that affect these players’ ability to perform in regular season games.

While this contract would constitute a huge step forward for the female athletes seeking equal pay with their male counterparts, it still would leave the league’s players far from attaining salaries near the male players of the NBA. Nevertheless, it signifies the leagues’ recognition that more must be done to support the hard work these women pour into the sport and would be a massive milestone representing progress towards building a stronger WMBA while providing a more comprehensive collection of resources to meet its player’s needs.

10 February 2020

Sports

The Collegian: 5

NBA trade deadline 2020: what went down this time Student writer Zach Short covers all the last-minute wheeling and dealing in men’s pro basketball.

Compared to the drama last summer, this year’s trade deadline week was relatively calm save for a few noteworthy moves. As is in tune with years past, teams moved around role players to assist their superstars as they head into grind time in hopes of either making the Playoffs or securing a top seed.

The biggest moment to occur in the face of the looming deadline was the large fourteam trade that involved the Houston Rockets, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Atlanta Hawks and the Denver Nuggets. That and the move that brought Andre Iguodala out of an attempt at a forced early retirement.

The big multi-team trade saw the Rockets send Clint Capela and Nenê to the Hawks and receive Robert Covington and Jordan Bell from the Timberwolves, the latter of which was almost immediately sent to Memphis in exchange for Bruno Caboclo.

The Rockets may have something cooking, but for now fans should be wary. Capela was a defensive asset for a team with a certain bearded all-star notorious for not playing defense — this may inadvertently push the team the wrong direction.

The Hawks, on the other hand, might just be able to pull something grand out of the big trade as they were the recipients of the Rockets castaways. While Nenê is getting old and has been fighting an injury this season, any return from him would add some height and formidability to the Hawks roster. He could greatly assist the star-in-themaking Trae Young, not to mention the huge boost Clint Capela can provide the struggling team. Supposedly Young was promised by the front office earlier this season that help was coming. If this can give the

Hawks a defensive and rebounding boost, it should be no surprise if they rise a few spots in the rankings.

The Nuggets picked up four players, none of which are likely to raise any eyebrows.

They picked up Gerald Green, Noah Vonleh, Keita Bates-Diop and Shabazz Napier, with the last name being quickly sent on to Washington for Jordan McRae. The acquisition from the Wizards is inarguably their biggest change, as he is coming to assist the guard game on a team led by the post play of Nikola Jokić.

Mostly, it appears that the Nuggets are trying to get a little bit of depth so that the pressure is off the team’s best players to stay on the court all the time. After all, these guys have to last until June if they make the Finals, although that is arguably not even an option for the Nuggets this year.

As for the Timberwolves, there was an incredible amount of change, too much to enumerate fully without dedicating them an entire article. The biggest acquisitions were DeAngelo Russell and a 2020 first round draft pick, who come in alongside a slew of names new to the team.

As for losses, Andrew Wiggins went to the Warriors; Gorgui Dieng ended up with the Grizzlies; and Shabazz Napier, Jordan Bell, Noah Vonleh and Robert Covington have already been mentioned; and two draft picks went out of their hands. It is anyone’s guess as to what can be expected of the Timberwolves now.

Finally, outside of the teams involved in that giant trade, there were some other teams who made some moves, most notably of which is probably the Miami Heat

Late deals traded dozens of players around the league.

who decided that they had a spot for Andre Iguodala if the Grizzlies could not find one.

The Heat are on their way to being in the top seeds of the Eastern Conference, and a veteran who is dedicated to team basketball and has plenty of Playoffs experience should come as a boost.

Jimmy Butler is rocking and rolling in his new town with the assistance of a relatively young supporting cast, and he may be on his way to restoring the Heat to some of their former glory this postseason.

The other big team to limit themselves to one notable move was the Clippers, who are currently nipping at the heels of the Lakers’ number one seed in the Western Conference.

They picked up Marcus Morris in a bidding

graphic by Emma Palmer

war with their crosstown rival and they might now have the extra help they need to take that top spot, not to mention that they picked up Isaiah Thomas as well in that deal. Of course, the Lakers were the losers in that fight, and they were otherwise quiet amid the antics of the rest of the league.

There is the old adage, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” but the Lakers may find themselves in a tough spot if their biggest competitor is improving while they are stagnant.

It seems now that the battle for Los Angeles is far from over, and now with all teams having almost cemented lineups through the end of the season, it is safe to say that that battle will end with one being the NBA champion.

Chiefs win the Super Bowl, end drought Student writer A. C. Boyle celebrates Kansas City’s stunning win over the 49ers, a victory that ended a 50-year losing streak for the franchise.

Mahomes is the youngest Super Bowl MVP ever.

On Sunday, Feb. 2, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV, coming from behind 10 with only seven minutes left to win by a score of 31-20. Pinch yourself and don’t wake up, because it doesn’t get any better than this.

I went into the game expecting a highscoring shootout, one that would finally end the tradition of Super Bowls being defensive, low-scoring affairs.

By the end of the first quarter I already knew I was wrong, but of course that mattered little. This game was exciting, perhaps one of the best Super Bowls in history — along with Giants-Bills and Patriots-Seahawks.

That might sound biased coming from someone who got to see their team end a

courtesy Wikimedia Commons

half-century long title drought, but what else can you say about the way this game ended?

It was simply a raw, intense battle of wills, a game that wasn’t decided right up until the very end. And after last year’s big game debacle, it was very welcome.

The first order of business when talking about this game is to point out that, yes — as a Chiefs fan, I will be the first one to admit that the 49ers lost the game before the Chiefs won it. More on that later.

But for now, I should talk about how the game started. The first quarter was neck and neck, with Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid making a gutsy call on 4th down when he could have played it safe and kicked a field goal. The result had the Chiefs up 7-3 as the funny commercials started to flow in.

By the second quarter, the Niners had activated their stellar run offense, picking up big chunks of yards and draining plenty of clock with carry after carry from running back Raheem Mostert and wide receiver Deebo Samuel. The game was 10-10 at halftime, and it was either team’s game.

The lofty halftime performance was a two-man, or in this case two-girl effort, with Jennifer Lopez and Shakira sharing the spotlight as America watched (or used the restroom).

Shakira in particular seemed to have the word swagger tattooed on her forehead when she was performing, but this wasn’t the celebrity highlight of the night. That award goes to actor and comedian Bill Murray, who appeared in a “Groundhog Day” commercial for Jeep, which is probably the best commercial we’ll see all year.

When the game resumed in the third quarter, everything seemed to start going San Francisco’s way. Quarterback Jimmy Garroppolo made great pass plays, the 49ers controlled the clock efficiently with the run and they didn’t let KC’s Patrick Mahomes find anybody downfield to throw to.

At one point, the camera crews showed a clip of Chiefs Safety Tyrann Matthieu having an angry outburst and berating his teammates. While it looked at first glance like he was having a temper tantrum, he was in fact getting the boys fired up. And they might have won the game for this very reason.

When the fourth quarter rolled in, the Niners had extended their lead to 20-10, and the game looked all but over. They had played better for 50 minutes, and were only a short gap away from their sixth Lombardi trophy.

And that’s when their head coach, Kyle Shanahan, lost the game, and the Chiefs won it.

It was already alarming enough to many that Shanahan had played it safe at the end of the first half by running the clock out when he had a minute left and three timeouts to work with, but the way he coached the final minutes of the game was completely unacceptable at the professional level.

With about 10 minutes left, all the Niners had to do was keep running the ball and get rid of as much time as they could. They had been running the ball all night and it was working. Why stop at the only time you shouldn’t do anything else?

Shanahan, who had already proved his allergy to smart game clock management as the Offensive Coordinator of the Falcons the year they blew the infamous 28-3 lead, showed that he had learned nothing from that loss.

He called for pass plays until they had to punt. With 7:13 left and at 3rd and 15, the Chiefs looked like they would give the ball right back. Instead, Mahomes finally activated for the first time the entire night, and dialed up a beautiful pass to wide receiver Tyreek Hill for a 44-yard play that gave a dying team hope, light at the end of the tunnel. With 6:14 left, the Chiefs scored to make it 20-17.

Then the Niners made more puzzling play calls, giving the ball back to the Chiefs with five minutes left — more than enough time for this explosive offense. The Chiefs drove down the field with grit, and scored with 2:45 remaining.

Then their defense fought with a passion to protect that lead, getting a turnover on downs. With the ball up four, Kansas City scored another touchdown as insurance, and the most miraculous comeback in Super Bowl history was complete. At one point, ESPN’s Football Index gave the Chiefs only a 3 percent chance to come back and win.

But they had come from behind doubledigits twice before in the playoffs, so they knew how to keep fighting. And unlike the Niners, they weren’t playing afraid out there on the field. They took risks, and never played it safe.

This is Andy Reid’s first superbowl victory in his career, a moment he’s been waiting for for over two decades. Mahomes had to wait a lot less, becoming the youngest Super Bowl MVP in history. With so much time left in Mahomes’s career, this might very well be the start of the NFL’s next dynasty, a team with a core that can contend for as long as the New England Patriots have.

The question on everybody’s minds is: did the Chiefs win it or did the Niners lose it? I will not for a second let anybody undermine this accomplishment for the Chiefs, but at the same time, this was a game that the Niners let slip away from them. At the end of the day, the thing that seperated these two teams was the clutch gene.

Mahomes did not have a good game until the last nine minutes, compiling two interceptions. Nobody will remember those interceptions, though.

They will remember his refusal to give up when things were dire. Because that is what makes a champion. As Winston Churchill famously said, “Never give in. Never, Never, Never.”

You can be sure that Chiefs fans around the world will never forget this moment, nor will they forget the incredible milestones yet to come.

Sports

The Collegian: 6

10 February 2020

State of the Golden Hurricane address Veteran TU sports journalist Hannah Robbins and Sports Editor Brennen Gray deliver an analysis on how TU sports are doing as a whole.

After riding a high that allowed Tulsa’s men’s basketball team to beat Memphis and Wichita State, which pushed both teams out of the rankings, Tulsa’s men’s basketball team is almost ranked themselves and had a six-game winning streak before losing to UConn on Thursday.

After adding a full slate on newcomers, the men have come together, and with a mix of seniors and underclassmen in the mix, cockiness and missed opportunities

their loss in triple overtime to SMU and single point Homecoming loss shows that the team can be competitive when they’re in the right place.

Hopefully the team continues to figure out what works and cut the streak of three losing record seasons. As long as the team gets a field goal kicker who has put in the practice to hit the field goals when it counts, Tulsa can capitalize on the close losses from the past season.

“On the flip side, Tulsa’s football team has the skills they need; they just need some practice.” pushed the team from first in the conference to third. The team still has a chance to get momentum back before the conference tournament, but with Brandon Rachal going out halfway through the game Thursday, the team will be in a very different place than they were last week.

On the other hand, the women’s team has struggled with stamina issues and injuries.

The team seems tired;they let shots go uncontested and miss most of the shots they take themselves.

The women’s team simply needs to take some time, get conditioned and get some shot practice in, and they have the ability to go far. The team has had some close losses, but sometimes they just get blown out. They can do better, and I look forward to seeing that side of them in the future.

On the flip side, Tulsa’s football team has the skills they need; they just need some practice. Although they wound up in fifth place in the American West conference,

Another area to pay some attention to in the Softball team. Sports predictions are famously difficult to make, but this year looks to be a good one for the team. Not only has the team retained some of their best players, but they have stayed relatively healthy compared to other teams in recent past.

Softball is definitely a team to watch in 2020.

This address would not be complete without touching on the brand new E-Sports lounge on campus.

The addition to Tulsa’s array of competitive opportunities includes teams for “League of Legends,” “Rainbow Six,” “Beat Saber,” “Overwatch,” “Magic: The Gathering,” “Counter-Strike: Global Offensive” and “Call of Duty” that will compete with teams from other colleges.

Now is a bit too early to say how good the teams will be, but one interesting facet of esports is the ever-changing aspect of it.

New games come out all the time, and just

graphic by Emma Palmer

Captain Cane addresses an adoring crowd.

10 years from now, four or five teams from that list may disband as new games come out. While that may seem like a long time, entire sports teams forming and disbanding that quickly is unheard of compared to the hundred year old traditions of some intercollegiate football and basketball teams.

This is important to recognize because esports may create opportunities for TU to have a nationally competitive team.

Logistically, esports is an extremely difficult realm for dynasties; “Overwatch” and

“League of Legends” may no longer even be esports in 10 years, let alone have the same couple colleges win every single year.

Of course there are many sports that deserve to be addressed here, but these are the highlights within the natural limitations of covering a topic this expansive.

However, one thing that can certainly be said about nearly all Golden Hurricane Athletics as a cohesive whole is that times are tough right now, but the future looks pretty good.

Australian Minister of Sports resigns Student writer Zach Short details the politics and complicated implications of the Bridget McKenzie’s wrongdoings, and how they were dealt with.

They say the brightest flames burn the quickest, and such seems to be the case with Australia’s newly-resigned senator Bridget McKenzie.

The relatively young politician shot to prominence quickly in the Australian nationality crisis that began in late 2017, when the High Court of Australia ruled that persons maintaining a dual citizenship could not serve in the Australian parliament, citing a clause in the constitution that demanded officials display allegiance solely to Australia.

That ruling created a small crisis when it ultimately resulted in the exits of 15 active members of the parliament. With the tumult in the government, McKenzie was able to rise through the ranks faster than she could have otherwise, and she joined the Ministry in the Australian government in December 2017.

In the 2019 elections, she achieved a long-held goal of hers when she became the Minister of Agriculture. The realization of that dream, however, was short-lived, when

scandal hit her almost immediately upon her taking office. Allegations of misconduct in the dispersal of government grants during her time as Minister of Sports started to gain traction as people began connecting the dots.

McKenzie has maintained a friendship with the Coalition Party’s Nigel Scullion, and the two are fellow shooting enthusiasts. Scullion is a registered member of the

ment grant of $500,000 to the Northern Territory shooting club, which appears to have been a large instigator for all further investigation.

Preliminary research that led to allegations and the official inquiry that followed those allegations have uncovered that, during her time as Minister of Sports, McKenzie granted a disproportionate amount of money to shooting clubs.

“... McKenzie authorized a government grant of $500,000 to the Northern Territory shooting club ...”

Northern Territory Shooting Club, an organization for gun enthusiasts which has hosted many events at which McKenzie made an appearance.

McKenzie herself is not an official member of the club, but is a member of the umbrella organization, Field and Game Australia. Closely preceding the May 2019 elections, McKenzie authorized a govern-

It has also been uncovered that the former senator never disclosed her membership of Field and Game Australia, a fact that would have necessitated her recusal from the situation.

The turmoil only arose recently, gaining steam near the end of 2019, but it reached a head with the Feb. 2 resignation of McKenzie, who stepped down following the grow-

ing knowledge of the scandal in which she had become embroiled.

In relation to American politics, the entire saga stands in deep contrast, and not just to the plethora of micro-controversies of the present administration. The second Bush administration is guilty of a similar transgression with the allocation of funds to religious organizations, a move that is both unconstitutional and openly linked to personal religious affiliations. Regardless, no repercussions ever reached the president nor anyone else in the administration for the money moved there. While the scandal in Australia has become large enough to make news on the opposite side of the world, it is still worth noting how unoriginal the scandal actually is when taken in comparison to other eyebrow-raising exchanges of funds in politics around the world.

The characteristic that separates this scandal from others is not its nature, but rather the swift action that was taken once it was uncovered and the shame bestowed upon all involved.

Feb. 10 - Feb. 16 Monday/Tuesday

10/11

No Events

Wednesday 12

W Basketball @ Cincinnati 10 a.m.

M Basketball vs. ECY 7 p.m.

Thursday

Saturday

Friday 14

13

Softball vs. TSU 12:30 .m.

No Events

Softball @ MSU 3 p.m.

Track and Field @Annual Gorilla Classic Track and Field @Iowa Classic

Sunday 16

15

M Basektball @USF 11 a.m.

W Tennis @DePaul West 1 p.m.

Softball @Bulldog Classic 3 p.m./5 p.m.

Softball @North Alabama Kickoff

Track and Field @AnW Basketball nual Gorilla Classic vs. SMU 2 p.m.

Track and Field @Iowa Classic

Softball @Dayton 11:15 a.m.

M Tennis @LSU 12 p.m.

10 February 2020

News

The Collegian: 7

Madison Connell News Editor Orion Levasheff, Sophomore Mechanical engineering student Orion Levasheff enjoys celebrating his roots during Black History Month. “Black History Month is a time for me to show pride in my ancestors and learn more about them,” said Levasheff. “To know one’s history is to know oneself, and others cannot tell you what you are if you know yourself.”

The sophomore was chosen as the Association of Black Collegians’s student feature for Black History Month because of his overwhelming support for ABC. “Although he was never in the EXEC board, he has gone to every meeting and has supported every event that ABC has hosted,” said Nora Bethune, the secretary of ABC. “He also is extremely proud of his roots and recognizes what it means to be a black man. He is extremely kind to other people, always promoting blackness and overall is just an awesome person.”

Some of the ways Levasheff celebrates Black History Month include wearing more

courtesy Orion Levasheff ABC honors Orion Levasheff, a passionate member who goes to every ABC meeting and event.

black clothes, dashikis and African jewelry.

But, most important to him, he takes time to learn more about black history.

“Historical figures that I honor this month include Queen Nzinga of the Ndongo and Matamba Kingdoms in 17th century Angola, who defended her people in the wake of European colonization and the slave trade,” said Levasheff. “I also honor Mansa

Abu Bakr II of the Mali Empire, who sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas in the 14th century well before Christopher Colombus.”

Levasheff started in ABC his freshmen year. His favorite part of ABC is how it “fosters community among the black students on campus.” Among the events he’s gone to, Kwanzaa and Expression Night with Cypher 120 have been his favorite. He

wanted to remind people to come to some of ABC’s Black History Month celebrations this year, including the Soul Food Soiree on Feb. 18, the Black Leadership Panel on Feb. 26 and Self Care Night on Feb. 26.

Other organizations that Levasheff is involved in include the National Society of Black Engineers and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Romney makes history in impeachment vote against Trump After the U.S. Senate voted to acquit President Donald Trump, much of the press covered Mitt Romney’s decision to vote to convict.

Lindsey Prather Student Writer On Feb. 5, the United States Senate voted to acquit President Donald Trump on both articles of impeachment. The votes totaled 52-48 regarding abuse of power and 53-47 on obstruction of Congress. This vote immediately follows a controversial State of the Union address that took place the night before on Feb. 4. Although this result was widely expected, it marked a notable defection as a Republican senator became the first in history to vote to remove a president from his own party.

Senator Mitt Romney grabbed headlines following an emotional speech, during which he described his deeply religious convictions and laid out his reasoning for voting to remove Trump: “The President asked a foreign government to investigate his political rival … withheld vital military funds from that government to press it to do so … delayed funds for an American ally at war with Russian invaders … [his] purpose was personal and political.”

Romney continued, “Accordingly, the president is guilty of an appalling abuse of the public trust. What he did was not ‘perfect’ — no, it was a flagrant assault on our electoral rights, our national security interests and our fundamental values. Corrupting an election to keep oneself in office is perhaps the most abusive and destructive violation of one’s oath of office that I can imagine.”

The speech prompted backlash among Senate Republicans, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell expressing his disappointment in an interview on Fox News. Despite this disappointment, he dismissed any rumors of party-sanctioned consequences for Romney.

“Senator Romney on the whole has been supportive of what we’ve been trying to accomplish in the year that he’s been there. I think this was a mistake,” McConnell said.

“I disagree with it. On the other hand, we’ve got a lot more votes to cast between now and November, and I’m going to need his support on a whole variety of things that are important to the president and to the country.”

Senator Mitt Romney of Utah made history as the first senator in history to vote to remove a president from his own party.

President Trump, however, was not so forgiving. Trump proceeded to attack Romney both on Twitter and at two separate public appearances following the vote. He began by mocking Romney’s failed presidential run in 2012 through a series of tweets, and eventually decrying those that “use their faith as justification for doing what they know is wrong.”

The latter of these attacks coming from Trump during the National Prayer Breakfast, a traditionally bipartisan event that counted both Romney and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in attendance.

However, Romney was not the only subject of ridicule for the president. Speaker Pelosi drew the ire of Republicans following the State of the Union for two reasons: first, in her cold introduction of the president before his speech and in her visible tearing of Trump’s speech immediately after. The latter of which prompted particularly intense outcry, with some House Republicans seeking legal action against the Speaker for the destruction of public records.

Immediately following the Prayer Breakfast, Pelosi condemned Trump’s attacks on Romney and the Democratic Party: “This morning the president said when people use faith as an excuse to do bad things ... [it] was just so completely inappropriate, especially at a prayer breakfast.”

Pelosi had also referenced her faith in matters related to the president, after a reporter questioned her motivations for impeaching Trump. These retaliatory statements from Trump exemplify the concerns of opponents, as the potential grows for actions against his perceived political opponents.

courtesy Gage Skidmore/Flickr

@TUCollegian

tucollegian@tucollegian.org editor-in-chief

Ethan Veenker managing editor

Emily Every news editor

Madison Connell sports editor

Brennen Gray variety editor

Piper Prolago commentary editor

Chris Lierly satire editor

Sara Serrano photo & graphics editor

Emma Palmer

business & advertising manager

Brian Kwiecinski

social media & web manager

Anna Johns

distribution managers

Alaina Nauman Mary Bergwell copy editor

Hana Saad

The Collegian is the student newspaper of the University of Tulsa. It is distributed Mondays during the fall and spring semesters, except during holidays and final exam weeks. The University of Tulsa does not discriminate on the basis of personal status or group characteristics including but not limited to the classes protected under federal and state law. Inquiries regarding implementation of this policy may be addressed to the Office of Human Resources, 800 South Tucker Drive, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74104-9700, (918)631-2616. Requests for accomodation of disabilities may be addressed to the university’s 504 Coordinator, Dr. Tawny Rigsby, (918)631-3814. To ensure availability of an interpeter, five to seven days notice is needed; 48 hours is recommended for all other accomodations.

Advertising Policy: Advertising appearing in this publication does not imply approval or endorsement by the University of Tulsa or the Collegian for the products or services advertised. For advertising information, email the Collegian at advertising@tucollegian.org. The deadline for advertising is noon on the Friday proir to publication.

Letter Policy: Letters to the editor must be less than 500 words and can be sent to tucollegian@tucollegian.org. Under no circumstances will anonymous letters be published. The name of the person submitting the letter must be published with the letter. We reserve the right to edit or reject all letters. The deadline for letters is 5 p.m. on the Friday prior to publication.

Editing Policy: The Collegian reserves the right to edit all copy submitted by all writers. This editing may take place in many forms, including grammar corrections, changes in paragraph structure or even the addition or removal of sections of content.

Editorial Policy: Columnists are solely responsible for the content of their columns. Opinions expressed in columns may not represent the opions of the Collegian staff, the administrative policies of the University of Tulsa, the views of the student body or our advertisers.

News

The Collegian: 8

10 February 2020

known suspect. The resident was not presently intoxicated and compliant with officers. Officers poured out the remaining alcohol and discarded the container.

Feb. 1 2:35 a.m.

Officers responded to a noise complaint in Lorton Village Apartments. Officers were able to locate the apartment the noise was coming from. Officers made contact with the resident and issued a housing contact card.

Jan. 29 8:25 a.m.

Officers are investigating a theft of wheels from a bicycle by an unknown suspect at John Mabee Hall that occurred between 28 Jan 2020, 11:30 p.m. and 29 Jan 2020, 7:00 a.m.

2:30 p.m.

Officers responded to a panic alarm activation at Collins Hall and determined it was accidentally activated by a staff member. Officers met with the staff member and confirmed that the situation was normal.

4:45 p.m.

Officers responded to John Mabee Hall for a water leak. The Physical Plant was contacted and officers documented the scene.

Jan. 30 9:30 a.m.

Officers conducted a pedestrian check on an individual seen dragging a metal object near McClure Hall. The individual was determined to be a non-affiliate of the University of Tulsa. The individual, who was non compliant with officers, was trespass warned and escorted off campus.

8:50 p.m.

Officers documented a non-injury motor vehicle accident in the 8th & Harvard Lot where a parked vehicle was damaged by another driver, who left a note providing contact information.

10:30 p.m.

Officers responded to a roommate dispute at a Brown Village apartment and escorted an unwanted guest out of the apartment.

11:20 p.m.

Officers responded to Fisher South Hall to investigate an alcohol violation. Officers made contact with an underage resident who admitted to obtaining alcohol from an un-

7 p.m.

Officers and paramedics treated an injured student at the Reynolds Center. The student, who fell while running onto the court at the end of the basketball game, was taken to a local hospital by a friend for further treatment.

10:05 p.m.

Officers conducted a pedestrian check on three individuals at the Reynolds Center after receiving a report they were smoking marijuana at the loading dock. The individuals were temporary custodial and asked to leave campus by the custodial supervisor after officers were unable to confirm marijuana was smoked on campus. One individual had a traffic warrant and no previous contact. The other two individuals had no warrants or previous contact. All three individuals were trespass warned and escorted off campus.

Feb. 3 9:30 a.m.

Officers impounded a single ear bud found in Rayzor Hall on 31 Jan 2020.

12:40 p.m.

Officers responded to a panic alarm activation at Collins Hall and confirmed the panic alarm was accidentally activated by a staff member.

2:30 p.m.

Officers initiated a traffic stop on a student’s vehicle for reckless driving on 8th Street. After parking their vehicle, the student ran away, on foot, into the Reynolds Center. Officers decided not to issue a citation after speaking with the student about the traffic infraction.

3:50 p.m.

Officers conducted a pedestrian check on an individual on the south side of Annex West. The individual was not affiliated with the University. The individual had 3 misdemeanor Tulsa city warrants and 1 prior contact with the University.

The individual was trespass warned and escorted off campus. A contact card was created.

Chris Lierly Commentary Editor Lindsey Prather Student Writer Impact of Brexit on EU extradition treaties Following the official confirmation of Brexit, an 11-month transition period began.

Throughout the duration of this period, typical EU rules, such as border regulations and inspections, would be softened for the U.K. However, on Feb. 1 three countries — Austria, Germany and Slovenia — confirmed that these exceptions would not be honored in regard to the extradition treaties that apply to all EU member countries.

The statute in question is the European Arrest Warrant, which dictates that all member countries in the European Union must recognize warrants and other judicial requests from other members. This was created in an attempt to further equalize the criminal justice system throughout the EU, preventing criminals from using statutory loopholes to evade justice. The three countries in question informed the European Commission that upon the confirmation of Brexit, any attempts by the UK to utilize the EAW would be deemed unconstitutional and subsequently denied. This will be the case until the U.K. negotiates new treaties with each country.

Monarch butterfly activists targeted in Mexico The murder of two different monarch butterfly activists in Mexico in fewer than 10 days has raised concerns regarding the targeting of environmentalists throughout the country. Raúl Hernández Romero and Homero Gomez Gonzalez were both employees at the El Rosario monarch butterfly sanctuary located in the Mexican state of Michoacán.

The sanctuary is a facility within the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, a World Heritage Site that has previously seen widespread habitat destruction wrought by illegal logging throughout the last decade. Gonzalez and Romero had both been previously vocal in seeking government action to curb the damage to the butterflies, and Mexican officials are currently investigating their deaths in relation to this activism and its potential opponents.

Turkish avalanche kills 41, injures 84 A pair of avalanches in Eastern Turkey have killed 41 people as of Wednesday, Feb. 5. The first happened on Tuesday and killed five, while the second, on Wednesday, came through the area where a large rescue team was searching for those lost in the first avalanche. About 300 emergency service workers had been called to help with the aftermath of the first snowslide near the town of Bahçesaray in the eastern Van province, and search crews are still looking for the missing bodies of three people. However, those searches have been put on hold as the fear of a third avalanche escalates. Of the 84 people injured, 47 are in the hospital with six patients in intensive care. None of the injured is in critical condition.

5:15 p.m.

Officers conducted a pedestrian check at Hardesty Press.

The individual was not affiliated with the University and was checked for prior contact and active warrants. One prior contact from 2007 was found and no active warrants were found. The individual was trespass warned and escorted off the property. A contact card was created.

6 p.m.

Officers took possession of a backpack found at the practice soccer field. The backpack contained assorted clothing and prescription drugs. The owner was identified as the person escorted off property on 2 Feb 2020. The property was impounded for safekeeping.

Feb. 4 11:45 p.m.

Officers impounded a driver’s license, rewards card and 2 blood pressure cuffs found at Collins Fitness Center.

Feb. 5 10:40 a.m.

Officers made contact with an individual on the south side of Case Tennis Center. The individual stated they were taking a short cut through campus. The individual was not affiliated with the university and was not trespassed from campus. A contact card was completed.

Feb. 6 10:30 a.m.

Officers investigated a hit & run vehicle accident in the Norman Village Lot. A witness reported a food delivery vehicle struck a student’s parked vehicle before leaving the scene without leaving a note or contacting the owner. The driver has been identified and information provided to the student.

2:05 p.m.

Officers received information about a student possibly carrying a concealed weapon on campus. Officers verified the student was not carrying a weapon and provided the university’s weapons policy.

11:40 p.m.

Officers responded to a noise complaint in the Mayo Village Apartments. Officers were able to locate the apartment the noise was coming from and made contact with the resident.

Officers issued a housing contact card.

The Collegian does not produce or edit the Campus Crime Watch except for content and brevity.

Tuesday, Feb. 11 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Oxley Health Sciences Faculties Health Sciences Research Expo This will be an outstanding opportunity to encounter the amazing breadth of investigations students are carrying out across Oxley College of Health Sciences and other parts of TU. You will also be able to meet these emerging researchers, their mentors and other members of the TU and Tulsa health sciences community.

All students, faculty, staff and members of the public are warmly invited to attend.

There will be digital and oral presentations, food and drink, and lots of stimulating ideas and conversation.

Thursday, Feb. 13 and Saturday, Feb. 15 7 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Tyrell Hall Vagina Monologues The Student Alliance for Violence Education at the University of Tulsa is once again performing The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler. Join us in support of survivors of sexual violence, with all proceeds from ticket sales supporting the V-Day Organization and the Domestic Violence Intervention Services of Tulsa.

Tickers are $6.94 each. All proceeds go to VDay and Domestic Violence Intervention Services. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 14 12 p.m. - 1 p.m.

Helmerich, Room 121 #adulting101 Series: Working Well with Others in the Workplace Employers expect their employees to be team players. Regardless of your role, you need to be able to work well with others and convey that fact to hiring managers, recruiters, and prospective employers. L3 Technologies recruiter Jared Mason will share some great skills to help you be a productive team player in your workplace. Lunch will be provided by RSVP in Handshake or email tawny-crone@utulsa.edu.

Saturday, Feb. 15 11 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Elote Cafe and Catering Drag Brunch: The Heartbreak & Anti Valentines Day Show A morning of ballads and break ups. Join us for a post Valentines Day celebration of heart ache. Invite your ex. Better yet, invite your ex’s ex. Let’s hoot and holler for the Queens.

Ticket prices include brunch, a non alcoholic beverage and the drag show. Don’t forget to bring bills to tip the queens and your server.

Mimosas, Bloody Mary’s, Margarita’s and Cervezas will be available for purchase for guests 21 and over.

The show is all ages. Please be advised this is a drag show, thus some profanity and vulgarity will occur. Enjoy!

The Collegian does not produce all event descriptions in the Community Calendar.

Contact us at news@tucollegian.org with events.

Commentary

10 February 2020

The Collegian: 9

The Legislative Digest is your weekly look at the happenings of Oklahoma’s state legislature, upcoming bills and the terms to know.

Justin Klopfer Student Writer

HB 2940: This bill would ban the manufacture and sale of “restricted bullets” and “large-capacity ammunition magazines.” Restricted bullets are designed to expand on impact and bring down living targets quicker. Large-capacity magazines are defined as those which can accept more than 10 rounds of ammunition.

The obvious question for those opposed to the bill is: why would you need this stuff? In what self-defense situation would you need so much power? I am always against taking power away from common people, but it’s hard to imagine these types of weapons being used for anything but harm.

Interestingly, one stipulation of this bill allows for some select people to still possess large-capacity ammunition magazines. Most notably, one of these groups is the Oklahoma Police. I would argue the same question could be posed toward the average cop: why would they need this?

Some may argue the police are sometimes involved in intense shootouts and may need high firepower for these situations. However, these situations are few and far between and don’t reflect the common use of firearms in the line of duty. Hollow-point bullets are deemed so brutal to use on humans that they have been banned from use in combat. Perhaps

high-power weaponry could be brought out on the rare occasion where it’s deemed necessary, but the average patrolling officer has no need for it.

With this in mind, if the state is going to stop people from having unnecessary force easily at their disposal, the rules should apply to the cops as well.

HB2779: This bill concerns the rapidly growing legal marijuana industry in Oklahoma. The bill originally prevented medical marijuana card holders from being discriminated against in employment and various other rights. However, a newly proposed change to this bill would also prevent any new marijuana dispensaries from opening within 1,000 feet of a place of worship.

Representative Jim Olsen, who proposed the changes, presumably believes something as holy as a house of worship shouldn’t have its space invaded by something as vile as a marijuana dispensary. What an awful thought: to be reminded of a completely harmless (and often beneficial) thing people are choosing to do with their own time.

These changes obviously don’t infringe upon any foundational civil liberties, but the concerns of the moralizing conservative section of politics are always hilarious to me. I smelled weed next to the church; somebody get me a fainting couch!

The American primary system Bad press follows Buttigieg as would be better without caucuses the campaign leaves Iowa

All but four states use primary systems, and it’s a much more democratic and accessible process.

Brett Tyndall Student Writer As of Friday, Feb. 7, we still don’t know who the official winner of the Iowa Democratic Caucus is. We have an idea, as Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg essentially tied in State Delegate Equivalents (don’t rack your brain on this, it’s stupid caucus terminology). Bernie Sanders claims to have won the popular vote by around 6,000 votes and yet has not been named the winner of this needlessly complicated process in Iowa.

There’s a reason why only four of 50 states hold caucuses in the U.S. They’re a pain in the ass and less democratic than primaries. Iowa, Nevada, Wyoming and North Dakota are the only states in the union to hold these asinine proceedings. The other 46 states hold a primary, like every state should.

Caucuses are completely outdated and should not even exist anymore. Caucuses only take place over the course of a few

LETTER The Doomsday Clock is now 100 seconds to midnight.

According to the Science and Security Board Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, the world has never been closer to doomsday than now: Humanity continues to face two simultaneous existential dangers — nuclear war and climate change — that are compounded by a threat multiplier, cyber-enabled information warfare, that undercuts society’s ability to respond. The international security situation is dire, not just because these threats exist, but because world leaders have allowed the international political infrastructure for managing them to erode.

In the September/October 2019 issue of Foreign Affairs, Ernest J. Moniz and Sam Nunn warned that the world cannot afford to wait for leadership change. The world must act in the present tense: For decades, strategic stability between the United States and Russia included a mutual recognition of vital interests, redlines and the means to reduce the risks of accidents or miscalculations leading to conflict, and especially the use of nuclear weapons.

Today, however, clashing national interests, insufficient dialogue, eroding arms control structures, advanced missile systems and new cyberweapons have destabilized the old equilibrium.

How did we arrive at this juncture? The core mission of all universities should be to prevent this shitshow of pre-doomsday scenarios, but instead we are debating the practical application of every discipline at

hours, whereas voters in primaries can vote anytime between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. and often have early voting options. What transpired on Monday was one of the most bizarre voting processes I had ever witnessed.

Sanders had the most initial support and still had the most supporters after the second realignment. Yet, Buttigieg ended up with the most State Delegate Equivalents. That doesn’t make sense. Votes in certain areas of the state were clearly worth more compared to other areas. If one vote equals one vote, which by every democratic institution says it should, then this caucus system is inherently broken. It’s reminiscent of the Electoral College, which is also a disaster.

A candidate should not lose an election after winning the popular vote.

The main issue this year stemmed from an app the Iowa Democratic Party attempted to use when reporting caucus precinct results. There are roughly 1,700 precincts in the state of Iowa. Voters could find them in schools, churches, college campuses and auditoriums across the state. Simply put, the app wasn’t working when precinct captains tried to report their results. Combined with the clogged phone lines and apparent return to the Pony Express in feudalistic Iowa, results have only crept slowly into the world of technology outside the land of soybeans, corn and nothing else.

Maybe the real mistake was pretending Iowa mattered for six months. Candidates have already moved on to New Hampshire as results are still pending. The Iowa Democratic Party had their moment, and they botched it in spectacular fashion.

to the editor our university. How do we actually value the varied academic disciplines? If we had learned more Russian and Chinese, would the clock be 100 seconds from doomsday?

What if we had actually appreciated the power of music to bridge cultural divides?

What if we had actually viewed the study of literature and film as a consistent warning of things to come? What if we had actually given more attention to the lessons of history and political science? Are these objectives not practical in the context of our ultimate survival?

In truth, we are primarily concerned with professional monetary gain and entertainment value. After all, our actions reveal our true commitment to priorities. Follow the money. Why do universities pay coaches millions and Ivy League PhDs a pittance in comparison? As a society, do we actually value and appreciate education and academics? No, we do not, and this is just one of the reasons we find ourselves so close to apocalyptic finality.

We should be concerned with the future of our university, but more importantly, we should be concerned about how our university will contribute to the future survival of our planet. Instead, we continue to sleep in a bliss-filled fog of endless vacuous entertainment while the Doomsday Clock ticks closer to midnight.

Amidst a canned poll and a faulty app, the South Bend Mayor’s poll numbers came at a cost.

Hannah Robbins Student Writer On Feb. 1, two days before the Iowa caucuses, it was abruptly announced that the final poll by the Des Moines Register would not have its results released. This came after a complaint by a senior Buttigieg campaign official received word from a supporter that

who could reach viability and pushed the media narrative away from him.

While Buttigieg claimed victory on the night of the caucuses amid no results, his strong showing with 26.2 percent of the vote and narrow margin of victory of 0.01 percent contradicted the Des Moines Register poll by 10 points, a sizable difference to betray right before caucus night. Maybe there was some veracity to his claim about being omitted after all, but how strong could his support be if supporters did not state their preference in the poll themselves?

That was not the only interesting connection Buttigieg had on caucus night. After complaints about an app that caucus chairs had to use to report results failed spectacularly, it also became clear that the private company that created the app without any sort of vetting or security testing, Shadow, donated to the Buttigieg campaign. While this should not affect the results as they were manually validated by the Iowa Democratic Party, it is still a complete conflict of interest.

“Buttigieg had a vested interest in pulling the plug on a poll that had him in third ...”

Buttigieg was not among the candidates listed in the latest poll that was taken. The Des Moines Register was unable to isolate this case, and as such, pulled the plug and did not release this poll. This was a crafty play on Buttigieg’s part.

The Des Moines Register, in conjunction with CNN and Selzer and Co., has put out polls on numerous occasions in this election season, and none of them has had issues or complaints. This issue was apparently a simple one: they increased the font size and Buttigieg was apparently left off on some of the interview scripts, but, after seeing the results for the unreleased poll that showed Bernie with 22 percent, Warren with 18 percent, Buttigieg with 16 percent and Biden with 13 percent, Buttigieg had a vested interest in pulling the plug on a poll that had him in third, especially when that poll would be a major talking point heading into caucus night that could depress his supporter turnout in favor of other candidates

This app that was used to send full vote totals for counting was made by a company with a clear candidate preference, and since no security testing occurred, for all we know there could have been logic that was specifically included to increase Buttigieg’s totals. Due to the manual validation that was done before finally announcing the results, this was not the case, but without any testing, who knows?

This level of security through obscurity by the Iowa Democratic Party is exactly how someone (inside the country this time) could have meddled with the integrity of the elections. This is simply a ridiculous oversight on the part of the party, and should not happen again. As someone who breaks applications for a living, I know that most of them have poor security at best, and without any validation they should not be used in the first nominating contest that on any normal year would have led to candidates dropping out.

Joseph P. Willis, PhD Adjunct Professor of English University of Tulsa Buttigieg walked away from Iowa a potential winner on delegate counts.

courtesy Lorie Shaull/Flickr

The Collegian: 10

Commentary

10 February 2020

Montana legislator’s comments have no place in politics

The outrageous claim that “socialists can be shot” is a result of current American discourse.

Brayden McCoy Student Writer The last Friday of January saw a Montana state legislator wreaking havoc with a statement he made during a gathering of state Republican Party members. State Rep. Rodney Garcia raised concerns about social-

ists “entering our government” and voiced opinions about his hometown Billings being full of them. He refused to back down from his rather outrageous claim, going as far to double down on it later that weekend in an interview with a reporter.

He then stepped up to say that the United States Constitution itself gives citizens the right to shoot socialists or detain and put them in jail. His response was to label them enemies of the free state and proceed to change the subject. When asked to clarify in a later interview he did as most politicians do and put out his opinion with little to no backing or evidence, and according to the the Billings Gazette, he was unable to point out where in the Constitution it says socialists could be treated in such ways.

Naturally, his own party distanced themselves from his comments and condemned them. Luckily for all of the socialists in Montana, the Constitution doesn’t support his idea, nor does it give the rights he claimed it does. Personally, the idea of a politician who doesn’t know the Constitu-

tion to the point that he thinks it’s OK to shoot someone for their political philosophy scares me more than a socialist.

One of the nicer parts about living in America is the right to freedom of speech and the freedom to believe in whichever political ideology one chooses. That said, socialism is definitely coming to the forefront in today’s society with big figures like Bernie Sanders branding himself as a democratic socialist. Yet, as always, America’s scrutiny lies on the surface: a better investigation may not be how many socialists there are in America and how to get rid of them but rather why the ideology has gained so much traction.

Generation Z is one group often associated with socialism and its ideals, and instead of lamenting the “misguided youth,” it would be better to figure out why faith in the capitalist system has been lost. With the consistently rising prices of everything from food and housing to college and the alarmingly slow adjustment of minimum wages, it becomes crystal clear as to why so many

young people are taking up the ideals of socialism.

The extreme concentration of wealth in today’s world leaves many feeling helpless, distraught and forgotten, which is exactly when socialism and other similar concepts have managed to seem attractive to many in the past. No political and economic system is without flaws, and naturally that applies to capitalism, but when the ones controlling the system are the ones making the policies, you end up with a system that never changes to accommodate the less fortunate.

A little human empathy goes a long way, and the misguided idea that socialists can be shot seems like a hard backstep from empathy. It has become quite clear that America desperately needs to break the cycle of back and forth extremism dominating today’s political climate. Otherwise we might just end up with a bunch of teenagers dying in the streets, shot by socialist-hating patriots for believing they deserve to not go into despair-inducing amounts of debt to merely get a college education.

Racism and myths dominated coronavirus coverage

Americans should remember that the flu is a more destructive disease than the current corona strain.

Tori Gellman Student Writer Last week, University of Tulsa Vice Provost for Global Engagement sent out an email alerting campus that in light of the level 3 travel advisory that the United States

Department of State issued, TU would be restricting travel to China and affected countries. Similar emails were sent out in educational institutions across America, informing students of the nationally declared “pandemic.” However, most of them failed to describe what exactly coronavirus is, what the symptoms are and how to avoid it other than travel restrictions. This lack of information has led to unneccesary hysteria as well as incidences of racial discrimination toward individuals from Asian countries.

The irony of this reaction to the presence of coronavirus in the United States is that the flu is actually more rampant and deadly than the coronavirus.

According to USA Today, as of Feb. 5 there were a confirmed total of 24,604 cases of coronavirus, 494 of which resulted in death. On Feb. 4, the Center for Disease Control reported that the 2019-2020 flu season had brought about 15 million cases, 140,000 hospitalizations and 8,200 deaths in

the United States alone. The CDC has also consistently reported over the last several years that fewer than half of all Americans get a flu vaccination.

It didn’t occur to me that racial discrimination would be fueled on college campuses because of this outbreak. A dear friend of mine who attends the University of Washington in Seattle informed me that she had to have a serious conversation with her Resident Assistance staff on how to correct misconceptions, keep students safe, and prevent bullying and racial targeting. Students took to social media, resorting to long-held racial stereotypes and posting hateful comments: “All of the kids in my math class are Asians.

I sure hope I don’t get coronavirus.” A California university told its campus that xenophobia toward Asian classmates was a completely normal reaction. This sparked mass controversy on the internet.

The Los Angeles times described how these heightened racist sentiments have

made individuals “hyper aware of their East Asian roots.” I find it infuriating that in the 21st century there continues to be such a plethora of faulty information, media perpetuated prejudices and just blatant acts of racism on a systemic level. This particularly confounds me when comparing the response to coronavirus with that of health issues and diseases that plague the American population on a daily basis; many of which can be easily combated and prevented altogether.

There needs to be a drastic change in the way information is obtained, verified and dispersed to the general public. While this won’t erase the racial stereotypes that are imbedded within the American way of life, it will certainly help to alleviate discrimination and false panic and will hopefully move our society toward becoming a more accepting, loving and compassionate one.

Trump’s acquittal major win By acquitting Trump, GOP complicit in his abuse of power for president and party The Democrats have failed to remove Trump, and in doing so, have given him more momentum.

Zack Long Student Writer The outcome was never really in doubt, but now it is official. After countless hearings and investigations about President Trump’s dealings with Ukraine, a divided United States Senate acquitted him on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. This marks the third impeachment of a U.S. president and third acquittal in history. It was a triumphant moment for President Trump, ending a three-week long impeachment process pushed forward by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

Following the news of acquittal, President Trump took time to celebrate the next day at the National Prayer Breakfast. During the breakfast, Trump entered the room waiving the USA Today newspaper with the headline “Acquitted” while taking time to thank the “incredible warriors” who sided with him during the ordeal and blasting the entire impeachment process as “crooked.”

The cloud of impeachment has moved away from the White House and President Trump is now free to get back to work, governing the nation and campaigning for the 2020 election.

On the other hand, impeachment marks another failure by the Democrats to remove the man that they despise so much. Ever since the defeat of Hilary Clinton the Democrats have desperately sought evidence to remove President Trump from office. The list of schemes that they have employed to eject the president from the White House include claiming that Trump is a traitor, mentally insane and an election cheat. They have also tried to declare Trump guilty of criminal campaign finance violations, guilty of a personal payoff to Stormy Daniels and

most importantly, guilty of colluding with Russia to steal the election. When Special Counsel Robert Mueller could not force Trump out the Democrats were left with one last Hail Mary, impeachment.

The fact that Nancy Pelosi and her party went as far to use impeachment reflects their utter desperation. Never before has a president been subject to such radical efforts by the opposition party to remove him from office. Not only was the three-week impeachment process a complete waste of time, it sets a precedent for impeachment to be used as a political tool by the opposing party against future presidents.

Pelosi and the Democrats couldn’t even find a high crime or misdemeanor that President Trump committed so they slapped the ambiguous charge of “abuse of power” and hastily hired some lawyers to impeach the president. There’s a strong argument to be made that they abused their power by politicizing the impeachment process and bringing charges against the president over such loose evidence.

With the impeachment trial over, reality is beginning to set in for the Democrats.

The only way to remove this president is the 2020 election. Yet, this possibility is looking less likely by the week. The approval rating for Trump is now at 49 percent, according to Gallup, the highest it has ever been.

On top of that, President Trump is on a roll with new accomplishments every month. The new United States-MexicoCanada trade agreement was just signed following phase one of the China Trade Deal.

If you add in a healthy growing economy and an incredibly strong labor market with the lowest unemployment in over 40 years, the 2020 election is looking bright for the incumbent. This impeachment not only vindicates the president but gives him and his supporters the confidence needed to win the next election, likely chalking up another loss for the Democratic Party.

By not calling witnesses, this impeachment lacked the due process of previous cases.

Chris Lierly Commentary Editor Many could have correctly guessed the results of President Trump’s impeachment before the two articles indicting the 45th president officially made it out of the House of Representatives, but the shameful way that the trial was conducted does not bode well for anyone other than the man still sitting in the Oval Office. The impeachment case of Donald John Trump saw the Republican Party disregard all precedent and respect for the rule of law in order to protect an electoral victory in November.

The trial’s purpose was essentially to decide whether Trump’s direction to withhold aid from Ukraine until after the new Ukrainian government had opened an investigation into Joe Biden’s son and the White House’s subsequent attempt at silencing any who dared to testify as to what they knew merited removal. Those were the facts. The only thing up for dispute was whether the actions make Trump undeserving of the office.

Impeachment has always been partisan: The two previous impeachment trials, those of Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton, also both ended in acquittals and were both heavily influenced by party sentiments. Impeachment is a political process supported by a reference or two from the Constitution, and, in that way, Trump’s was no different.

Where this impeachment differed with Johnson and Clinton’s was in its execution.

Unlike the only two previous examples, Trump’s case lacked any witnesses testify-

ing to the president’s actions, and Trump’s defense team seemed more concerned with the House’s process of impeachment than defending Trump on the merits of his conduct. Johnson and Clinton’s defense team faced testimony from those with intimate knowledge of their alleged wrongdoing.

With the help of 51 Republican Senators, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s vote whipping efforts, Trump did not face one witness.

Instead, this trial consisted of House managers, led by Democratic congressman Adam Schiff, making cases that mostly fell on deaf ears, while Alan Dershowitz, the head of Trump’s defense team argued that “if a president does something which he believes will help him get elected in the public interest, that can not be the kind of quid pro quo that results in impeachment.” By essentially restating Richard Nixon’s infamous assertion that “if the president does [something] that means that it is not illegal,” Dershowitz and every Republican who voted for acquittal have signaled to the President that he will not be held accountable as long as he can excite the base to a win in the November elections.

Republicans know that in a country of shifting politics and demographics that the policies that gave them near absolute ideological power in the late twentieth century have begun to fade. They also know that Trump’s racist and regressive politics will get disgruntled white voters to the polls when a faltering economy and lack of government assistance might have kept them complacent and at home. With Trump, they can continue to compete, methods of doing so be damned. For the first time in many of our lives and maybe since the Civil War, the integrity of American democracy will be at stake in the next election. A president elected by a minority of voters abused his power in office and will now likely use every possible method to hold onto that power. Come November, the same tests that the United States uses to assess the viability of Latin American democracies will be applied to the world’s oldest republic and our potential of failing those tests has rarely been higher.

10 February 2020

Variety

The Collegian: 11

Ticketmaster’s market pricing exploits fans Ticketmaster’s policy to increase prices based on demand makes tickets inacessible to fans.

Madison Walters Student Writer More than likely, as fans of something, we have all been exploited due to the fame of whom we support. The more fame an artist has, the more fans are exposed to exploitation through various activities. Unfortunately, fans and fame are directly related to one another. Naturally, if a fan loves an artist, they want them to succeed, so fans try to share the artist’s work with more people.

One example of exploitation that fans commonly face is the merchandise conundrum. If you have ever gone to a concert, then you have surely seen a merch stand selling an array of items. More often than not, merchandise can be anywhere from $20-$80. Typically, the bigger the concert arena, the higher the prices. This is because venues charge artists for a percentage of their merchandise sales.

Playing a big venue costs a lot of money for an artist. Merchandise sales help a band make profit from the shows they perform.

Artists love their fans, but even they have

financial needs of their own. This forces artists to inflate the prices of their own merchandise.

Bands with smaller followings are affected even more by this. They will play a smaller venue and have to sell their merchandise cheaper. So how do they make money? They are forced to offer VIP events.

One example of such an event is a soundcheck ticket, which allows the holder to enter the venue early and watch the soundcheck. These tickets are usually sold separately from the ticket actually needed to get

inflate their prices by comparing this pricing mechanism to airlines and hotels. Basically, if Ticketmaster sees that an event is going to sell out, then they will inflate the ticket prices due to supply and demand.

It is not the artists who charge their fans a preposterous amount for their tickets, it is, in fact, the ticket selling companies. One example of this appalling behavior is a ticket for Panic! at the Disco that originally cost $45 being inflated to $90. Believe it or not, this is actually one of the smaller discrepancies in Ticketmaster’s pricing.

I logged onto Ticketmaster’s website 30 minutes before the tickets went on sale. I then entered the online waiting room as soon as it opened. The time came for when tickets went on sale, and I was still stuck in the online waiting room. I sat there for 40 minutes waiting to purchase tickets.

Finally, I was able to enter the webpage that allowed me to pick tickets. I was absolutely shocked to see the nosebleed tickets that were originally $60 were now $200. I bought the ticket because they are one of my favorite bands that I have never gotten the chance to see live. The ticket I bought had been inflated to over three times its original price. Ticketmaster basically scalped their own tickets. Currently, scalpers are reselling their tickets cheaper than Ticketmaster charged.

Many fans were outraged by the dynamic pricing. Thousands of fans took to Twitter to Last week, tickets for My Chemical Ro- voice their anger. “Ticketmaster” was trendmance’s first reunion tour in the United ing with over 200k tweets. Also trending, States went on sale via Ticketmaster. The was “Sue Ticketmaster.” original ticket prices ranged from $60-$200.

Sometimes being a fan is not easy, espeTheir entire United States tour sold out in cially when both the venue and the ticket roughly six hours. These were all stadiums selling companies want to make as much with maximum capacities above the 15,000 money as they possibly can off the fans. Fan person range. As one can imagine, the expe- exploitation has always been around, but it rience of getting a ticket was trying, to say is only getting worse with each passing year. the least.

“The ticket I bought had been inflated to over three times its original price.” into the concert. Bands will typically also sell these tickets on their own personal website to avoid the charges taken by ticket selling websites.

Another example of an exploitation that fans are subjected to are “dynamic prices.”

According to Ticketmaster, the cost of tickets are “market-priced,” meaning that “prices may adjust over time based on demand.”

They further justify their supposed right to

The Indie Spirit Awards celebrate diversity and creativity A viewing party hosted by Circle Cinema for this award show brought movie-lovers together.

Karelia Alexander Student Writer On Saturday, Feb. 8, Cinema Circle hosted a party for the Independent Spirit Awards. This award event only celebrated the achievements of small, independent movies. Although each one was small in production value, they were not small in strong acting, writing or directing. For this televised event, the Spirit Awards recognized the adversities that filmmakers face when making independent movies and the goals reached by the directors and writers of the films that were nominated.

The party was not like the other venues around Tulsa; rather it was quaint, with just a few people sitting at tables talking to each other. When the time came to watch the event, the audience went silent, but would eagerly discuss who they thought would win during the commercial breaks. It was amazing to see movie lovers come together and bond over films they saw throughout the year and find movies that they had never heard of, but were eager to watch afterwards. Though there was an underlying message of perseverance and talent, it was not pretentious at all. Both the televised event and the party at Circle Cinema were a breath of fresh air. The Spirit Awards celebrated the achievements made in the lower budget movies and raised awareness for the talented women and cultural diversity in the

industry that can make movies relatable and interesting.

Throughout the Independent Spirit Awards, there was an ongoing joke about not being backed up by major production companies or producers. As the hostess Aubrey Plaza put it, they were all there to “celebrate the movies that are too important to see.” Other stars poked this concept, such as Tulsa-Dallas native Annie Clark, who goes by her stage name St. Vincent, as she introduced best cinematography. Even Adam Sandler, who was one of the big winners of the night, talked about his Oscar snub as a joke, even though he was grateful for working on “Uncut Gems.”

Aside from the jokes, the Spirit Awards were amazing. The stars being recognized were there because of their craft, not to make money. It didn’t matter whether the production was backed up with a large budget; the nominees were able to find support in their production team, even while lacking funding from major executives. The filmmakers were able to tell the story and convey the emotions needed in the barest way possible and show diversity in cast, culture and environment.

The Safdie Brothers were one of the big winners of the night. They won Best Director for “Uncut Gems,” a pulse pounding movie about a New York jewelry dealer placing the biggest bet of his life. The movie was nominated for five awards, winning three in total. Adam Sandler won for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal in the movie as well. As for Best Actress in a Leading Role, Renée Zellweger won for her work in “Judy,” a biopic about the tragic life of Judy Garland.

“Parasite,” a black-comedy/thriller about classicism in South Korea also won. The movie has become a breakthrough not only for Asian cinema, but for international films.

Along with “Parasite,” “The Farewell,” a tale of clashing new world and old world culture, also won two awards: Best Feature and Best Supporting Actress. As each person collected their award, there was elation and happiness in every thank you and every promise to persevere as situations get tougher. The reactions were priceless.

As the afternoon progressed, the onlookers were laughing, clapping, cheering and excitedly talking about it, mainly because it was a jab at the Academy Awards. Because

Aubrey Plaza hosted the Indie Spirit Awards this year, adding humor to the event.

If you’re feeling misunderstood: If you’re feeling rebellious:

Tori Gellman Student Writer

the event focused on the movies, there was more freedom for the filmmakers. They were able to make passion projects and take risks without fear of censorship or making mistakes. It was okay. It was more than okay.

It was human. The night was about appreciating film, and the shock and emotion for the winners never died down. Events like these, whether they’re broadcasted at Cinema Circle or on the West Coast, show how something so small can make a difference in the industry and that people are willing to discover and watch the amazing independent movies that slip under the radar. That’s the real celebration.

courtesy PopSugar

If you’re feeling worried:

courtesy Penguin

courtesy Ballantine Books

courtesy Penguin

Topping the New York Times Bestseller list for 20 consecutive weeks, “Where The Crawdads Sing” instantly became a national sensation. The book describes itself as a cross between a murder mystery and a coming-of-age story. The protagonist, Kya, is one of the most likeable characters I have ever had the joy of reading. Though the odds that anyone who reads this novel will be able to directly relate to Kya’s life of living in a swamp and befriending wildlife rather than fellow humans is slim, the writing and storylines run so much deeper than that. There is a raw relatability to Kya and her experiences, and we as readers feel ourselves growing up or re-experiencing adolescence and change with her. From first love to heartbreak, misunderstandings and familial struggles, these are only a few of the beautifully complex points woven in this incredible work of fiction.

“Daisy Jones and The Six” begins by combining two musical acts. Daisy is a free spirited singer; barely ever wearing shoes and completely ignored by her parents, she was raised more by her friends and the city than any sort of traditional authority figure.

The Six is made up of a pair of brothers, a defected keyboardist and a killer rhythm section, but the record label feels the band is missing something. Told in the form of an oral history, with all of the contradicting opinions and memories you’d expect from recalling events of decades past, “Daisy Jones & The Six” is pure rock ‘n’ roll. It keeps you on the edge of your seat until well after the last sentence.

Combining elements of essay collections, memoir, speculation and history, Matt Haig’s “Notes on a Nervous Planet” is a true triumph. Haig describes anxiety in the broader context of our society as a whole and in doing so, invites us to examine our lives and interactions in new ways. From discussing consumerism, commenting on personal expenditures of time and providing personal stories about what has helped Haig himself overcome some of the overwhelming feelings he’s lived with his whole life, this book has something for everyone. What I think is most important about Haig’s work is his consistent message that “you are not alone.” Haig is open and vulnerable with his readers about his personal struggles and continues that beyond his written works, taking to social media platforms in attempts to combat some of the toxicity rampant within our culture.

The Collegian: 12

Variety

10 February 2020

“Just Mercy” tackles racism in the prison system

“Just Mercy” tells the true story of a lawyer trying to acquit a man on death row.

Alex Leeper Student Writer Films that tell a great story are easy to find. Visit any theater in Tulsa and whatever you choose will likely offer one. But a film that tells a true story, a story that is little discussed and covers a topic that is also little discussed, and makes it great, is a powerful film.

I made it to Circle Cinema on Monday, Feb. 3, to see “Just Mercy” (2019), starring Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx. As the lights dimmed, a message appeared on the screen: “Just Mercy: Introduction by Tulsa’s Tim Blake Nelson.” Nelson then appeared on the screen and welcomed the audience personally to Circle Cinema, explained how much he loved his home town of Tulsa and thanked them for watching the film. Having not seen Nelson in the trailers, I was wondering what kind of character he played.

How would Nelson represent Tulsa in this film about such an important racial subject?

In “Just Mercy,” Jordan plays Bryan, a Harvard Law graduate who moves to Alabama in the late 1980s to pursue justice for inmates who have been incarcerated for high crimes and are on death row. He takes on the case of Walter “Johnnie Dee” McMillian (Foxx), a black man arrested on charges for murdering a white teenager, Ronda Morrison.

The problem? There is only one thin testimony against Walter from a white convicted felon, Ralph Myers, played by Tulsa’s Tim Blake Nelson. Additionally, there are 20 undocumented testimonies that Walter was

away at a neighborhood fish fry during the crime scene. All of the police officials denounce Bryan’s hope of providing justice for Walter as naivety for the systematic racial dominance in Alabama, but Bryan pushes through, dead end after dead end.

Nelson’s character, Ralph, testifies that he was pressured by the Alabama police to give a false testimony, not only to lessen his own sentencing, but also to stop the police from torturing him. In the hearing, Ralph states that he never wanted to do anything wrong, and even though the local judge denied Walter a retrial, Bryan’s petition to the Alabama state supreme court to drop all charges for Walter was approved, finally obtaining just mercy for Walter, and a large victory for equal justice.

Jordan and Foxx’s portrayals add a lot to this already rich true story, and director Destin Daniel Creton offers a stunning and engaging presentation of the film’s original screenplay, which was written in part

by Bryan Stevenson himself. The pacing is excruciating, especially during a very visceral and disturbingly sad execution scene.

Throughout the film, Creton’s narrative is consistent and not overdramatized, because the plot points are by themselves, extremely meaningful and represent a larger issue that still happens today.

After the film, I thought about the real Bryan Stevenson, and how he’s been bringing justice to disadvantaged people for decades. I believe that he is saying that it is up to all of us to see the injustice that takes part in our societal institutions that we may also be a part of, and make a stand for others who may be at a disadvantage to us. This story is just one of many injustices that take place everyday in our society, and we must all contribute to helping bring justice to those who deserve it.

Michael B. Jordan stars in “Just Mercy” as young lawyer Bryan Stevenson.

courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures

Tulsa Symphony combines classics with contemporary music For their fifth Classics concert, the symphony performed Greig, Mozart and Torke.

Karelia Alexander Student Writer On Saturday, Feb. 8, the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra performed downtown at the Tulsa PAC. The night was an overflow of joyful, colorful music — each time the symphony played a movement, the audience erupted into applause.

The auditorium was packed with people waiting patiently for the orchestra to play.

As they thumbed through their programs, the expressions on their faces lit up to see what pieces were on the schedule. While the auditorium slowly filled up, the musicians individually tuned their instruments one last time. Despite the last minute nerves (as all musicians get), there was a sense of confidence in each instrumentalist. The music being performed was thoughtfully prepared with complete pasion over several hours invested in practice and rehearsal. Nevertheless the performers were excited to collaborate with the conductor and share their gift with Tulsa .

When it came time for the symphony to play, the crowd fell silent in the darkness of the auditorium. The critically acclaimed guest conductor Leslie Dunner looked at the audience with appreciation and walked

straight to the podium. Dunner is considered to be one of the most promising conductors of his generation. Throughout his career he has been internationally recognized, being honored on numerous occasions. Dunner’s knowledge of orchestral music showed: the

accompanied compositions from hundreds of years ago beautifully. The piece was commissioned and recognized by the Atlanta Committee back in the 1990s for the strong sense of the American spirit and the images that it invoked.

“... the bright melodies floated lightly through the auditorium ... ” intensity of his left hand cues were hard to miss. He articulated the dynamics with fervor, yet the music progressed beautifully, never seeming to jump clunkily between sections. From start to finish, it was clear that the conductor had a vision of what the score should sound like. Without hesitation, the bright melodies floated lightly through the auditorium and the rich harmonies bounced around and complemented the sounds being produced.

The pieces played were not at all mismatched. Yes, they were from different composers, but there was a running theme: instrumental painting. Each piece told a story and had a variety of colors ranging from bright and joyous to dark and forceful.

There was never a dull moment. The first piece the orchestra performed is relatively new by today’s standard. Michael Torke (b.

1961) composed “Javelin” in 1994, but it

The orchestra went straight into playing W.A. Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 in E-Flat Major, K 543 after “Javelin.” The movements were continuous; instead of having contrasting styles within the piece, it sounded as if it was one giant movement with its lighthearted leaps. Even though it was continuous, the audience couldn’t help but applaud after all four movements. The symphony was impressive, as the musicians collaborated, never skipping a beat and and flowing through the tempo.

As it progressed, the music became more bombastic and feathery. It was bombastic in the sense that Mozart’s personality could be heard in each movement. It was also feathery because the piece was joyous with brisk movements, titillating back and forth from start to finish.

After intermission, the symphony played Edvard Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor,

op. 16 with critically acclaimed pianist Sean Chen. Chen has won several awards for his understanding of both orchestral and solo piano works. The Grieg piece was no exception, showing off his refinement and talent.

Unlike its classical counterpart from before, this Romantic-era piece portrayed intensity and virtuosity with each note and dramatic dynamic contrast. Nevertheless there was a playfulness brought by the orchestra and the pianist: Chen was interacting and with each beat, knowing exactly where to come in, even without Dunner cuing him. There was an understanding between both of them. It was astounding how two very different musicians know how to execute and play the piece perfectly. Throughout the Grieg piece Dunner and Chen smiled at each other, almost as if cuing was a running joke, knowing that they had the entire concerto down and could do it by heart. It was remarkable.

Towards the end of the concert, the audience gave a standing ovation, which ushered in an encore performance of Chen’s arrangement of J.S. Bach third sonata. It was beautiful, capturing the lines and heights of the piece itself. Again the audience ruptured in applause. As the concert came to an end, the audience carried the music with them, eagerly awaiting the next concert that they could appreciate as much as they did with this one when the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra plays “Star Wars” in Concert on Saturday, March 14.

“Diary of a Lost Girl” explores the stigma of female sexuality Circle Cinema screened this classic silent film as part of their Silent Saturday series.

Justin Klopfer Student Writer Every second Saturday of the month, local independent theater Circle Cinema shows a classic silent film accompanied by live organ music. The organ is an authentic 1928 fully acoustic organ originally used when Circle Cinema showed silent films.

This month, Circle Cinema showed G.W. Pabst’s 1929 drama “Diary of a Lost Girl,” an adaptation of the 1905 novel of the same name by Margarete Böhme. Louise Brooks plays Thymian, a young girl who runs away from her family after being taken advantage of by her father’s assistant. She is tossed between a home for troubled girls and a brothel without anyone to care for her. Eventually, she is able to escape the cycle and rescue one of her friends from a similar fate.

The historical importance of this film is quite notable, particularly because of Brooks’s character. The actress became an international star after the release of this film and “Pandora’s Box,” another film directed by Pabst. She came to symbolize the Flappers of the 1920s with her bob haircut

and liberated ideas about women’s roles.

Many critics of the time took issue with the film and its depiction of such a character like Brooks’s for the same reasons many Flappers were looked down upon.

Tragically, Brooks’s life seemed to somewhat imitate the plight of Thymian in the film. Both are victims of sexual assault. After her film career had ended, Brooks was a prostitute for a period of time. Of course, Brooks’s personal experiences may have

helped guide her acting in the film, contributing to the authenticity of her acting.

Thankfully, before her death, her films came to be greatly admired by cinema aficionados across the globe.

“Diary of a Lost Girl” was heavily censored upon its original release due to its overtly sexual content. It was even taken out of theaters for a time in Germany, where the film was made, so it could be censored before re-release. The film was also censored

courtesy Hom-Film AG Louise Brooks delivers a personal and tragic performance as Thymian, the protagonist of “Diary of a Lost Girl.”

for its American release, but the censored cuts would vary depending on which city it was showing in.

Eventually the MPAA adopted the Hays Code for films, which created a more regulated and centralized logic toward what would and what wouldn’t be allowed in pictures shown in America. Ironically, as Bill Rowland, Circle Cinema’s organist, pointed out, the film would probably only receive a PG rating if it was released today. Luckily, Circle Cinema was able to show the full, uncensored cut. It just goes to show how much the public’s sensibilities have changed over time.

The film still mostly holds up to a modern viewing, though some peculiarities of silent films do get in the way of enjoying it. Of course, Brooks’s performance more than compensates for these problems. She was perfectly casted for the role of an overwhelmed yet strong young woman. You really find yourself rooting for her through all of her journey in the film. Of course, Thymian’s struggle is still strikingly relevant today. Even almost a century later, Thymian embodies a female identity crisis decades before Anna Karina (“Vivre Sa Vie”) or Barbara Loden (“Wanda”).

Next month’s silent film will be “The Great K&A Train Robbery,” a classic western starring Tom Mix. The show is on March 14 and the tickets will be free!

10 February 2020

The State-Run Media

The Collegian: 13

Murderer plays Trump Card, charges dropped

Hans Johnson walked free after convincing the judge to ignore witnesses.

Hannah Robbins Miss Trial 1998 Hope came to Tulsa last week in the murder trial of Hans Johnson. Johnson, who was arrested in December after he stole a newscaster’s microphone to proclaim that “[he] definitely killed three people, why yes sir,” is currently on trial for a completely different murder that he also confessed to, this time on a radio show. Before his trial began, it was predicted he would serve 25 to life in a federal prison (but the ones with the good conditions that only rich people get in to), but then something changed.

The day before Johnson’s trial was set to begin, a legal loophole arose due to the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump wherein the Senate voted to call no witnesses. Johnson’s amazing (and contra bono) lawyer had a cunning moment of inspiration: cite legal precedent and bar the prosecution from calling any witnesses in Johnson’s trial.

The logic behind this OBJECTION was fairly simple: in the trial in the U.S. Senate to remove Trump from office, the Senate had to vote if they wanted to hear witnesses related to the articles against Trump.

However, one by one the senators said nay,

You’ve activated his trap card!

bringing a swift end to the impeachment trial. Why? Because if the result is obvious, there is no need for evidence.

graphic by Emma Palmer

This allowed Johnson’s lawyer, Mr. Moneylaunderbags, to claim, rather simply, “Take one look at Hans Johnson and you’ll

know that such a charming man could not have killed anyone. All criminals are awful, and if someone goes up to a criminal, they know that this is the case. Mr. Johnson is a good, honest, God-fearing man. He would never do something like this, no sir! It’s so obvious that Mr. Johnson was framed!”

The judge in the case, the Honorable Judge Judith, was in a bind. If the Supreme Court Justice who presided over the Senate Impeachment trial had approved and agreed with this obviously sound logic, then this must be how it should work in the lower courts. Legal precedent must be followed, especially when the people setting it are illogical and taller than you. The Supreme Court of the United States is the tallest court in the U.S., so their word is law.

With that evidence in mind, Judge Judith had no choice but to omit the witness section of the trial. While this sped up the trial considerably (Judge Judith was able to get an early lunch!), some critics remarked that the result had not been fair. Hans Johnson was free after a 45-minute trial, and the very next day he was back on local TV with a new body and some pictures to prove it, crying “Y’all can’t catch me! Some little judge wasn’t able to put me in the slammer, so no one can! This is America baby, land of the free if you have the money to bribe the right people!” At that point, Mr. Moneylaunderbags reappeared, shoving his client bodily off the set. No charges have followed that episode.

President Levit’s first order: censor Cl*ncy Although she’s only been in power a week, Levit is already making sweeping changes.

Michaela Bueche “I Levit!”

It was announced two weeks ago that President Gerard Cl*ncy would be resigning from office and that Provost Janet Levit was taking over as Interim President. Now that Levit has achieved her final form of Supreme Interim Ruler (SIR for short), she has been hard at work making changes left and right.

SIR Levit could be seen this week running around campus using a censor button to bleep out anyone saying Cl*ncy’s name.

When asked why she was doing this, Levit responded, “We must look to the future of our great super college, and not to the past

budget cuts that we will definitely continue to make.”

I recently had a witness, who shall remain nameless for their safety, come forward with information about what Levit had been planning. The witness said, “I was walking

by Sharp Chapel after my lab one night and saw Levit nailing something to the door.

This seemed strange, so I hid behind a bush

I waited a few minutes, in case she came back, before walking up to the door to see what she had nailed there.

At the top it read, “SIR Levit’s 95 Executive Orders.” At the bottom, it said, “If you have any comments, questions or concerns, you may come to [Levit’s] office hours in Chapman Lecture Hall on February 6 from 1:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.”

“The hunt is still on to find the other 90 Executive Orders.” with the campus cats until she left.” (We have not been able to get in touch with the campus cats to corroborate this story.)

“She proudly strode away with the hammer over her shoulder like she was Paul Bunyan and had just chopped down 1000 trees.

I was able to attain the top half of the first page, but it had major water damage from the epic snowstorm on Wednesday. Listed below are the portions I was able to decipher:

1. Censor any mention of the old president who shall not be named.

2. Levit shall herein only be referred to as Supreme Overlord.

3. [REDACTED] 4. All students shall drop their majors in favor of the super-duper major, lawyer.

5. Thou shalt not gossip about the Supreme Overlord behind her back under penalty of death.

The hunt is still on to find the other 90 Executive Orders. Our best investigative reporters also managed to get into Levit’s office hours through a wormhole to the Twilight Zone, but did not have enough time to ask any questions. They will try again during her next office hours on Feb. 30 from 1:30 p.m. to 1:28 p.m, which won’t actually be announced until the day of at 1:32 p.m.

This is an ongoing investigation, so we encourage students and faculty to share any and all information they have.

Feminist only watches male-centric anime

Women are often degraded in anime. The solution? Just watch shows without women!

Courtney Spivey Anime enthusiast

When I began watching anime, I was around 14 years old. I knew of “Cardcaptor Sakura” and some good old timey animes, but nothing that was really trending or popular. I didn’t really know what I was gravitating towards in popular anime, but I stayed far far away from the big tiddies in “One Piece” and the massively obscene muscles on Goku. As a rite of passage, I knew I had to pick one of the big three to binge — “Naruto,” “One Piece” and “Bleach” — but wasn’t sure which one was the best.

Being a dumb little child, I picked something I could relate to: “Naruto.” Let’s not get into the misogyny of that epic series (the story arcs are awesome but … yeah).

Moving forward, I watched many anime and learned about many strong types of supporting female roles. I like adventure and action popular anime, so I watched and found my idols: 1. The Lolita girl (usually 500+ years old): Tatsumaki in “One-Punch Man”, Hestia in “Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon” (don’t watch this show if you want to remain sane), Elizabeth Mildford in “Black Butler,” Shinobu in “Monogatari Series.”

2. Big titty mother role women: Tsunade in “Naruto,” Erza Scarlet in “Fairy Tail” (haven’t watched this one but the titties are massive and she’s strong apparently).

3. The hot hot hot silent and deadly female character with glasses.

4. The big titty GOTH hot crazy insane evil female villain (most female villains in anime, always skinny af): “Kill la Kill,” “Devilman.”

5. The harem of strong female characters who all bounce their young, provocative bodies around some fugly male

character that looks like a standard weeaboo: “BNHA,” “SAO,” “Dungeon,” “HighSchool DxD” …

6. The cool girl but they’re still nothing in terms of power compared to the main male characters … and they wear short skirts that accentuates their ungodly thicc (for their body type) asses AND are haaaawt: “Cowboy Bebop,” “BNHA.” 7. Honorable mention: dark skinned white girls. ... with most females in outfits that realistically would have pouches for where the anime tiddies go, no matter the size.

After my first feminist class: “Introduction to Java,” I realized that I was viewing all these females through a male’s gaze and that it was a bit objectifying to ogle at these hot hot hot hot hot hot steamy oh mama mia girls in their attires. I realized this because I finally had a class where every target audience of popular anime converged. I understood why they were created so sexy and perfect, beyond the limitations of the 3D world.

I was in a bit of a pickle. Being a mostly straight female, I was not sexually empowered by seeing characters move around with their boobie physics. I wasn’t really attracted to them either, and I found them just as annoying as their male anime counterparts usually found them to be.

However, I am a feminist.

What to do … what to do …

In a bid of radical feminism, I cut all the sins from my life and decided to watch shows where the ratio of main characters of men to women was overpowering! Shows like “Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure,” “Devilman Crybaby,” “One-Punch Man”, “Blue Exorcist,” “Durarara!” and “Cowboy Bebop” were tasteful classics that didn’t deal with much female representation (but when they did they were haaaaaaawt). It made me feel more comfortable and I fully enjoyed those shows.

I still struggle sometimes when a new anime makes its way into my friends circles / my social media outlets and their bondaka

OWO? What’s this? Big tibbies??

donkity honkers bounce vivaciously into my newsfeed, but I now view things with a clear perspective. Nothing in anime is sin

graphic by Ju Kai Chen

free. Fight against sexism by refusing to acknowledge it - only watch anime without women, and you’re all good to go.

The State-Run Media

10 February 2020

the

State-Run media cursed_section.exe

Kevin Stitt’s sugar baby application Please shower me in your money Daddy Donald. :) Michaela Bueche Prefers Sweet ‘n’ Low Governor Kevin Stitt gave the 2020 State of the State address last Monday, but instead of reporting the current condition of Oklahoma, he used his speech to submit his application to be President Donald Trump’s sugar baby. The transcript lies below (just like Kevin): First I would like to thank all y’all loyal Oklahomans for coming out today. I’d especially like to thank my one and only friend First Lady Sarah Stitt, my children and my parents for supporting me. I’d also like to thank everyone watching at home. Hopefully that includes our great savior President Trump. The reason for that hope is that this speech will be my application to be his sugar baby.

I’ll start with a little information about myself. I’m a husband and a father of six, but they can easily disappear if necessary.

That’s only 21 years of my life down the drain. I’m also a businessman and started from the bottom just like you. ;) I am applying for the position of sugar baby because I have long been working toward making Oklahoma a Top Ten State in this nation. To accomplish this, Oklahoma will need more funding for government ventures. The state is no longer raking in large

sums from oil and gas, which has really wrecked our economy. That’s not even the worst of it, though.

But that is beside the point. The most important thing is that I personally need more money. It could even be a small loan of a million dollars to start with. I may have accrued a few gambling debts, but I’ve mostly got that issue resolved. I just had to shut down all the casinos in Oklahoma.

The sugar baby application was originally Sarah’s idea, but she thought you would be more attracted to me. She’s always wanted to experiment in the bedroom, and she also recently made me aware that she can no longer afford my extravagant lifestyle.

You may remember me from your Twitter endorsement of me during my run for Governor or even when you met me after I won.

I was even in D.C. just last week with you talking about my take on your wonderful Medicaid program that you were so excited about. I call it SoonerCare 2.0. The name inspiration came from your new “Tax Cuts 2.0.”

SoonerCare 2.0 shows my loyalty and devotion to you, Mr. Trump. To show my commitment, I guarantee the entire state of Oklahoma will vote for you in the 2020 election.

In conclusion, I hope you will consider my application and become a permanent addition to the Stitt family, Daddy. I mean, Mr. President Sir. When asked about Kevin Stitt’s unorthodox State of the State address, all Trump had to say was, “Who?”

graphic by Emma Palmer

Stitt and his new sugar daddy.

Doomsday Clock overlooks daylight savings

Drunken scientists forgot to turn the clock back an hour; turns out everything’s okay!

Brian Kwiecinski Armageddidn’t prepper

On Jan. 23, 2020, it was announced that the Doomsday Clock, a symbol of humanity’s ever-shrinking embrace with extinction, had been moved to 100 seconds to midnight. Reporters say at the time of that announcement, millions of people across the world silently kneeled down into a foreboding Tebow.

However, it doesn’t end there. In shocking news put out just last week, it turns out everything is fine! The knucklehead scientists behind the Doomsday Clock were drinking heavily the night of Nov. 2 and forgot to set the DC back an hour the next

morning! Humanity now has a full hour and 100 seconds to fuck up again.

As America stood up from their solemn Tebows, a joyous dabbing session broke out across the nation as we all flirted with our first feelings of hope. Reporters who have seen clocks before knew that this meant that our world was the safest it had been in decades and that nothing could change that. If there was any danger then our little clockwork herald of Judgement Day would have caught it, no sweat!

Once the warm and comforting feeling of knowing a disastrous series of interconnected and yet simultaneously independent problems deeply woven into the fabric of society will not affect any current generation began to sink in, the world truly opened up to everyone.

The number of risky and reckless business ventures blissfully financed by shady loans skyrocketed. Recycling trucks joyously dumped their waste into nearby parks,

while energy corporations cheerfully reopened deprecated waste disposal pipes into nearby rivers. The toxic scent of victory began euphorically permeating the air as everyone took a huge whiff and even turned the water a victorious brown!

Following this wave of positivity, the government has finally begun doing what we’ve all been asking for, taking complete control of our lives to maximize our happiness! They started by cutting out all of the toxic people trying to bring us down, so all the negative Nancy contrarians who practice “critical thinking” and claim, “That’s not how the Doomsday Clock works,” or, “It’s supposed a metaphor,” have been rounded up by local law enforcement and will be summarily executed as a brilliant new sunrise comes up tomorrow. Glad they finally got those losers out of the way!

In order to combat the possibility of this new age coming to an abrupt end on March 8 of this year, America’s legislative branch

has motioned to abolish daylight savings time as a short-term measure and is even hiring researchers to look into how to stop time itself, wonderful!

Thankfully, there will be no trouble financing this research as Congress also decided that schools now require a much smaller budget. After all, there is absolutely no point in trying to raise intelligent and well-rounded individuals when our problems are solved and Big Brother is watching! America can breathe a sigh of relief as the millions of dollars that were being wasted on “education” and can finally be used to combat real-world problems.

The Doomsday Clock, now known as the Pax Horologium, truly brought peace and prosperity to this world. Just yesterday, all of the world leaders announced, simultaneously in the same tone at the same pitch, that all of the world’s problems were just a matter of perspective. It’s amazing the wonders just one hour can do!

Admin opens esports lounge just to play “D&D” Admin rolls the dice with new “D&D” campaign.

Brennen Gray Lvl. 22 wizard The esports lounge is open! It was something the student population asked for, and lo and behold the administration delivered.

But could there be another reason the administration decided to build the cuttingedge facility?

The first full week the esports lounge was open, students could hardly fit in the administrator-packed room. Over a dozen vice presidents, a handful of deans and the Provost/President herself were all there.

Vice President for Finance, Operations & Administration, Corporate Secretary & Treasurer, Kevan Buck was seen at the door in a Gandalf costume.

“You … shall not … PASS,” said Buck.

Eventually a few students made their way past Buck, who was attempting to collapse the floor with

his staff. Much to their surprise, they found all the administrators playing a massive game of “Dungeons and Dragons.”

Junior communications major Greta G. Amer expressed her concern.

“I mean they must have built the whole thing just to play ‘Dungeons and Dragons,’” said Amer. “They had dice and character sheets and the whole nine yards!

This is supposed to be for students!”

Amer also noted the aggression between the students and faculty: “They all got out their most intimidating swords and stood

Kevan Buck really rocked his cosplay.

guard in the room while they chanted ‘you’ll never take us alive’ and ‘this is for cool kids only’ and ‘mom says it’s our turn with the esports lounge!’”

Other students found the administration’s enthusiasm for role-playing games to be a positive aspect of campus. “League of Legends” team captain XxNoobsbeware69xX spoke his satisfaction: “This is awesome! Gaming can be considered a valid form of entertainment now that old people are doing it!”

The student also pointed out the potential for university cohesion: “I mean year, it looks like there is some animosity between the admin and the amatuer gam-

ers, but eventually I bet we can all find common ground!

The student was unable to say more and had to take his leave, citing “a need to pwn some n00bs with his smurf, no cap.”

As far as the campaign itself goes, the administration seems to be fighting a daunting dragon. This eldritch terror comes from the depths of hell itself and will prove more than a challenge for even the best “D&D” players amongst their ranks. Their campaign centers around defeating the great Bujitt Chrysus.

The Bujitt Chrysus has been a pretty famous monster across universities all around the U.S., so it’s no surprise that Tulsa picked this module up from all the options. “Curse of Strahd” is just too basic anyway.

At any rate, even if the lounge was just built for an admin-lead “Dungeons and Dragons” game, at least we can all enjoy that this is a uniquely TU problem. Like, literally, what other University would this happen at?

graphic by Emma Palmer