The Tufts Daily - Thursday, March 11, 2021

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VOLUME LXXXI, ISSUE 22

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tHursDaY, MarCH 11, 2021

somerville Mayor Joe curtatone not seeking reelection

by Michael Weiskopf Assistant News Editor

Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone, the city’s longest-serving mayor, announced on March 1 that he will not seek reelection this November. This decision has fueled speculation that Curtatone will run for governor of Massachusetts in 2022.

Curtatone was first elected mayor in 2003 and assumed office in 2004, subsequently winning reelection eight times, every two years. Now, at the age of 54, many see Curtatone’s announcement as a sign that he will challenge Gov. Charlie Baker next year.

Curtatone announced his decision in his midterm address, a speech given by the city’s mayor every other year. The speech was delivered virtually on March 1.

“This will be my final year as Mayor of Somerville,” Curtatone said in his speech. “It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve the city where I was raised. I love this job — and this community — with every ounce of my being.”

In an email to the Daily, Curtatone explained why he

VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone speaks at the Green Line Extension groundbreaking on Dec. 11, 2012. is choosing not to run for reelection.

“I’ve been privileged to serve as Somerville’s Mayor for nearly 20 years,” Curtatone said. “It’s a job I still love and could happily do for another 20 years, but now feels like the right time to step aside and welcome new leadership.”

In his speech, Curtatone outlined his agenda for his final year in office.

“Somerville needs to rebound from the health, economic and social hits brought on by the coronavirus outbreak,” he said. “This crisis has magnified inequities in our larger society that must be addressed.”

Curtatone proceeded to name several aspects of his plan to help Somerville recover from the pandemic before he heads out of office.

“In Somerville, we’re always ready to take our inequities head on. It is fundamental to our local character and values. And that is exactly what we will — and must — continue to do in 2021,” he said. “Vaccines are how we band together to beat this disease, but we find ourselves having to battle the state to make sure vaccines are truly accessible to everyone.”

Curtatone also described his plans for racial justice during

his final year in office, including re-imagining the way the Somerville police force operates.

“To ensure this work continues and grows, we are hiring a racial and social justice director who will be part of the Mayor’s core policy team, putting an equity and racial justice lens on everything we do,” Curtatone said. “They will lead the community effort to achieve true equity, making sure the people who’ve borne the pain of systemic racism lead the process.”

Other issues discussed during Curtatone’s speech included climate change, education, transportation and housing. He concluded by reflecting on his 17 years as mayor, particularly this past one. “[The] burning desire to do better is why being the mayor of Somerville has been such an incredible experience. It’s a value embodied by our residents and something I see every day from city staff,” Curtatone said. “In normal times, I’m amazed at the work city employees put in day in, day out, and the volunteerism and advocacy that residents consee MAYOR, page 2

WMFO resumes in-person dJing with restrictions

by Matthew McGovern News Editor

The Office for Campus Life gave WMFO, Tufts’ freeform radio station, permission to welcome DJs back into the studio as part of the broader easing of university restrictions announced on Feb. 18.

The station is subject to rules outlined by the Office for Campus Life that apply to all student organizations and their spaces, but this change means WMFO DJs can once again have in-person shows. WMFO has had a stop-and-go year, shutting its doors in March, then reopening to student DJs in September only to close again in November. DJs that are back in the studio now are there for the first time since November.

Rachel Herman, WMFO program director, wrote in an email to the Daily that remote programming has been in place since May 2020. Even when DJs were allowed back into the studio in September, there was a remote broadcasting option. However, Herman, a senior, said there are great benefits to in-person DJing.

“In-person shows are more accessible to many DJs,”

NICOLE GARAY /THE TUFTS DAILY

Community DJ Patrick Clerkin hosts his show “Man V Mob Radio” in Curtis Hall on Nov. 4, 2019.

Herman said. “There is a bit of a learning curve for the software and procedures required to do a show from home, and many people may not have the time, knowledge, or equipment to participate in that.”

While student DJs were permitted to return to the station starting Feb. 22, only one person is allowed in the studio at

a time, and new cleaning procedures have been established.

Herman acknowledged that co-hosting shows and inviting friends on air were sorely missed elements of WMFO. Additionally, she said that the radio station has had more difficulty recruiting and training DJs in the past year.

However, returning DJs are excited to get back into the stu-

dio. Diego Griese, a DJ at WMFO, said remote shows don’t compare to being in the station, located in Curtis Hall, in person.

“The studio vibes are immaculate, it’s awesome to just be in the studio,” Griese said.

Griese expanded on why he likes to be there physically.

“Some of the more interesting parts of the show are the

‘Framing Britney Spears’ reveals the dark reality of Spears’ public persona and private life

The danger of aiming for ‘justice’ when fighting for anti- racism

Tufts coaches maintain optimism as pandemic complicates athletics

transitions between one show to the next,” Griese said. “You could talk to the DJ beforehand and, as they’re leaving they’d be like, stay tuned to listen … You get to say the fun DJ name on the channel and try to establish that relationship on air.”

Griese added that others share his sentiments.

“Everyone I’ve talked with back in the fall, when we could go back into the studio, everyone was over the moon about it,” Griese said. “It’s a really nice place to just be.”

Though student DJs were able to return to in-person production as of Feb. 22, community member DJs cannot.

“Community member DJs are not allowed on campus and have not been since March 2020 due to University COVID policies, so they have continued with the remote-only option,” Herman said.

She added that if students are not comfortable coming into the studio or are not in the on-campus COVID-19 testing system, they can continue to have shows through remote broadcasting. see WMFO, page 2 NEWS

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ThE TuFTs daILy | NeWs | Thursday, March 11, 2021

THE TUFTS DAILY MEGAN SZOSTAK Editor in chief

— EdITOrIaL — ETHAN STEINBERG Managing Editor

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Opinion articles on campus, national and international issues should be 600 to 1,200 words in length and submitted to opinion@tuftsdaily.com. The editors reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, space and length. All material is subject to editorial discretion and is not guaranteed to appear in the Daily. Authors must submit their telephone numbers and day-of availability for editing questions.

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curtatone maintains focus on somerville MAYOR

continued from page 1 tribute in service of Somerville, but I’ve been blown away by how our staff and how our community have stepped up even more during this pandemic.”

Rocco DiRico, director of the Office of Government and Community Relations at Tufts, reflected on the university’s relationship with Curtatone over the course of his years as mayor.

“Tufts University has been fortunate to have a visionary leader like Mayor Curtatone at the helm of one of its host communities since 2004,” DiRico wrote in an email to the Daily.

“The relationship between the City and the University has become a model for cooperative town and gown partnerships.”

A “town and gown partnership” refers to the relationship between a university and the residents of its host communities. DiRico also explained how the school’s relationship with Curtatone has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing Tufts’ testing program for Somerville students and teachers.

“Recently, the pandemic brought the City and the University even closer together,” DiRico said. “In the Fall of 2020, we also worked with the Mayor’s office to provide free COVID-19 tests to Somerville neighbors that live on streets that abut the campus. And most importantly, Tufts University has partnered with the City of Somerville to provide COVID-19 tests for students, teachers, and staff at Somerville Public Schools.”

After individual tests proved to be too expensive for the Somerville Public Schools, Tufts developed a pooled testing method that brought costs down while still allowing enough testing for students to begin returning to school.

“Under Mayor Curtatone’s leadership, Somerville will begin bringing students back into the classroom in a safe and sustainable manner,” DiRico said.

According to DiRico, while Tufts has had a positive relationship with Curtatone, very little would change under new leadership in Somerville.

“While the leadership of [Tufts’ host communities] have changed over the years, one

thing that won’t change is Tufts’ commitment to supporting the communities that we call home,” he said.

Curtatone’s leaving office means that the mayor’s office will be in someone else’s hands for the first time in 18 years.

One Somerville resident, William Tauro, announced his candidacy in October, and more are expected to announce in the coming weeks.

Tauro runs a news blog called The Somerville News Weekly and is the author of a book titled “Stealing Somerville: The Death of an Urban City” (2018). He has been an outspoken critic of Curtatone for years.

“My focus is to address and correct the many issues that have plagued Somerville currently and need immediate attention,” Tauro wrote in an email to the Daily. “[Curtatone’s decision] only allows me more time to properly plan for our city to be fixed.”

Tauro has made several baseless accusations against Curtatone, including corruption, substance abuse and infidelity, which were repeated in his email to the Daily.

Curtatone, a Democrat, has been at odds with Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Analysts have been predicting for months that Curtatone would run for governor, based on his increasingly adversarial relationship with the current officeholder. His announcement was widely interpreted as a sign that a gubernatorial run is all but certain.

However, Curtatone is seeking to downplay rumors that he will challenge Baker next year. He emphasized in his speech that he still has almost an entire year left in his term.

“As I carry forward during my final term, I’m all in, Somerville,” Curtatone said. “I will be hard at work for you until my last day on the job.”

He further elaborated on this in his email to the Daily.

“Right now, I am 100% focused on being the Mayor of Somerville, shepherding our city through the pandemic, and making sure the next Mayor is set up for success,” Curtatone said. “I have no current plans for what happens after my term ends this year. There will be time to decide on that later.”

community member dJs not allowed back into studio, continuing with remote shows WMFO

continued from page 1 Herman explained that community DJs make up a big part of WMFO’s programming and are instrumental in training new DJs with the studio equipment.

“Not having them on campus right now is certainly

going to limit and slow down our in-person training capabilities,” Herman said. “We are very eager to get new DJs into the station to keep up student interest and all the traditions of WMFO.” According to John Wescott, associate director of campus life – programming, WMFO is

subject to the same rules for social distancing, cleaning and room capacity as the rest of the university.

In an email to the Daily, Wescott explained that the Office for Campus Life and WMFO have been working closely throughout the pandemic to follow university reg-

ulations and keep the station operating.

“Specifically, I’ve met with the full board to discuss WMFO station operations and assist them in reviewing the Tufts guidelines for capacity of the space, who can and cannot use the station and ordering necessary cleaning supplies,” Wescott said.

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Kevin Zhang Tales from the T

I

Big Dig Pt. 2: Electric Boogaloo

n last week’s column we discussed the history of the Lowell Line that runs by Tufts, so perhaps it’s fitting to now discuss a plan proposed for its future. It’s a plan that could bring modern electric commuter trains from Tufts through downtown Boston to Allston, Wellesley and even Providence, via a true regional transportation network.

But first, some context.

The first railroads in Boston opened their own terminal stations on the periphery of down-

Features town. Boston’s South Station opened in 1899, followed by North Station in 1928. This ended a haphazard arrangement of no fewer than eight separate terminals, with all passenger trains now funneled into two massive union stations. While the train operators have changed, this setup of two separate terminals — North Station and South Station — has remained fundamentally the same.

Bringing passengers to the edge of downtown certainly made sense in the early 20th century when Boston was much more compact and centralized. However, with the rise of communities and job markets outside of inner Boston, and the subsequent shift away from downtown-focused journeys, the setup is becoming a nuisance. Passengers making cross-Boston rail journeys must walk over 20 minutes or

take two “T” lines to transfer between the North and South terminals. Many end up driving — a more convenient option, but one that is far worse for congestion, pollution, urban sprawl and climate change.

And all this is to say nothing of capacity issues. Recent increases in rail ridership have placed an increasing strain on the terminals — soon to be undersized — as well as the “T,” already the Eaton 202 of subway systems (though it remains to be seen how ridership will recover after the pandemic). Proposals exist to expand South Station, but this will only dump more passengers onto the “T” without improving cross-Boston trips.

Enter the North-South Rail Link, or NSRL. Under this plan, the lines feeding into North and South stations would be connected by new rail tunnels under downtown Boston. Intercity and

commuter trains could now run right into downtown, stopping at new underground stations before continuing outward on other lines. It’s not a new idea — similar schemes are in use in Philadelphia, Paris and London. The potential benefits are immense: Passengers would gain more convenient access to huge swathes of Greater Boston, congestion and pollution would decrease, North Station would be closed for redevelopment and downtown Boston would gain a new rail line with more frequent trains than the Red Line. These would also include new electric trains — costly, but cleaner, quieter and faster.

Of course, as we all know, Boston has a history of properly completing massive transportation projects — especially when said projects involve digging massive tunnels under downtown (cough).

3 Thursday, March 11, 2021 But even without the Big Dig’s cost overruns, delayed openings and arrests for fraud, a 2015 MBTA study estimates costs between $12 billion and $21 billion (or roughly the price of three textbooks) for the NSRL project.

Digging the tunnels and stations themselves — with associated entrances, passages, ventilation shafts, etc. — all while minimizing ground-level disruptions, is a doable but phenomenally complex undertaking. Add in the costs of new electric trains and it’s no surprise that people might prefer cheaper alternatives like expanding South Station. The potential benefits of the NSRL are clear, but perhaps it’s the transit megaproject that we deserve and not the one we need now.

Kevin Zhang is a sophomore studying civil engineering.

Kevin can be reached at kevin. zhang7@tufts.edu.

4 Thursday, March 11, 2021

WeeKeNDer

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‘Framing Britney spears’ and the movement to free america’s biggest pop star

by Christopher Panella Arts Editor

Few pop stars can match the fame and success of Britney Spears. Her meteoric rise to fame in the late ’90s, followed by ongoing triumphs in the 2000s and beyond, serve as career benchmarks for music artists.

All of her albums were smash hits, featuring vibrant singles and iconic music videos. Spears played with many trends in her music, from teen pop and dance-pop to electronic dance music. She calculated every single career move, at least before her conservatorship began in 2008, and made it look easy.

That latter point isn’t something “Framing Britney Spears” (2021) spends a lot of time on, but rather uses it to show Spears’ independence and ingenuity before her conservatorship changed her life. Released in February as a feature of “The New York Times Presents” (2020– ) docuseries, “Framing Britney Spears” focuses on the singer’s struggles with the various institutions that sparked her infamous mid-2000s breakdowns.

It seems like an understatement to call the media and music industry’s misogyny, harassment and deliberate destruction of Spears as “struggles.” But “Framing Britney Spears” comes at a moment when American culture is finally deconstructing this euphemism. We’re now grappling with just how terribly Spears was treated, from becoming a meme-ified punchline to being the focus of caricatures across the media — even on children’s shows, such as “The Fairly OddParents” (2001–17).

The documentary’s release also comes out of the #FreeBritney movement, which calls for the termination of Spears’ conservatorship under her father, Jamie Spears. The campaign is fan-driven, its hashtag exploding across social media channels.

But celebrities, too, have weighed in on #FreeBritney; everyone from Cher to Miley Cyrus and Paris Hilton has supported ending Spears’ conservatorship and giving her justice.

But “Framing Britney Spears” can’t capture it all. The rise, fall and redemption of Spears is simply too large to cover in a 74-minute documentary. At this point, it’s practically an American myth, a story so big and widespread that everyone has their own version of it. Instead, director Samantha Stark wastes little time establishing the story she wants to tell, tracing Spears’ professional and personal issues while outlining her circle of support (which her father Jamie is completely absent from).

After beginning with a quick look at the #FreeBritney move-

VIA IMDB

A promotional poster for The New York Times’ documentary ‘Framing Britney Spears’ (2021). ment, “Framing Britney Spears” takes viewers to Spears’ hometown of Kentwood, LA. It’s small and intimate. We learn about the singer from her friend and former assistant Felicia Culotta.

There are old photographs, funny anecdotes and reminders of youth — with a particular emphasis on just how young Spears was when she began her career with “The Mickey Mouse Club” (1989–96) and a recording deal with Jive Records.

Here, “Framing Britney Spears” quickly dissects Spears’ early work. Former Jive Records marketing executive Kim Kaiman meticulously details the effort that went into performances and public appearances. Kaiman recalls that Spears’ father really only had one thought as his daughter entered the music business: money. While Spears’ mother Lynne was supportive and helpful, Jamie’s only thought was, as Kaiman recalls, “My

daughter’s gonna be so rich, she’s gonna buy me a boat.”

The most notable and shocking thing about all of this isn’t parental support (or lack thereof) but rather just how fast Spears became famous. It was almost overnight. In one clip, she’s singing in a sparsely crowded mall; in the next, we hear the cheers and screams of thousands.

Like us, “Framing Britney Spears” understands just how monumental Spears was at the time of her first albums “…Baby One More Time” (1999) and “Oops!… I Did It Again” (2000).

The documentary singles her out as a girl in the boys’ club, surrounded by — and eventually overshadowing — boybands.

And part of that was Spears’ sex appeal. It’s a topic that “Framing Britney Spears” constantly juggles with. Spears, very in control of her image, was constantly questioned and ridiculed by the media for owning her sexuality.

At the time, interviewers like Diane Sawyer tore Spears apart over her relationship with Justin Timberlake. Panels asked about her virginity. Public figures like Kendel Ehrlich threatened to shoot her. Magazines increasingly invaded Spears’ personal life, magnifying her every move.

“Framing Britney Spears” doesn’t shy away from all of these horrors; rather, it examines them with journalistic precision.

The movie also delves into paparazzi’s stalking and harassment of Spears, who came into the spotlight just as paparazzi were really honing their powers.

At every turn, Spears was followed by a hoard of cameras, with men faking kindness and expressing concern over her outbursts. But “Framing Britney Spears” knows better. Even when the documentary interviews paparazzo Daniel “Dano” Ramos, it’s clear: The paparazzi made piles of money traumatiz-

ing Spears, and the more shots they got of her breakdown, the more they profited.

Likewise, Stark reckons with Timberlake’s role and explores how the boyband-turned-solo singer weaponized his breakup with Spears to further his career and make himself the “good guy.” It’s a useful observation that certainly struck a nerve, as Timberlake issued a public apology just a week after the documentary’s release.

Chronologically, this all leads to Spears’ conservatorship. Court documents, visits to rehabilitation and treatment centers and child custody battles connect to Spears’ father’s control of her personal life and financial matters. “Framing Britney Spears” compares both of those latter aspects. And that’s a particularly useful moment for viewers who might not know much about conservatorships. It shines a light not only on Spears’ situation, but so many other Americans under this system.

In all of these instances, “Framing Britney Spears” finds the sweet spot between evaluating what happened at the time and how we’re looking back and discussing it now. It smartly weaves together narratives that explore what led to Spears’ conservatorship while acknowledging our current reckoning and collective appreciation for Spears’ redemption, too.

If the singer’s breakdown was profitable for media outlets, then her comeback album “Circus” (2008) and its subsequent works were even more of a field day.

The singer has always been a money machine — perhaps that’s why the current conservatorship battles are so heated.

“Framing Britney Spears” traces the paper trail: Jamie, along with others involved in the conservatorship, makes a lot of money on Spears’ career.

Over the past few years, Spears has made moves to remove the conservatorship.

Recently, Jamie lost the bid to continue being Spears’ sole conservator and Republican lawmakers Jim Jordan and Matt Gaetz used the #FreeBritney movement to hold hearings on the exploitations of conservatorships. It’s quite incredible that a fan-led movement sparked this much conversation.

While watching “Framing Britney Spears, this writer was reminded of their appreciation for Spears’ resilience. She came of age with every misogynistic and judgmental eye on her. Mental health and wellness weren’t a part of the conversation; while we’ve come far since then, there’s still plenty of work to do. But before that work begins, Spears deserves freedom and independence. It’s the least she can get after all these years.

W

Thursday, March 11, 2021 | WeeKeNDer | ThE TuFTs daILy

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GRAPHIC BY DERIN SAVASAN

Ramona Meng Xi Beyond the Underneath

‘White cube’ gallery and its ‘color cube’ cafe

I

can’t remember the exact time I got to know about the term “white cube,” a style of contemporary gallery with a rectangular space, unadorned white walls and neutral lighting. “White cube” would automatically jump in my mind whenever I walked into a white cube gallery. There were plenty.

I personally love white. The color conveys a sense of terseness. It doesn’t say much and leaves space for others to imagine and express. White walls seem like the perfect accompaniment of artworks: They don’t compete with the displayed art. But do the white wall and art resonate?

When you realize most of the galleries in the art district you have walked into are white cubes, you start to taste the numbness. Complete whiteness was once more unique compared to, for example, the intricate style of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, but now it dictates the contemporary gallery style.

White suits all, but it also assimilates all. I asked myself what other styles could suit the nature of contemporary galleries, and in my mind the picture of white cubes was somehow carved. When the bulk of galleries conform and form an obsession with so-called “minimalism” and cleanliness, the flood of such uniformity inundates other possibilities and cripples the potential power of context.

Marie’s Gallery is not in the city center. It’s renovated from an old paint factory. The gallery is a typical “white cube” gallery. Like usual, it instantly ignited my excitement through its visual and aural tranquility in contrast to the city’s clamor, calmed me with the singleness in simplicity but then cooled me down with endless monotony. You first appre-

ciate the otherworldly atmosphere from the walls, and then the abundant white gradually becomes dazzling, draining your eyes, propelling you to look for something else.

A week ago, my friend saw a curator’s post from Marie’s Gallery asking for wall art enthusiasts.

Next to the gallery is a similar-sized cafe that’s also a part of the renovated factory and is not yet open. What caught my attention was the “abstract art” on its white walls.

“They are just random paint marks on the old factory’s wall,” the curator said.

“We thought it was artsy and decided not to paint white over some parts of the old wall. After all, it was a paint factory, and we want to keep some history and memories.”

Those peeks into the factory’s history juxtapose the smooth, freshly-painted white walls, luring you in to explore more about the stories of this interior. This space suddenly feels alive.

“I don’t want the walls to be blank.

Paint something!” the curator said to me.

I was thrilled. Not only did it mean my work would last longer compared to my previous ones on plastic construction walls, but I could also vivify a blank white wall. It’s a fascinating project to create a stylistic contrast between the white cube and the café, which the curator wanted to be as colorful, organic and original as possible. Eventually, my art partner and I came up with a list of keywords: ocean, universe, sky, illusion, swirl and mushrooms.

The curator sprayed paint on the satin gray floor to glaze it with a starrier feel.

We started to transform the wall into a swirl of ocean and universe.

Looking at the paint marks on the original walls made me recall what my previous art teacher said about white walls — you can spot as many colors as possible on a white wall, if you have the imagination. In reality, each white cube has its own stories and personality to be unveiled by our imagination.

Ramona Meng Xi is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. Ramona can be reached at Meng.Xi@tufts.edu.

Thursday, March 11, 2021 | FuN & GaMes | ThE TuFTs daILy

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F& G

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FUN & GAMES

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SEARCHING FOR HEADLINES...

Difficulty Level: Breaking deadline record.

Wednesday’s Solutions

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It Takes Some Commitment, But Saving Money Can Lead To Lifelong Bliss.

Put Away A Few Bucks.

Feel Like A Million Bucks.

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opINIoN

7 Thursday, March 11, 2021

OP-ED

Thoughts on justice HEDDA HARARI- SPENCER In our conversations on anti-racism within the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) plan, some hold out “justice” as a goal. While everyone may understand what he/she/they means by “justice,” collective use of the term is problematic. “Justice” is subject to interpretation; it is subjective, a double-edged sword. One’s justice can become another’s oppression. In order to reverse centuries of institutionalized and systemic racism and discrimination in this country, I would instead suggest “diversity” and “tolerance” as concepts to discuss, pursue and implement.

To see “justice” as the goal brings neither diversity nor tolerance. “Justice” accepts only one viewpoint (that which is “just”) and rejects other perspectives as illegitimate. In other words, it is exclusive, not inclusive, and can lead to further discrimination. Just, justice and justification all derive from the Latin “ius,” that which is right or the law. But who gets to decide what is right? And whose

Brendan Hartnett Democracy in The Daily

democratize elections

T

wo pieces of legislation needed to maintain U.S. democracy face grim fates in the Senate: the For the People Act (H.R.1) and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. H.R.1 was passed in the House on Wednesday, March 3, and it is likely the greatest overhaul of U.S. election law in the past half-century. The bill would restrict efforts to purge voter rolls, bar partisan gerrymandering, institutionalize voting by mail and mandate at least 15 days of early voting in accessible locations. Additionally, it would work around

laws? We can find many examples from the past (and present) of leaders and followers seeing actions which we consider reprehensible as “just” and “justifiable,” namely genocide, slavery, racism, greed, totalitarianism and exploitation, among others. “Justice,” therefore, becomes a rhetorical device used to defend one’s actions and maintain current hierarchies.

It is imposed on others and not decided through wide conversations. Therefore, if we focus on “justice” as the goal to remove the racism and discrimination embedded in our institutions, systems and cultures, we may create an unhealthier environment with no room for the free exchange of ideas, dialogues or respectful challenges to each other’s views.

Our most treasured legislators throughout the ages knew this challenge of “justice.” Late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg displayed prominently in her office lines from Deuteronomy 16:20 in the original Hebrew: “Tzedek, tzedek tirdof” or “justice, justice you shall pursue.” As others have noted, we should see justice as a means and a process, but never

an end in itself. Eleventh-century Jewish philosopher Avraham Ibn Ezra commented that this verse purposely repeated the word “justice” because “one must pursue justice, whether it be to one’s gain, or to one’s loss …” for “all the days of your life.”

In that constant search our views remain dynamic and never stagnate. Justice is pursued, searched for, but never absolutely found. If we set justice as a goal, we have already decided the outcome, because we have already judged what is right. We are just and thereby anyone not on our side is wrong or unjust. No room remains to explore, reexamine and decide outcomes together. We might fall into the trap of self-righteousness, lose sense of honesty and integrity, stop observing the facts of our lives and societies and retreat into our own justified narratives.

Rather, “diversity” and “tolerance” stand as concepts that we can and should grasp. “Diversity” allows for a wide group of contributors, each equal in sharing their contexts, with the ability for all participants to challenge even well-established concepts without rebuke. “Tolerance”

allows us to listen to others’ positions and contexts, even if we do not fully agree with their conclusions. Encouraging discussions through diversity and tolerance should form the foundation of a healthy, shared environment in which everyone feels (and is) included. Together we guide each other toward a collective, negotiated solution that works for all. Once we view our pursuit within the concepts of “diversity” and “tolerance,” then we can work together to find achievable ways to make real changes.

While “justice,” “racial justice” and “social justice” appear as admirable and easily-understood goals, they remain manipulable, abstract slogans. If we are serious about turning Tufts into an anti-racist and anti-discriminatory institution and community, we need to pursue concrete goals, not abstract ones, through diverse and tolerant means.

Hedda Harari-Spencer is the Hebrew language coordinator in the Department of International Literary and Cultural Studies (ILCS) at Tufts University. She can be reached at Hedda.Harari_Spencer@tufts.edu.

discriminatory voter ID laws and restore the voting rights of disenfranchised felons.

H.R.1 passed on a near party-line vote (220-210).

The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act strengthens the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act established that states with a history of discriminatory politics needed preclearance from the Department of Justice or a court to change electoral laws. But Shelby County v.

Holder (2013) essentially removed preclearance, stating that its formula for determining which states and jurisdictions require preclearance was outdated. Importantly, it did not rule Section 5 unconstitutional. However, by undermining Section 5, Shelby County v.

Holder opened the floodgates for electoral manipulation; states previously covered by Section 5 implemented discriminatory voting systems, designed to keep Black voters from the polls.

The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act offers a solution to

Shelby v. Holder; it redefines the formula for determining which states and jurisdictions have a history of discrimination and thus need preclearance before altering election laws.

Both bills, despite their ability to fly through the House, will likely be halted by the Senate. Unlike the COVID-19 stimulus bill, which was able to avoid the filibuster due to budgetary reconciliation, H.R.1 and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act do not concern taxes or spending, and thus require 60 senators to break the filibuster and allow a vote.

Republicans have the most to lose from H.R.1 and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. While Democrats have also gerrymandered electoral districts — in places like Maryland — Republicans benefit from racial discrimination in elections. As demonstrated in Georgia, Black peoples’ votes can propel Democratic success.

Regardless of partisan aspirations and incentives, both bills are integral to democracy. As argued in Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt’s “How Democracies Die” (2018), free and fair elections are a precondition to democracy. When politicians try to change the rules of the democratic game by instituting laws that provide them with political benefits, they undermine democracy. Republicans are pushing against this measure to maintain the benefits they have accrued since their post-Shelby electoral engineering; they are unlikely to willingly relinquish this unfair advantage.

Inhibiting the political equality of certain groups — in this case, primarily Black voters and people of color — is undemocratic. The long history of voter discrimination and the disenfranchisement of Black Americans does not need to be repeated; it must end now.

Brendan Hartnett is a sophomore studying political science. Brendan can be reached at brendan.hartnett@tufts.edu.

8 Thursday, March 11, 2021

Sports

tuftsdaily.com

Coaching in COVID-19: How athletics staff adapted

ship,” Casey said. “If the captain runs around with his head cut off, everyone goes ‘Oh boy, we’re in trouble.’ That’s your job as a leader. And our kids deserve that leader. They fire me up.”

Presented with the challenge of engaging with athletes while also following COVID-19 guidelines, coaches have taken a variety of approaches. While some have used the time to allow their athletes to focus on schoolwork and extracurriculars, others have seen it as an opportunity to specifically address certain issues on the team. First-year volleyball setter Maddie Yu said her coach hosts Zoom meetings to discuss athlete mental health and issues of diversity.

“Every other week we switch between class meetings with the coaches and individual meetings with the coaches,” Yu said.

“Once a week, we have sports psychology meetings. And then, every Friday we do DEI, which is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

We get material to read or watch before the meeting and then we discuss them as a team. It’s been really good as a team to get that education and it’s brought peo-

ple closer, talking about such a complicated topic.”

Sophomore men’s track and field hurdler Jack Clohisy gave another example of creative coaching during COVID-19 with his coach’s intensified interest in track around the world.

“The way our coach keeps us engaged is through sending us results from professional track meets,” Clohisy said. “He loves to share results, times, practices, videos, all that stuff. Even talking about our past results and goals from the past. It keeps us involved with the track atmosphere. It makes us aware that track is still happening outside of just us.”

Tina Mattera, the coach of the women’s field hockey team, agreed with the sentiment of holding on to optimism, as she has also creatively adapted to the pandemic. More specifically, this year’s practices have been designed to give her players something fun to do outside, rather than a means to prepare for competition. However, she said she is struggling to form the relationships with players that she relied on heavily in past years.

“The [lack of ] connection is the hardest part,” Mattera said.

“I love the bus. I always walk around the bus and hang out with the [first-years] and chat with them. I love getting to know their families, the parents, [their] little brother or their dog. I don’t know that right now. The amount of time I spend with a player normally is maybe 20 hours a week, and now it’s three.”

For Casey, the largest challenge has been uncertainty.

“Being completely honest with you, it’s the ‘why’ that hurts the most for the guys and coaches,” Casey said. “Tell me why we’re doing this. It’s really hard when one of your players comes up to you and says ‘Coach, they’re practicing football 500 yards off campus, why can’t we be in larger than a group of ten, why is this happening?’ I don’t have the answers, and I feel bad.”

In addition to altering practice plans and team bonding events, coaches’ methods of recruiting have changed drastically. Casey said that it would be very important in the next few years to keep recruiting numbers low. The NCAA is allowing

athletes that have lost a competitive season to play an extra year either during graduate school or by saving a semester of classes to graduate later. Given these conditions, Casey and other coaches across the country are faced with the challenge of a growing roster but fewer players leaving the program.

For a coach that relies heavily on connection with potential future athletes, Mattera’s largest struggle with recruiting stems from the lack of in-person interaction.

“I’m such a people person,” Mattera said. “I want to meet the players. If I see someone I like play, I’ll say ‘Hey! Come tour the campus! Bring your mom with you!’ The fact that we can’t have visitors right now makes that hard. I’ve called a few top recruits and said I like their film. But I want to see players in person.”

Despite the challenges to both athletes and coaches alike, Mattera said her focus is to bring the fun back into field hockey for her athletes. She hopes to foster the same spirit her players had when they were children and there was less pressure to succeed. Her effort to provide joy for her athletes has not gone unnoticed. Mattera said she often receives thankful texts from her players after practice and has noticed enhanced levels of gratitude from the team.

“We talk about what a privilege it is to play and how you only get these four years to enjoy this experience,” Mattera said.

“That’s going to be so magnified. Something has been taken away from them. And as they’re getting it back, they’re appreciating it more because they didn’t have it. We’ll take that with us going forward for a long time.

Just appreciating the experience and the ability to be able to compete.”

As COVID-19 cases continue to trend downward, coaches will be able to interact with student-athletes on a more regular basis. Hopefully, once more restrictions are lifted, teams will have fulfilling seasons, cognizant of how lucky they are to play.

whose playmaking abilities are really what makes her stand out.

Although there is no shortage of talent and excitement in the WNBA, the internet fame that follows the new generation of athletes like Bueckers could bring more viewers to women’s basketball.

Bueckers competed for Hopkins High School in Minnetonka, Minn. at the guard position. Bueckers was an instrumental part of the school’s success during her four-year career there, taking the team to the state championship game every year. During her senior year before the title game was canceled due to COVID-19,

Bueckers averaged 21.4 points, 9.4 assists, 5.4 steals and five rebounds per game, leading her team to an undefeated season.

Despite only being in high school, she racked up an impressive number of accolades, including being the Gatorade National Player of the Year, Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year and Slam magazine cover athlete. Bueckers finished high school as a five-star recruit and the No. 1 ranked player in the 2020 recruiting class by ESPN. Bueckers has also represented the United States in women’s basketball, winning four gold medals in total, including two FIBA Women’s World Cups.

With an already impressive resume, fans have been eager to follow her journey through college and professional basketball. Bueckers made her debut as a UCONN Husky this season and she is already by far the best player on the team and is being discussed as potentially one of the best in UConn women’s basketball history. UConn currently sits at the top of the Big East standings with a 24–1 record (1–0 in conference) and a 14-game winning streak. In 24 games, Bueckers has averaged 19.7 points, 6.1 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game. As for shooting, she has averaged

53.9% from the floor, a scary 47.4% from three and 83.6% from the line. Despite playing in a more competitive environment than high school, it’s clear that Bueckers continues to be a confident player on the ball as well as an elite and unselfish facilitator for her teammates.

Buecker’s smooth handles, flashy dimes and clutch plays are all reasons why she has what it takes to be both the future for UConn women’s basketball and the future of the WNBA. Jenny Lu is a first-year who has not yet declared a major. Jenny can be reached at jen.lu@tufts.edu.

ANN MARIE BURKE / THE TUFTS DAILY

The Carzo Cage in the Steve Tisch Sports and Fitness Center is pictured on Feb. 5.

by Keila McCabe

Contributing Writer

Disclaimer: Jack Clohisy is a contributing writer at The Tufts Daily. Jack was not involved in the writing or editing of this article.

For almost a year, Tufts athletics has been in a state of purgatory: limited and distanced practices, uncertainty regarding when competition will resume and teams left waiting for the day when things turn back to normal. For coaches, scheduling, recruiting and connecting with their teams continues to be difficult. In the face of extraordinary circumstances, Tufts coaches have been forced to adapt to the challenges.

Hall of Fame baseball coach John Casey, currently in his 39th season coaching the Jumbos, said that many facets of his job have been different because of COVID-19, including his heightened role as a strong leader for his players during the pandemic.

“It’s really a simple analogy: No matter how bad the storm is, if the captain looks like he knows what he’s doing and he’s not panicking, that calms down the whole

by Jenny Lu In the Paint

Paige Bueckers is the future

P

aige Bueckers, a firstyear on the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team, has been an internet sensation since her days in high school and it’s easy to see why. On the court, Bueckers is an electric player