WEEKENDER
Tufts students reflect on impact of EEE outbreak see FEATURES / PAGE 4
‘Downton Abbey’ cast, crew bring storylines to big screen
Jumbos rout Lyons in 6-goal barrage, improve to 5–0 see SPORTS / BACK PAGE
SEE ARTS&LIVING / PAGE 6
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VOLUME LXXVIII, ISSUE 10
Thursday, September 19, 2019
MEDFORD/SOMERVILLE, MASS.
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As private dorm developer moves in, Davis Square businesses pushed out, Burren safe by Alexander Thompson News Editor
Scape, a British company that builds private, for-profit dorms, acquired half a block of Davis Square real estate running along Elm Street and Grove Street over the summer. The company has told many business owners they will need to relocate in a year and a half, though the owner of the Burren says the popular pub will be unaffected. Documents from the Middlesex South Registry of Deeds show that the landlords of 231–249 Elm St., 6–8 Grove St. and 12 Grove St. leased the properties to Scape Davis Square LLC, a subsidiary of Scape North America, on June 19. In a statement, Andrew Flynn, the CEO of Scape North America, hinted that a dorm project could be in the works for Davis Square. “We remain excited to bring an innovative approach to urban living in Boston and beyond,” Flynn said. “As we look to potential projects in Somerville, we are fully committed to a transparent process that engages all stakeholders as we move forward on specific plans over the next few years.” However, the CEO said that the company was primarily focused on its project
to build a dorm in the Fenway, but added that Scape was eager to work with residents, community leaders and the City of Somerville on the Davis Square project. Any potential project is still in its earliest stages, but will include “exclusively student housing” in line with Scape’s previous developments, according to George Proakis, the executive director of Somerville’s office of strategic planning and development. Scape has not yet filed a development application with the city, Proakis wrote in an email to the Daily. He did confirm that many businesses would have to relocate for construction but that Scape was working with the affected owners to assure they could return after the project’s completion. Proakis continued that the project would be subject to the entire community process before it would even be eligible to apply for zoning permits. Several business owners on the affected storefronts expressed various degrees of confusion about their fate, saying that they had little information and were still figuring out what they were going to do. Todd Xiao, a manager at Kung Fu Tea, was still unsure about what would happen with the Scape development, but he said he was not surprised there was demand for development in Davis Square.
ALEXANDER THOMPSON / THE TUFTS DAILY
Scape, a British private land developer, purchased the block of buildings that includes the Burren. The building is pictured on Sept. 13. However, Antonio Reyes, working the register at Dragon Pizza Tuesday afternoon, was up to speed. He said the landlord told the team that the pizzeria would have to move out in a year and a half, a timeline echoed at other businesses.
“It’s gonna be kind of a struggle, we only opened a year ago,” Reyes said. “We were growing and then we’ve got to shut it down.” The Burren, the Irish pub on the far north side of the purchase and a favorite
see SCAPE, page 2
Students gather to share, process swastika incident by Austin Clementi
Executive News Editor
The Dean of Student Affairs office, in conjunction with Hillel, held a community gathering yesterday in response to Sunday’s incident where a student found a swastika on their door. In addition to students and religious leaders on campus, University President Anthony Monaco and Provost and Senior Vice President Nadine Aubry were in attendance. The event began with comments from Monaco and Aubry. Monaco in particular mentioned the event featuring Deborah Lipstadt, which occurred the day before, as hopeful. “I want to reiterate how much we deplore such cowardly actions and how we want to support our students and our community,” Monaco said. “I think events like last night and coming together today
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are a good sign about how much we care about our community and how much we are not going to stand for this type of behavior.” In her introduction, Aubry mentioned her disappointment with the events on Sunday and the importance of coming together. Closing her statement, Aubry said she and Monaco needed to leave the gathering early in order to attend another meeting. Both stayed for around the first half of the Hillel meeting. Danny Fier, the vice president of community programming at Tufts Hillel, took the floor next, stressing the importance of institutions such as Hillel in times when such events occur. Rabbi Naftali Brawer, the Neubauer executive director of Tufts Hillel and Jewish chaplain, followed and shared a story of antisemitism passed down from his grandfather, who at the time lived in Worcester, Massachusetts.
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“They were the only Jewish family on the block, and possibly beyond that block as well,” he said. Brawer recounted that his grandfather had found antisemitic messages painted on his driveway, which he left for two days before neighbors began to clean it for him. Brawer said he took three messages from the story: that the vandalism was not Brawer’s grandfather’s problem, that it wasn’t the problem of Jewish people more broadly and that it was not the victim’s job to change. “[These messages] can equally be applied to any form of bigotry or racism,” Brawer said. University Chaplain ad interim Jennifer Howe Peace came after Brawer, and led three minutes of silence, wherein participants could speak one word describing a feeling or a thought. Only one person broke the silence the whole time: Rabbi Jordan Braunig,
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Hillel’s director of initiative for innovative community building, said the word “sorrow.” In an interview with the Daily after the event, Braunig explained his reasoning behind speaking up. “Each experience of antisemitism brings back like, sadness and grief from past experiences of it, whether those are from my own past or from histories that I know,” he said. Closing her time to speak, Peace commented on the value of silence. “Just a reminder, there’s power in our silent presence with one another,” she said. Students then broke into small groups and shared their thoughts with each other; afterward, students were invited to speak publicly.
see COMMUNITY GATHERING, page 2
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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Thursday, September 19, 2019
THE TUFTS DAILY Jessica Blough Editor in Chief
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Students weigh value of gatherings COMMUNITY GATHERING
continued from page 1 Before the event, the Daily agreed not to quote students sharing during the event; however, many of the common themes included increasing disappointment over several events that have occurred over the last few years that were either antisemitic or racist. Many students expressed concern that gatherings such as the one yesterday are not enough to combat apparently rising antisemitism on college campuses and at Tufts. Nandi Bynoe, the new associate dean of diversity and inclusion, commented on these students’ thoughts in an interview with the Daily after the event. “I do think that our response was fast, that part of what I’m hoping is to not have just a gathering like this, but addi-
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tional opportunities for the wider community to engage,” she said. “I’m hoping for it to be proactive, like the students were saying today.” However, Bynoe added that she still found value in such gatherings. “I think gatherings, coming together and community is always important because in one instance it shows people who are really hurting that there are others who are really in solidarity with them,” Bynoe said. Freddie Birnbaum, who used to serve as president of Hillel’s student executive board, agreed. “I think [gatherings] are not the answer, but I think they’re an essential step,” he said. “These are very emotional experiences and being able to talk through that to see people also dealing
with their emotions is important for a lot of people.” Birnbaum, however, also stressed the importance of action. “I think the vibe in the room was, ‘we need to do more, we need to take action’ and I feel like this space is where you bring together the people who want to take action.” Birnbaum said he was growing tired of these events recurring. “I’ve seen a lot of different types of incidents and it’s just frustrating that they keep happening,” Birnbaum said. Executive Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) Jill Zellmer told the Daily in an email that a formal complaint was filed for this incident. While the OEO doesn’t deal with disciplinary action, it investigates incidents and reaches out to students to support them.
Potential private dorm development prompts community concerns SCAPE
continued from page 1 among Tufts students, will be spared from relocation, according to Tommy McCarthy, the owner. McCarthy said he had spoken to representatives of Scape and reached an agreement that The Burren can stay open during any construction, which he was optimistic would be only a few months. “I do feel badly for the rest of the tenants on the block, but they’ve been invited to come back once it’s done,” he said. McCarthy acknowledged that having a dorm full of students right next to his bar would not bad for business Lance Davis, the Somerville City Council member for Ward 6, where the acquisition is located, said he has been working with Scape to schedule a community meeting in early October where the company will lay out its plans and alleviate any confusion among business owners and residents. Davis said he is waiting to find out more about Scape’s vision before weighing in on the project, but that he would defend the city’s priorities laid out in Davis Square’s neighborhood plan over the summer. “If there is something that is proposed that is not consistent with the mission, the vision [and] the values we’ve heard from
the community, that would raise a significant concern for me,” he said. Davis wants to help owners ride out relocation when it occurs. He hopes to see a space developed in Somerville where businesses could set up shop during transition. In contrast to Davis’ cautious approach, some Somerville residents have already made up their mind on Scape, and they are against the development. Susan Fendell, a local resident, is circulating a petition highly critical of the development which calls for it to be subject to rigorous review. It has already garnered the signatures of 52 West Somervillians. “The development will actually change the very nature of Davis Square,” Fendell said. The relocations were chief among her concerns. Even though the businesses say Scape has offered to bring back the businesses back in after the end of construction, Fendell argued the likelihood that the stores will survive the move is low. The height of the prospective development is also a concern for Fendell, who believes it will render the square gloomy and uniform. She also says that the dorm would further divide students at Tufts and elsewhere between the haves and have-nots. “All the wealthier students will be gathered in this luxury housing,” she said.
“The purpose of college is to open minds and expose people to new things, and by segregating classes, the project does just the opposite.” Scape and its business model are no strangers to controversy. Private dorms are a growing trend nationwide, marketing themselves to wealthy students and sometimes including spin studios and rooftop pools. Scape advertises its dorms in the UK and Australia with photos of sleek, modern interiors, personal kitchens and beds with heat controls. The company has declared Boston and its burgeoning student population its first American foothold. However, the first U.S. development it announced, a 533-bed dorm in the Fenway, caught backlash from community organizations resisting the further encroachment of student housing into their neighborhood, the Boston Globe reported. The Boston Planning & Development Agency torpedoed the company’s original plan and required them to include housing for residents in the project, the article reported. Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone said in a statement on July 31 that he was committed to holding Scape to the community process. “It’s too early to know if this could be right for Davis Square,” he said.
Somerville PD takes heat for Straight Pride deployment by Alexander Thompson and Matthew McGovern
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The Somerville Police Department (SPD) has come under heavy criticism in recent days after 13 of its officers participated in the police deployment at the Aug. 31 Straight Pride Parade in downtown Boston. The police have been accused of using excessive force against counter-protesters. Videos and photos show officers labeled “Boston Police” using force and pepper spraying counter-protesters during the event. Somerville Chief of Police David Fallon went before the Somerville City Council on Sept. 12 to brief them on a review of the department’s actions at the Straight Pride Parade after 117 public comments on the matter were submitted on the subject and calls and requests were made by Councilmen J.T. Scott and Mark Niedergang for him to do so.
Fallon began his remarks by welcoming the transparency and stating how proud he was of the officers who were deployed. He explained that the Boston Police Department (BPD) had requested mutual assistance from area police departments, including SPD, as they had intelligence that there would be around 200 marchers and 2,000 counter-protesters, with individuals in both camps anticipating confrontation. “Our officers were sent in to prevent another tragic loss of life like we witnessed in Charlottesville,” Fallon said. Deputy Chief Stephen Carrabino received the request from BPD and asked the 20 members of the Cops On Bikes for Regional Assistance (COBRA) unit, which specializes in crowd control, if they were available; 13 volunteered and were paid overtime through drug forfeiture money from the Law Enforcement Trust Fund, according to Fallon. He rejected the idea that his officers had been sent to protect the marchers, saying they were in fact at the march to maintain
public order and defend the safety of “protesters, counter-protesters and anyone in the vicinity.” He said that Somerville police officers had been confronted by various weapons at the protests from battle shields to razor blades and collapsible batons while members of the crowd chanted “Who do you protect? Who do you serve?” and called officers Nazis. “Having people scream [that] at you when you go to work because you chose to serve and protect your community makes for a difficult day, and I don’t believe it’s correct,” the chief said. Fallon said that Somerville officers did not use pepper spray or their batons that day and made no arrests. Nonetheless, Fallon told councilmembers that the department is reviewing police conduct that day, as is procedure. Some of the anger at SPD comes from Tufts students who attended the march as counter-protestors.
see PARADE, page 3
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Thursday, September 19, 2019 | News | THE TUFTS DAILY
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Purdue Pharma files for bankruptcy amidst fierce opposition, questions about Stern report whereabouts by Connor Dale News Editor
Purdue Pharma, the company whose signature opioid, OxyContin, is widely seen as driving the nation’s opioid crisis, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Sept. 15. The move is part of an ongoing effort by the company’s owners, the Sackler family, to settle more than 2,600 lawsuits brought by municipal and state governments. Yet the company’s decision to file for bankruptcy faces a stiff fight in bankruptcy court. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, the first attorney general to bring a lawsuit against Purdue Pharma, its executives and its owners over their role in the opioid crisis, fiercely contested the filing, claiming that its terms do not hold the company or the Sacklers accountable for illegally marketing opioids and profiting from the crisis. “[Purdue Pharma’s filing] should not be about billionaires looking to use the bankruptcy process as a vehicle to further shield their assets and escape their accountability,” Healey said at a press conference in Boston on Monday. Subject to the approval of a bankruptcy court judge, Purdue Pharma would effectively be dissolved under the terms of its proposed settlement, The New York Times reported. A new type of company, known as a public benefit trust, would be formed to continue selling OxyContin and other
medicines. The profits would be used to pay the plaintiffs for damages related to the opioid crisis. The entity would comply with new restrictions on the marketing and sales of opioids. Additionally, Purdue Pharma would donate drugs for addiction treatment and overdose reversal to the public. The Sackler family would pay $3 billion in cash over seven years and would be forced to sell their Britain-based drug company, Mundipharma. Notably, according to The New York Times, the Chapter 11 bankruptcy — if approved — would prompt an automatic stay of current civil litigation against Purdue Pharma over the opioid crisis. The settlement also does not include an admission of wrongdoing. Twenty-four other state attorneys general have joined Healey in rejecting the terms of the bankruptcy filing. They warn the deal is not worth even half of what Purdue claims it is; according to Healey, Purdue Pharma’s own documents reveal that it could be worth as little as $4 billion, not the $10 to $12 billion that the company is trying to purport it to be. Healey and the other state attorneys general have also denounced the settlement as it likely would not require the Sacklers to pay back a dime of the money they made from OxyContin sales over the past few decades. Instead, funds derived from the ongoing sales of OxyContin
would flow to communities covered by the settlement, which critics view as a perverse incentive to sell more of a drug that has already caused immeasurable harm. “This settlement is to be funded by continued and future sales of OxyContin here and abroad reject that,” Healey said at the press conference. “Every day, people in this country are dying as a result of opioids. Fundamentally I don’t look at that as doing good or being part of the solution.” Tufts has a long-standing relationship with Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family. According to previous reporting by the Daily, the university received multiple gifts from the Sackler family, including a 1980 endowment that established the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Studies, as well as the Arthur M. Sackler Center for Medical Education. The Sackler family also funded the Master of Science in Pain Research, Education & Policy (PREP) degree program within the Sackler school. According to Healey’s original lawsuit filed against Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family, Purdue Pharma’s support for the PREP program was part of a deceptive OxyContin marketing campaign that de-emphasized the drug’s addiction potential and bolstered prescriptions, helping to spark the statewide crisis of opioid abuse. Additionally, a previous Daily investigation revealed another manifestation of Purdue Pharma’s close relationship
with PREP: the hiring of anesthesiologist J. David Haddox, a former executive at Purdue Pharma, as an adjunct associate professor for the PREP degree program. On March 26, Tufts announced that it had recruited Donald K. Stern, a former U.S. attorney for the district of Massachusetts, to review its relationship to the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma. Although Monaco hoped that Stern would complete the report by the summer, the university has not sent any formal updates on the report. According to Patrick Collins, executive director of public relations at Tufts, the investigation is ongoing. He said that its results will be used to determine if any changes need to be made moving forward. “As reported previously, the university has engaged former U.S. Attorney Donald Stern to undertake a review of Tufts’ connection with Purdue Pharma to ensure that we were provided accurate information, that we followed our conflict of interest guidelines and that we adhered to our principles of academic and research integrity,” Collins told the Daily in an email. “Until it is complete, out of respect for the process we will not have further comment on any aspect of our relationship with Purdue, the Sacklers, or any matter raised in the Attorney General’s lawsuit against Purdue,” Collins said.
Residents decry SPD at community meeting
ALEXANDER THOMPSON / THE TUFTS DAILY
David Fallon, Somerville Police chief, defends his officers’ participation in the police response to Straight Pride Parade before the Somerville City Council on Sept. 12.
PARADE
continued from page 2 One of the them, Kayleigh Milano said that the police presence on Aug. 31 was heavier than she had seen at any other similar event. She described hundreds of police officers lining the parade route and even more following behind the marchers in buses. When Milano, a senior, and other counter-protesters tried to move in closer to the Straight Pride Parade marchers, they were cordoned off from them. Bike police, like those sent by SPD, used their bikes to
compel the counter-protesters to move along the route. “Not that they were hurting people, but they were using these bikes to shove people into specific areas,” she said. She added she saw some of the counter-protesters being aggressively dragged or carried out of the crowd to be arrested by the police. “From what I saw, the presence of that many police officers escalated the situation, and I felt really afraid,” she said. “When I see a Somerville cop now on Tufts campus, I don’t trust those officers.” SPD found itself once again on the defensive last night at a community meeting held
by Ward 4 City Councilor Jesse Clingan at Somerville High School. Roughly 50 attendees filed into the auditorium to air their concerns while Fallon and Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone listened, though neither provided responses after initial statements. Curtatone thanked community members for providing their input, emphasizing that he and Fallon were sensitive to concerns about SPD officers’ participation in the event. “I will say that we do stand in solidarity with you, we stand against people who promote white supremacy, who promote hate
and who stand against everything that is of value in this community,” Curtatone said. Fallon spoke next, echoing his previous comments from the City Council meeting, saying that officers went to Boston to maintain public safety and emphasized that de-escalation of conflict was their priority. “The decision to send several police officers there was to help protect everyone,” Fallon said. “We’re striving to get better, we’re striving to improve, we embrace this transparency.” Curtatone and Fallon’s statements were quickly followed by several community members upset by the actions of SPD. One of them, Mike Shlegelmilch, a Somerville resident who was among the counter-protesters on Aug. 31, was appalled by what he saw as the excessive use of force by police against counter-protesters defending LGBTQ rights. “I was lucky in that I left the protest with only fear and a lingering burn of pepper spray in my mouth — others were not so lucky,” he said. Community members were each allotted two minutes to share their complaints, questions and demands for the mayor and police chief. Common demands included a thorough investigation of SPD involvement at the event, the department’s mutual aid agreements and the civil asset forfeitures which funded the deployment. Connor Walsh, another resident who went to the counter-protest, claimed that police were unreasonably forceful in arresting some of his friends. “It’s not really much if you’re not the one who beat up my friend if you’re standing shoulder to shoulder with the one who did,” Walsh said. “When will Somerville decide that this is not the kind of policing we want?” Both before and after the public forum, Curtatone and Fallon made themselves available to speak privately with individuals who did not want to share their name and address on public record.
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Kenia French Antidotes to Climate Apathy
Features
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Tufts students describe impact of EEE outbreak
We’re not out of time just yet
H
ey. Do you often spend the night awake, worrying about the impending warming of planet Earth and subsequent death of all Earth’s creatures? If so, welcome to Antidotes to Climate Apathy, because this column is for you. As I’m sure many of you have heard, it’s not looking too great on the average global temperature front. We have eleven years to complete paradigm-shifting lifestyle and policy changes, or we will face the worst case scenario for climate change. We’ll watch 50% of Earth’s biodiversity die within our lifetime, and if we aren’t swimming through the streets of our hometowns ourselves, we’ll be watching people struggle to survive as superstorms batter their own communities. Yay! Happy Thursday! The more I immersed myself in climate news, the darker and darker my thoughts became as to the survival of our planet. How are we going to make all of these changes when we can’t even get countries to sign the Paris Climate Accord? How can we protect biodiversity when we continue to support industries that are responsible for destroying the Amazon? As my climate-related thoughts spiraled, I began to lose hope in any possibility of avoiding the worst case climate scenario. When an ice chunk half the size of Manhattan broke off Greenland I wasn’t fazed, because subconsciously, I expected it to happen — in my mind, the polar ice caps were already a lost cause. I realized that my climate anxiety had taken a dark turn and morphed into climate apathy. As I reflected, I realized that I was apathetic because I was emotionally exhausted from stressing about the climate. It was easier for my brain to accept loss than to be constantly wounded and upset about every piece of news and every Instagram story. In order to shake myself out of this apathetic state, I needed some sort of proof that the battle for our Earth wasn’t an impossible one. I needed something to hold onto — if not outright good news, inspiring stories, promising conservation efforts or new technology. Most of all, I had to remember that ultimately, protecting the environment isn’t just about me. For every minute I spend sulking in the dark corners of Tisch because I read an article about dying walruses, there are people working tirelessly to protect their homes, their communities and their ways of life from extinction. It’s not that I couldn’t take time to mourn, it’s that I needed to remember to convert my sadness into concrete paths to action. Feeling sad about the Amazon? Avoid eating beef. Upset about walruses? Go to the climate strike. In short, our planet is just simply not dead yet. So with that, hello and welcome. I’m not going to tell you how to fix climate change and live a greener lifestyle, because what do I know? Instead, I’ll show you, through stories of things that are going right in the environmental world, that it’s not too late to fight for our planet. Stay tuned.
Kenia French is a senior studying international relations and environmental studies. Kenia can be reached at kenia.french@ tufts.edu.
TYS SWEENEY / THE TUFTS DAILY
by Fina Short
Executive Features Editor
Many Tufts students first learned of eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) on Aug. 16; the rare mosquito-transmitted virus has affected nine Massachusetts residents since its initial outbreak in August. In a mass email sent days before the beginning of first-year pre-orientation, the Tufts Department of Public Safety warned students of this disease, which can cause brain swelling or paralysis in its victims. “The Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced today the first confirmed human case of eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) in the Town of Grafton,” read the email, which provided a link to press EEE prevention tips from the Grafton Board of Health Department. “We’ll ask that you read this information and take appropriate prevention procedures.” When asked what students should know about the disease, Tufts Medical Director of Health Service Dr. Margaret Higham explained that EEE strikes quickly and with prominent symptoms. “EEE causes inflammation of the brain,” Higham said. “The signs of inflammation of the brain are severe, persistent headache, vomiting, often not really knowing what’s going on — kind of being out of it, we call that change in mental status — trouble walking. They’re not subtle symptoms.” Although the Medford-Somerville region currently faces low risk of the virus, Higham did not rule out the possibility that EEE could spread to Tufts. “Usually the first warning about EEE will be rising numbers of mosquitoes in a particular area who are carrying the virus,” Higham said. “Up till now that virus hasn’t been found in … the more urban areas where there are fewer mosquitoes. But city health departments are continually monitoring from all different areas of the state, so more information will be coming along.” Despite the uncommon nature of EEE, some Tufts students whose hometowns have previously been at risk for the virus are familiar with its impact. A recent Boston Globe piece highlighted concerns regarding EEE in the wooded town of Easton, Mass., where Tufts senior Danielle Blelloch and sophomore Sarah Pircio call home. “I feel like [EEE] has impacted my community because it’s a rural suburban town,”
Blelloch said of Easton. “Being told you can’t be outside during the most beautiful months of the year is frustrating. There is fear associated with it.” In a community surrounded by protected lands and state parks, Blelloch said that news of the outbreak sent residents inside for the rest of the summer out of fear they might contract the disease. “I was home for four days before college [with] my friends from high school, and we couldn’t do a lot of the things we do together … we were all on the cross-country team together, but you couldn’t go for runs. You couldn’t go swimming because a lot of people were tarping their pools,” she said. Blelloch said that she has been surprised to discover that many Tufts students are unfamiliar with EEE, as she remembers the disease from past outbreaks. “If you look up the science behind EEE, it comes in cycles,” Blelloch said. “I remember when I was in fourth or fifth grade, there was one summer when it was worse — it happened earlier. I remember not being allowed to play outside and that being the worst thing ever.” Because EEE is carried by mosquitoes, Higham explained that wooded areas like the town of Easton are most at risk for the disease. “You tend to find those infections in more rural areas,” Higham said. “They come from mosquitoes, and mosquitoes breed in standing water, areas where there’s lakes and streams and things aren’t as developed.” To prevent students and fans from spending time outside during dusk, Easton’s Oliver Ames High School recently rescheduled its Friday night football games to take place during the day on Saturdays. Pircio said she believed such a shift would change dynamics of student life at her alma mater. “[Football] was a social event. A lot of people went to hang out and watch … it definitely would have changed the social aspect of it,” Pircio said on the shift. “During the day it’s not going to be the same.” Tufts Department of Public Health Associate Professor Paul Beninger emphasized the importance of staying inside during dusk hours to avoid the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes carrying EEE. “When that interval of risk is, which is towards sunset, I think that’s the time that you should not be outdoors playing frisbee,” Beninger said. “That’s when you should be
indoors. By the time you end up going in for dinner, I would say stay inside for the next interval of time until we know the risk has passed.” Beyond exercising caution when outdoors near dusk hours, Beninger also recommended minimalizing unprotected skin when outside. “The risk is depending upon how exposed you are,” Beninger said. “Long sleeves, and pants, and reasonable cover is going to reduce that risk.” He noted that the disease is maintained in nature by a species of mosquitoes that feed on the blood of birds — which are an entirely different class of mosquito than those capable of infecting humans or horses with EEE. “It could well have been and is likely to have been having an ongoing cycle of infection, release, infection, release, with regard to birds for years before it reached the level of population density to then for example allow it to be picked up by … the two species of mosquitoes that transmit the virus to humans and horses,” Beninger said. Beninger also noted that “aerial spraying” will take place in parts of Massachusetts, a practice designed to quickly reduce populations of mosquitoes through aerial applications of insecticide. While the products used in such efforts pose a low risk to humans, Beninger stressed that they are proven to eliminate mosquito populations with efficiency. “There are very good sprays to reduce [the] population of mosquitoes. That’s probably the other thing you may want to be aware of, if there’s increased helicopter flights; they’re very effective,” he said. Beninger said that Tufts students can minimize the possibility of contracting EEE through simple precautions. “Cover yourself, be indoors at sunset — those are the biggest factors I think that students really need to pay attention to. That will essentially eliminate the risk,” Beninger said. Pircio said that she had remained cognizant of EEE while planning to return to Tufts from Easton this fall. “It’s not a huge impact, but it’s definitely something that’s in the back of our minds,” Pircio said on the news of the outbreak. “At night as I was packing for college, I was thinking … we should not be making all these trips to the car.”
tuftsdaily.com
Thursday, September 19, 2019 | ADVERTISEMENT | THE TUFTS DAILY
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Before anything else, we are all human. It’s time to embrace diversity. Let’s put aside labels in the name of love. Rethink your bias at lovehasnolabels.com
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6 tuftsdaily.com
Colette Smith and Madison Lehan Love It or Haute It
S
UGGs
urprising as it may be, UGGs have been popping up already around campus. While the Boston weather is unpredictable, one aspect of chilly weather we can all trust in is that people will be wearing UGGs. No one can separate the UGG brand from its iconic suede and sheepskin boots. Even as styles have changed, people from all walks of life have kept this look alive for years. From college girls going to class to dads when they get back from work, people love their UGGs. Today, Coco and Beans debate whether the classic UGG boot is still a good look or not. Coco: I remember Christmas morning 2012 I was opening up one of my gifts to find the most beautiful turquoise UGG boots. Coming back from winter break, I was the envy of all with my new shoes. But, just as much as I would like to leave my Juicy Couture sweatsuit in the halls of my middle school, I would like to leave those boots and all memories of them there too. While I think we can all agree that UGG boots were an amazing concept, I think it is time that we move on from them. They promised comfort but, unfortunately, sacrificed style. Now there are so many alternatives that promise comfort while also not looking like pillows on your feet. Beans: While I concede that the UGG is far past its prime, that does not mean they are no longer fashionable. UGGs are the high fashion boot of the winter. They may be overpriced, but at least they have the purpose of being warm and comfortable. When your feet are cold, there are few feelings better than putting on a soft pair of UGGs. They are the perfect shoe for going to class in the winter after rolling out of bed. They work with pretty much every type of pants; sweatpants, leggings and jeans all work with the timeless UGG look. Personally, my favorite way to wear the UGG boot is to roll it down to expose the inner lining of fur. Paradoxical in form, yet intriguing in presence. Sure, you are cutting down on 50% of your warmth, but you’re also upping the style points by at least 200%. It is an innovative twist on the classic look. Coco: UGGs may be the least practical winter boot option on the market. They so easily get ruined if you even go near a puddle, and they provide minimal warmth, at best. There are so many other options that are more practical when winter rolls around. So, if they are not practical or stylish, there are really no redeeming qualities to UGGs that make them worth the $160 price tag. Don’t get me wrong, I will admit that UGGs are comfortable, but they are more suited to act as slippers than actual daily wear shoes. If you want to pay $160 for slippers, you do you.
Colette Smith is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. Colette can be reached at colette.smith@tufts.edu. Madison Lehan is a first-year who has not yet declared a major. Madison can be reached at madison.lehan@tufts.edu.
WEEKENDER
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Creators of ‘Downton Abbey’ speak at Boston premiere by Stephanie Hoechst Executive Arts Editor
The Coolidge Corner Theater in Brookline hosted the Boston premiere of the much-anticipated “Downton Abbey” (2019) movie on Tuesday, which opens in the U.S. this weekend. In addition to the early screening of the film, the Coolidge also hosted members of the “Downton” team for a special Q&A about the creative process and bringing “Downton” to the big screen. Moderated by Coolidge Corner Theater Director of Development and Marketing Beth Gilligan, the lineup consisted of Julian Fellowes, creator of the series and writer/producer for the film, producers Gareth Neame and Liz Trubridge and actresses Phyllis Logan (Mrs. Hughes) and Lesley Nicol (Mrs. Patmore). Actress Laura Carmichael (Edith) also made an appearance before the screening. Neame stressed that while “Downton” thrived as a television series for six seasons, its cinematic storytelling made a movie adaptation feel like a natural next step. “It always had a very high production value, television built for the big screen. It wasn’t a sort of precinct show where it’s going to be the office one week and home the next week. It was all cricket matches and Buckingham Palace … so we thought it could really fill the big screen,” he said. While “Downton” is and always has been very cinematic, Fellowes also touched on some of the difficulties of creating a two-hour experience that brought back as many characters as possible without overloading the script. Series like “Downton” use the episodic structure to let multiple stories develop over the course of several episodes or even a whole season, so writing a script that would function as a standalone movie while still including “Downton’s” iconically layered story effect was, according to Fellowes, a challenge. “Everyone who’s in it,” Fellowes said, “has to have a narrative reason for being there, and I also obviously realized that all of the stories must be resolved within the film. And we’ve always had at Downton this thing of lots of stories going on simultaneously, that was the style of the show, which we were very keen would continue with the film … and there was a certain amount of kind of shoehorning it in, and I felt that we had as many of our characters in the film as we could service. And one or two people have to get left out, which was a sadness, actually, because some of them were marvelous.” Fellowes joked, “In the end, there’s a kind of limit to how many people we can get into the lift.” Nicol and Logan chimed in on the reunion of the cast. “Getting to do this story again was like going home. We kept in touch with each other — it wasn’t like we hadn’t seen each other in years and years, but putting the costumes on, and of course we had Julian on … it was just a joy to do it,” Nicol said. “A credit to Julian that he not only writes wonderful stories, but he also writes wonderful characters,” Logan added. While the “Downton Abbey” series seems to focus mainly on the ruling class of 1910s and ’20s England, it also succeeds in drawing particular attention to the trials and tribulations of the serving class as well, interspersing their stories with the
VIA IMDB
A promotional poster for ‘Downton Abbey’ (2019) is pictured. more sumptuously-rendered ordeals of the British elite. The film continues this tradition of portraying a historical moment that is changing rapidly for everyone, no matter their social class. In particular, a portion of the film explores head butler Thomas Barrow (Rob James-Collier) grappling with his sexuality in a time that persecuted him for it. Thomas was revealed to be gay during the series; in the movie, he enters an underground gay bar before the police raid it and arrest everyone inside. Fellowes mentioned that he and the filmmakers deliberately intercut this scene with a stately dinner scene to drive home the otherworldliness of this culture. “This was not a fun culture,” he stressed, “this was a dangerous culture, and you were living on the edge all the time.” Fellowes spoke of the timeliness of Thomas’ role during the Q&A, saying, “what I did feel about having a gay character was that we’re in a very gloom and doom period of a moment; everything’s terrible, everything’s awful, but some things are much better than they used to be.” Fellowes explained that when Thomas’ sexuality was first revealed during the series, he had received messages from fans appalled at the suggestion that homosexuality was illegal at that point in history. “I was getting letters from people saying, ‘Are you seriously trying to suggest that to us that homosexuality was a crime in 1913?’” he explained. “1913? It was a crime in 1963!
And I thought it was useful, particularly now, that we should be reminded of how far we have come.” Fellowes, Neame and Trubridge discussed the opulence and historical accuracy of the show, referencing the “Downton Abbey” exhibition at the Castle at Park Plaza in Boston, which closes Sept, 29. They explained that they had a historical adviser on set, Alastair Bruce (now the Governor of Edinburgh Castle), who informed them on all the historical aspects of the show. Liz Trubridge said, “As Hugh [Bonneville] would say, if he doesn’t know, he does a jolly good job of making it up.” In addition, Trubridge said that they brought a retired butler from Buckingham Palace on set to advise them on some of the large dinner scenes. This lavishness and attention to historical detail not only translate well to the world of cinema; they seem to be what have made “Downton” such a worldwide cultural phenomenon. “I think we do, perhaps, have a certain nostalgia for that more polite generation in the world,” Fellowes said. So, while “Downton Abbey” may be far from revelatory, its depiction of a world in historical upheaval — a world that’s also filled with glittering parties, lavish dresses and rich detail — harkens back to a time that, it seems, we all might be a little nostalgic for. “Downton Abbey” opens on Sept. 20. Maggie Smith crushes it.
6 tuftsdaily.com
Colette Smith and Madison Lehan Love It or Haut It
S
UGGs
urprising as it may be, UGGs have been popping up already around campus. While the Boston weather is unpredictable, one aspect of chilly weather we can all trust in is that people will be wearing UGGs. No one can separate the UGG brand from its iconic suede and sheepskin boots. Even as styles have changed, people from all walks of life have kept this look alive for years. From college girls going to class to dads when they get back from work, people love their UGGs. Today, Coco and Beans debate whether the classic UGG boot is still a good look or not. Coco: I remember Christmas morning 2012 I was opening up one of my gifts to find the most beautiful turquoise UGG boots. Coming back from winter break, I was the envy of all with my new shoes. But, just as much as I would like to leave my Juicy Couture sweatsuit in the halls of my middle school, I would like to leave those boots and all memories of them there too. While I think we can all agree that UGG boots were an amazing concept, I think it is time that we move on from them. They promised comfort but, unfortunately, sacrificed style. Now there are so many alternatives that promise comfort while also not looking like pillows on your feet. Beans: While I concede that the UGG is far past its prime, that does not mean they are no longer fashionable. UGGs are the high fashion boot of the winter. They may be overpriced, but at least they have the purpose of being warm and comfortable. When your feet are cold, there are few feelings better than putting on a soft pair of UGGs. They are the perfect shoe for going to class in the winter after rolling out of bed. They work with pretty much every type of pants; sweatpants, leggings and jeans all work with the timeless UGG look. Personally, my favorite way to wear the UGG boot is to roll it down to expose the inner lining of fur. Paradoxical in form, yet intriguing in presence. Sure, you are cutting down on 50% of your warmth, but you’re also upping the style points by at least 200%. It is an innovative twist on the classic look. Coco: UGGs may be the least practical winter boot option on the market. They so easily get ruined if you even go near a puddle, and they provide minimal warmth, at best. There are so many other options that are more practical when winter rolls around. So, if they are not practical or stylish, there are really no redeeming qualities to UGGs that make them worth the $160 price tag. Don’t get me wrong, I will admit that UGGs are comfortable, but they are more suited to act as slippers than actual daily wear shoes. If you want to pay $160 for slippers, you do you.
Colette Smith is a sophomore who has not yet declared her major. She can be reached at colette.smith@tufts.edu. Madison Lehan is a first-year who as not declared her major yet. She can be reached at madison. lehan@tufts.edu.
WEEKENDER
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Creators of ‘Downton Abbey’ speak at Boston by Stephanie Hoechst Executive Arts Editor
The Coolidge Corner Theater in Brookline hosted the Boston premiere of the much-anticipated “Downton Abbey” (2019) movie on Tuesday, which opens in the U.S. this weekend. In addition to the early screening of the film, the Coolidge also hosted members of the “Downton” team for a special Q&A about the creative process and bringing “Downton” to the big screen. Moderated by Coolidge Corner Theater Director of Development and Marketing Beth Gilligan, the lineup consisted of Julian Fellowes, creator of the series and writer/producer for the film, producers Gareth Neame and Liz Trubridge and actresses Phyllis Logan (Mrs. Hughes) and Lesley Nicol (Mrs. Patmore). Actress Laura Carmichael (Edith) also made an appearance before the screening. Neame stressed that while “Downton” thrived as a television series for six seasons, its cinematic storytelling made a movie adaptation feel like a natural next step. “It always had a very high production value, television built for the big screen. It wasn’t a sort of precinct show where it’s going to be the office one week and home the next week. It was all cricket matches and Buckingham Palace … so we thought it could really fill the big screen,” he said. While “Downton” is and always has been very cinematic, Fellowes also touched on some of the difficulties of creating a two-hour experience that brought back as many characters as possible without overloading the script. Series like “Downton” use the episodic structure to let multiple stories develop over the course of several episodes or even a whole season, so writing a script that would function as a standalone movie while still including “Downton’s” iconically layered story effect was, according to Fellowes, a challenge. “Everyone who’s in it,” Fellowes said, “has to have a narrative reason for being there, and I also obviously realized that all of the stories must be resolved within the film. And we’ve always had at Downton this thing of lots of stories going on simultaneously, that was the style of the show, which we were very keen would continue with the film … and there was a certain amount of kind of shoehorning it in, and I felt that we had as many of our characters in the film as we could service. And one or two people have to get left out, which was a sadness, actually, because some of them were marvelous.” Fellowes joked, “In the end, there’s a kind of limit to how many people we can get into the lift.” Nicol and Logan chimed in on the reunion of the cast. “Getting to do this story again was like going home. We kept in touch with each other — it wasn’t like we hadn’t seen each other in years and years, but putting the costumes on, and of course we had Julian on … it was just a joy to do it,” Nicol said. “A credit to Julian that he not only writes wonderful stories, but he also writes wonderful characters,” Logan added. While the “Downton Abbey” series seems to focus mainly on the ruling class of 1910s and ’20s England, it also succeeds in drawing particular attention to the trials and tribulations of the serving class as well, interspersing their stories with the
VIA IMDB
A promotional poster for ‘Downton Abbey’ is pictured. more sumptuously-rendered ordeals of the British elite. The film continues this tradition of portraying a historical moment that is changing rapidly for everyone, no matter their social class. In particular, a portion of the film explores head butler Thomas Barrow (Rob James-Collier) grappling with his sexuality in a time that persecuted him for it. Thomas was revealed to be gay during the series; in the movie, he enters an underground gay bar before the police raid it and arrest everyone inside. Fellowes mentioned that he and the filmmakers deliberately intercut this scene with a stately dinner scene to drive home the otherworldliness of this culture. “This was not a fun culture,” he stressed, “this was a dangerous culture, and you were living on the edge all the time.” Fellowes spoke of the timeliness of Thomas’ role during the Q&A, saying, “what I did feel about having a gay character was that we’re in a very gloom and doom period of a moment; everything’s terrible, everything’s awful, but some things are much better than they used to be.” Fellowes explained that when Thomas’ sexuality was first revealed during the series, he had received messages from fans appalled at the suggestion that homosexuality was illegal at that point in history. “I was getting letters from people saying, ‘Are you seriously trying to suggest that to us that homosexuality was a crime in 1913?’” he explained. “1913? It was a crime in 1963!
And I thought it was useful, particularly now, that we should be reminded of how far we have come.” Fellowes, Neame and Trubridge discussed the opulence and historical accuracy of the show, referencing the “Downton Abbey” exhibition at the Castle at Park Plaza in Boston, which closes September 29. They explained that they had a historical adviser on set, Alastair Bruce (now the Governor of Edinburgh Castle), who informed them on all the historical aspects of the show. Liz Trubridge said, “As Hugh [Bonneville] would say, if he doesn’t know, he does a jolly good job of making it up.” In addition, Trubridge said that they brought a retired butler from Buckingham Palace on set to advise them on some of the large dinner scenes. This lavishness and attention to historical detail not only translate well to the world of cinema; they seem to be what have made “Downton” such a worldwide cultural phenomenon. “I think we do, perhaps, have a certain nostalgia for that more polite generation in the world,” Fellowes said. So, while “Downton Abbey” may be far from revelatory, its depiction of a world in historical upheaval — a world that’s also filled with glittering parties, lavish dresses and rich detail — harkens back to a time that, it seems, we all might be a little nostalgic for. “Downton Abbey” opens on Sept. 20. Maggie Smith crushes it.
8
THE TUFTS DAILY | FUN&GAMES | Thursday, September 19, 2019
F &G FUN & GAMES
tuftsdaily.com LATE NIGHT AT THE DAILY
Elie: “It will have you thinking about the phallus, like, all the time.”
SUDOKU
LINDA C. BLACK ASTROLOGY
Virgo (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)
A professional goal tempts. Play the game you’ve been practicing to win. Forge ahead and anticipate changes. Stay light on your feet and have fun.
CORRECTIONS A version of the Sept. 18 article “Anything but ‘Tongue-Tied’: Susan Narucki and David Berman shine in Sunday Concert Series” incorrectly referred to David Berman in the headline. His name is Donald Berman. The article has been updated to reflect this change. The Daily regrets this error.
Difficulty Level: The Daily not being printed
Wednesday’s Solutions
A version of the Sept. 18 article “Tufts must fight for fair prices for its students” unintentionally omitted a section of the original article. The article has been updated to include the entirety of the original article. The Daily regrets this error.
CROSSWORD
tuftsdaily.com
Noah Mills and Caitlin Colino Spaceship Earth
Opinion
9
Thursday, September 19, 2019
CARTOON
STRIKE — You’re out!
T
here are plenty of things to do on a Friday here on Tufts campus: getting food with friends, sitting all day in a class or thinking about all the homework you have to get done this weekend (Why is there always so much?). But make this Friday different — take action and join the Global Climate Strike with your fellow students and workers! Strikes have been used by left-wing labor movements as a means of change for centuries. In fact, the first recorded strike took place in Egypt in the year 1170 B.C. during the construction of the pyramids. Strikes work. As long as workers remain steadfast and are supported by their community, employers are forced to agree to fair contracts. This is due to the fact that workers in a company are the ones who produce all of the value. Without being able to exploit a majority of that value for themselves, shareholders and CEOs have no ways of producing value themselves. Strikes are the real world manifestation of this power imbalance, and until workers simply control their workplaces democratically themselves, they are an invaluable tool for unionized workplaces to take back the value their employers have stolen for themselves. Strikes also apply pressure to governments which are funded by taxes on these corporations, in addition to simply pressuring the corporations themselves. Thus, going on strike limits the government’s source of income. Mass general strikes remind us that the U.S. government often fails to make decisions based on the desires of the people. A study by Reuters shows that 69% of Americans feel the government should take aggressive action to slow the rate of climate change. However, our government has failed to make these policies a part of our public policy. Corporate interests are placed above the needs and desires of the people and will be ignored until mass action takes place. This is extremely clear when it comes to the environment, as the production and consumption of fossil fuels received government subsidies totaling around 30 billion from 2015–2016. Mass mobilization is necessary to disrupt business as usual and to build the people’s power. Back on Aug. 20, 2018, one girl decided to stand up by sitting down outside the Swedish parliament instead of sitting in school. On that day, Greta Thunburg started a climate strike movement that mobilized millions last March and will mobilize millions once again tomorrow, Sept. 20. Being a Tufts student makes it easy to ignore the scale of the global problems around us. With classwork, internships and activities, it is easy to get caught up in short term problems. But pause for a moment. There is too much at stake to sit around. As we once heard a young girl at a Sunrise Movement event say: “It is worth doing the impractical to avoid the unacceptable.” Join us at 10:15 a.m. tomorrow Friday, Sept. 20 at the Campus Center. Sign up for an email reminder and more info at bit.ly/ TuftsClimateStrike. Come make history!
BY MARIA FONG
The Tufts Daily is a nonprofit, independent newspaper, published Monday through Friday during the academic year, and distributed free to the Tufts community.
Noah Mills is a sophomore who has not yet The content of letters, advertisements, signed columns, cartoons and graphics does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Tufts Daily editorial board. declared a major. Noah can be reached at EDITORIALS Editorials represent the position of The Tufts Daily. Individual editors are not necessarily responsible for, or in agreement with, the policies and editorials of The Tufts Daily. noah.mills@tufts.edu. Caitlin Colino isDumpsterMag_4_625x4_875.indd a OP-EDS The Op-Ed section of The Tufts1Daily, an open forum for campus editorial commentary, is printed Monday through Thursday. The Daily welcomes submissions from all sophomore studying environmental engimembers of the Tufts community; the opinions expressed in the Op-Ed section do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Daily itself. Opinion articles on campus, national and neering. Caitlin can be reached at caitlin. 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. colino@tufts.edu. ADVERTISING All advertising copy is subject to the approval of the Editor-in-Chief, Executive Board and Executive Business Director.
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THE TUFTS DAILY | Opinion | Thursday, September 19, 2019
tuftsdaily.com
OP-ED
Why I’m walking out for the Global Climate Strike on Sept. 20 Everybody knows that the boat is leaking, Everybody knows the captain lied. – Leonard Cohen, “Everybody Knows” As a Ph.D. physical chemist with research experience in atmospheric science, and in light of the overwhelming consensus of the international scientific community, I hold these truths to be patently evident: That global warming is real and its primary cause over the past 50 years has been human activity (production of greenhouse gases via the burning of fossil fuels); and, that if modern societies adhere to a business-as-usual path, and the burning of fossil fuels continues to grow at an unabated rate, the Earth’s climate and ecosystems will face catastrophic and irreversible changes, likely within our lifetimes. In its most recent reports and assessments, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts a global temperature rise between 3 to 4 degrees Celsius by 2100, if no further measures are instituted to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. The long list of dire, quantifiable consequences of such warming includes: average drought durations longer than one year, sea level rise of about one meter, and continuing to rise further for hundreds of years to come, the beginning of irreversible melting of the Greenland ice sheet, leading to an additional seven-meter sea-level rise over the next millennium, an ice-free Arctic sea during most summers, increased risk and likelihood of massive species extinctions, significant reduction in fisheries’ productivity, undermining food security, compromised capacity for outdoor activities and growing food, exacerbated health problems, increased air pollution, more frequent, intense and prolonged heat waves and more extreme weather and precipitation events. Hundreds of millions of people are expected to be displaced by such a climate crisis, and its economic burden is estimated to be on the scale of tens of trillions of dollars. Beyond these purely human factors, the disruption of ecosystems on a global scale also poses an unprecedented weight and charge to anyone with a moral conscience or ethical understanding of the interrelatedness of all life on Earth. How do we then prevent this crisis from unfolding, or at least mitigate its worst effects? The answer isn’t rocket science: We need to stop burning fossil fuels. The physics linking greenhouse gas emissions from industrialized
societies to an increase in global temperatures has been widely known for over 100 years. The problem, however, lies in the institutional inertia of our political and corporate systems of power, which have for so long relied on fossil-fuel economies. The rogue and short-sighted acts of the Trump administration in this regard — withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accord, lowering Corporate Average Fuel Economy fuel-economy standards, attempting to open national parks and reserves to fossil fuel extraction, appointing top oil and coal company executives to Cabinet positions responsible for regulating those same industries — are illustrative of these reactive forces, and put Nero’s fiddle to shame. This insanity is best captured in Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s recent assertion that the melting of the Arctic sea ice is a welcome change that will open up new opportunities for oil and gas exploration — a literal endorsement for putting out fire with gasoline! But the history of this reluctance to address greenhouse gas emissions has its roots long before the shambles of our current leadership in Washington. During the 1970s and early 1980s, Exxon Corporation conducted extensive studies on the role of fossil fuel burning in inducing global warming. A review on the greenhouse effect prepared in 1978 by one of Exxon’s senior research scientists, James Black, came remarkably close to predicting the same warming trends as those presented in the latest IPCC reports. The Black report anticipated a doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide due to fossil fuel consumption by 2075, and a concomitant rise in global temperatures of 2 to 3 degrees Celsius. The report also anticipated increased rainfall and shifts in desert and fertile areas to higher latitudes, with some countries experiencing a possible reduction or destruction of their agricultural output. Black concluded there was a “time window of five to 10 years before the need for hard decisions regarding changes in energy strategies might become critical.” A subsequent internal document prepared by Exxon’s environmental affairs office in 1982 ratified Black’s conclusions in even starker terms, warning that potentially catastrophic and irreversible effects of global warming might ensue if the use of fossil fuels was not sharply curtailed. Exxon showed no inclination to act on these recommendations — other than to kick the
can further down the road, and begin efforts to mislead the public on the role of man-made greenhouse gases in causing global warming. In 1988, James Hansen, a leading atmospheric scientist at NASA, first brought to public attention the dangers of fossil fuel-induced climate change, during congressional hearings on the topic. In response, Exxon, BP and Shell founded the Global Climate Coalition to cast doubt on the role of fossil fuel burning on global warming, and to lobby against legislation meant to address the problem. These efforts, reminiscent of previous misinformation campaigns led by the tobacco industry against the health impact of their products, successfully hindered progress on the broad ratification of the 1992 Kyoto Protocol (the first attempt at an international treaty for addressing climate change), and continue to this day in the form of lobbying for subsidies and legislation favorable to the fossil fuel industry. The Global Climate Strike called for Sept. 20 is meant to draw attention to this corrupting influence of the fossil fuel industry on our politics, and to catalyze decisive and immediate action towards addressing the climate crisis. This sense of urgency is brought about by the IPCC’s latest recommendations, urging the world community to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by mid-century in order to cap global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels (i.e., an even more stringent constraint than the 2 degrees Celsius target established in the Paris Climate Accord). The strike is not a goal in itself, but a means to mobilize an active and informed citizenry towards a rational and equitable way out of this crisis. I personally am inclined towards the vision presented by the Sunrise Movement and those who advocate for the Green New Deal — a vision for a rapid and fair transition to a green and sustainable economy. It is inspiring to see how effectively this youth-led movement has brought the climate crisis to the forefront of the Democratic Party’s primary process. I am also moved by the courage and clarity of purpose demonstrated by Greta Thunberg, the Swedish teenager whose climate activism inspired this Global Climate Strike. At the same time, I am open to differing views and ideas on solutions to the climate crisis, if they can be defended with fact and reason. When climate disaster hits my community, I will not be asking my neighbors what their party affiliation is. Catastrophe has the
potential to bring us closer together, and the sooner we start seeing and living across our differences, and acknowledging the challenges we have in common, the more resilient and better off we will all be. Finally, I hope the strike helps us advocate for climate crisis solutions in our own workplaces and local communities, as well as on the national stage. Since 2012, the Tufts Climate Action student group has been pushing Tufts University to divest from investments in the fossil fuel industry. In 2014, however, the Tufts Board of Trustees accepted the recommendations of a Tufts Divestment Working Group report, whose majority opinion was not to divest the 2% of university assets invested in fossil fuel companies. The report claimed that divestment would be incompatible with the university’s financial sustainability, and that it would have an insignificant impact on the cost of capital to, or behavior of, the fossil fuel industries. However, given the astronomically high costs associated with unmitigated global warming over the next century, the argument for safeguarding the university’s financial sustainability sounds short-sighted. In addition, the strength of divestment campaigns, like the one which helped put an end to apartheid in South Africa, lies in the sum total of its participants’ divestments, rather than on the impact of any one single contribution. Such views were indeed strongly held by a minority opinion within the Tufts Divestment Working Group, which called for a five-year gradual divestment of Tufts fossil fuel assets. It was also heartening to learn that the Tufts Board of Trustees had once previously agreed to a divestment of 1% of its assets, back in 1994, in order to prevent a Canadian hydroelectric power project from flooding the hunting grounds of the Cree indigenous peoples. One can hope that, with further persuasion about the need to prioritize truly sustainable longterm choices, the university can be brought on board this desperately needed global movement, to urgently transition towards a fossil fuel-free economy. In hope, Martin Hunter, Ph.D. Facility Manager, TAMIC Core Imaging Facility Science & Engineering Complex Tufts University, Medford Campus
When life throws you a financial challenge, you’ve proven you have what it takes to ace it. Now it’s time to tackle your retirement savings at AceYourRetirement.org
TRASHING ONE EGG WASTES 55 GALLONS OF WATER
Sports
Thursday, September 19, 2019 | Sports | THE TUFTS DAILY
Tufts sweeps Wheaton in dominant play MEN'S SOCCER
continued from back page Braun received a pass from senior midfielder Zach Lane and fired it past Millington to make the score 5–0. The Lyons’ single opportunity to reach the scoreboard came one minute later after earning a corner. Wheaton senior forward Shawn McCall received the cross from senior midfielder JD Souza and was able to get a shot off; however, sophomore goalkeeper Erich Kindermann made the save for the Jumbos. The missed shot would be the only one the Lyons would take throughout the entirety of the contest. The Jumbos netted their last goal of the game 79 minutes into the game. Senior midfielder/defender Zach Trevorrow took a corner
that found first-year Rolando Rabines, who scored the first goal of his collegiate career. With the win, the Jumbos rise to 5–0 and the Lyons fall to 3–4. Overall, the Jumbos out-shot the Lyons 18–1 in a very dominant performance. Wheaton’s Millington made a promising six saves throughout the game. Coach Josh Shapiro spoke about the work ethic of his team, emphasizing the team’s one-game-at-a-time mentality. “We have a successful group and program because we have young men who are hungry to improve, hungry to prove themselves and truly enjoy putting in the work to get better every day,” Shapiro said. “It is one day at a time, one practice, one game. We are still figuring out who we are, but we can say we are on a good path.”
Aiden Herrod The Zone Read The Jumbos return to NESCAC competition Saturday afternoon on Bello, matching up against the Colby Mules — the very team that beat the Jumbos in a penalty shootout in the NESCAC tournament quarterfinal last season. The game is slated to begin at 2:30 p.m. Stern spoke about the upcoming Colby game, as well as the upcoming slate of NESCAC games. “Colby knocked us out of NESCACs last year in penalty kicks, so it will definitely be a big test,” Stern said. “After Colby, we have a tough stretch of NESCAC games, which is never easy regardless of what anybody’s record is going into it. But we’re looking forward to the challenge.”
First-years lead men's cross country in 1st meet of the season
MADELEINE OLIVER / THE TUFTS DAILY ARCHIVES
Junior Peter Horvath races ahead of the competition at the Purple Valley Classic at Mt. Greylock High School on Sept. 22, 2018.
CROSS COUNTRY
continued from back page Many Jumbos finished between 30th and 40th place as well. Junior Peter Horvath ran a 27:21.0 to finish 31st, and sophomore John Cyprus followed right behind him, running a 27:23.2 for 32nd. Sophomores Nick Delaney and Collin O’Sullivan and junior Dalton Tanner took 35th, 36th and 37th with times of 27:29.9, 27:30.7 and 27:32.4, respectively. Junior co-captain Harry Steinberg and Krell followed not far behind, coming in 42nd and 43rd with times of 27:41.3 and 27:44.9, respectively. Senior co-captain Taylor Wurts finished 53rd with a time of 28:10.0, sopho-
more John Pappo finished in 59th place in a time of 28:30.1, first-years Oliver Printy (28:45.8) and Eli Kritzer (28:49.5) finished 64th and 65th and junior Joe Berrafati finished 67th in a time of 29:09.01. At the Bates Invitational, the top-10 times from each college were recorded for total team scoring. For Tufts, Ensslin through Steinberg’s times were scored to give Tufts a third place finish with a score of 268, just edged out by Conn. College, who finished second with a score of 264. Bates blew away the competition with a team score of 109. Bates’ low score was largely due to five runners finishing in the top 10. Middlebury finished fourth with
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a score of 295, and the University of Southern Maine finished fifth with a score of 413. Overall, the Jumbos were very happy with the outcome of the race. “We were pleased with the result,” Giersch said. “We knew the Bates guys rarely lose on their home course, and we only just got edged out by Conn. College. On the other hand, we beat Middlebury solidly and had some good individual results with Evan Ensslin bringing home the maple butter in eighth place.” Tufts is back in action on Sept. 28 as they travel to Williamstown, Mass., to compete in the Purple Valley Classic, hosted by Williams.
An introduction
T
he National Football League (NFL) is a massive, convoluted beast of a sport. Wealthy executives, drama-laden locker rooms and problematic players dominate countless headlines every week. And yet, at the end of it all, when the televisions fire up, the pirated Reddit streams are launched and the game day updates are enabled, we are all collectively entranced by the spectacle that is American football. The sport is a truly beautiful creation that blends unreal athletic feats with deep and twisting strategic battles, and fans love and cherish every second of it. I’m right there with them. Every year, I circle Sundays on my calendar and spend hours seated in sports bars, checking my fantasy stats or religiously devoting myself to Redzone. This sport is truly incredible to watch despite all the flaws that all too often rear their ugly heads. I believe that, as fans, it is our job to do two things. First, to acknowledge and challenge all the flaws the NFL has: I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been reminded that many of the NFL’s values are outdated and old-fashioned. So many problematic executives, players and coaches exist and remain supported by the very infrastructure so many of us worship. So many heartbreaking injuries cut promising careers short. However, with the bad comes the good, and something so entertaining, energizing and emotional as football should never be abolished. That is why my second task for myself and other fans is to cherish, love and celebrate a sport that delivers joy and heartbreak to millions every week. My allegiance to the Cowboys, as painful as it may be, has left me proclaiming pure and true love for players on screen, celebrating their on-field achievements with emotions I never thought a sport could elicit. This sport has stuck around for a reason. That is not to say we should accept it in its current state, and we as fans deserve better than to watch executives make greedy moves or problematic players take the field without repercussions. That is why I will use this column to touch on both the issues, nuances and goings-on in the NFL, as well as the fun, competitive aspects that come from watching games every Sunday. You, as a reader, should expect three things from me. The first is a weekly piece covering something interesting around the NFL. One week it could be the rise of greater player leverage in the industry. Another week it could be the impact of fantasy sports and gambling on watchability. The point is, expect something new, relevant and interesting from me as I look to make sense of this behemoth of a sport and organization. Second, you can expect weekly previews for the upcoming slate of games. I want to deliver these to you in a readable, rapid-fire and entertaining sort of way, so even the busiest of readers can come away knowing some things to watch for as they prepare for Sunday. And finally, you can expect a painful, yet unwavering devotion to my one and only true love: the Dallas Cowboys. Don’t ask me how, don’t ask me why — the fact that I root for the Cowboys is a law of nature, however painful it may be. I can’t wait to watch them lose a divisional round by two scores again. Aiden Herrod is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. Aiden can be reached at aiden.herrod@tufts.edu.
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Sports
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Men’s soccer advances to 5–0 with another shutout against Wheaton
CHRISTINE LEE / THE TUFTS DAILY ARCHIVES
Senior midfielder Gavin Tasker keeps the ball in possession during the match against Amherst at Bello Field on Sept. 29, 2018. by Julia Atkins
Assistant Sports Editor
The No. 1 Tufts men’s soccer team is on a rampage, moving on to a record of 5–0 this season after shutting out the Wheaton College Lyons 6–0 Tuesday night on Bello Field. The Jumbos rolled out their formation to tremendous effect, scoring three goals in each half. The team is undefeated in their last 26 games, spanning back to its 1–0 loss to the Brandeis Judges in the Div. III NCAA sectional game on Nov. 19, 2017. The Jumbos were coming off a redemptive 2–0 win against the aforementioned Judges on Saturday. With confidence running high, Tufts raised the tempo for its
Wednesday night non-conference game against Wheaton. “The team felt really good coming off the last game because we played a full 90 minutes of good soccer,” senior midfielder/ defender Drew Stern said. “We played the first three games with some inconsistencies and because of that we haven’t gotten ahead of ourselves or let the success get to our heads. But in the last two games, we’ve played great soccer.” Tufts came out hot right off the start, quickly taking control with a corner kick only three minutes into the game. Junior midfielder Travis Van Brewer swung the ball in play for the Jumbos, and the ball soon found junior defender Biagio Paoletta, who opened his scoring account
for the season with a goal to put the Jumbos up by one. The Jumbos continued the aggressive attack in the following minutes. Senior midfielder Brett Rojas ripped a shot that first-year Wheaton goalkeeper Cameron Millington saved. Senior midfielder/forward and co-captain Gavin Tasker crossed the ball to senior forward Joe Braun minutes later, but the resulting shot went wide. The second goal for Tufts came in the 22nd minute of play. Tasker slid a pass to the top of the 18-yard box for Braun, who found a yard of space and took a shot. Millington made the save, but the ball rebounded and found junior midfielder/ forward Alex Ratzan, who put the ball away in the back of the net. The goal marked
Ratzan’s third of the season — breaking his tally from the past two seasons combined. Just under three minutes later, Tasker found Van Brewer in the box, but Millington made another impressive save. Marauding sophomore defender Ian Daly scored the last goal of the half. Junior forward Max Jacobs crossed to a wide-open Daly, who headed in his second goal of the season. The Jumbos cruised to a comfortable 3–0 halftime lead. The Jumbos did not ease up in the second half. Just under three minutes in, Van Brewer sent another shot to the back of the net from the top of the box to mark his third goal of the season. Two minutes later,
see MEN'S SOCCER, page 11
First-years lead men’s cross country to 3rd at Bates Invitational by Liam Finnegan Sports Editor
The Tufts men’s cross country team opened its season Saturday at the Bates Invitational, held at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, Maine. The race featured many of Tufts’ NESCAC rivals, including Bates College, Conn. College and Middlebury College. The fifth team that competed at the invitational was the University of Southern Maine. The Jumbos placed third out of the five teams competing in the race. Four Jumbos finished within the top 20 at the Bates Invitational. First-year Evan Ensslin ran the best time out of the Jumbo contingent in a stunning collegiate debut. He ran a 26:17.2 in the 8k to finish eighth out of 76 runners.
Ensslin was thrilled with his team-leading result, stating how he his fellow teammates as well as the invitational’s unique winner’s prize motivated him. “I really wasn’t sure what to expect going into the race, but I was super excited to run and to see how I would do transitioning from a 5k to an 8k race, and to do well felt great,” Ensslin said. “I also heard that the top-10 finishers got maple butter as their trophy, so of course I was going for that as well.” Maple butter trophies aside, Ensslin commented on how he prepared for his first-ever 8k race. “I had never run an 8k race before, so coach Schmidt and I planned that I would go out conservatively and see how I felt as the race went,” Ensslin said. “I hadn’t
raced all summer, so I was scared I’d get caught up in the excitement and go out too fast, but I was able to run with some other guys on the team, who helped me set a good pace.” Finally, Ensslin acknowledged fellow first-year Kyle Krell, who he commended as a source of inspiration for his and the team’s success. “I also felt ready for the race due to lots of help from fellow teammate and judiciary candidate, Kyle Krell, whose work ethic and leadership on and off the court has pushed me to work harder than I ever have before,” Ensslin said. “He has been a real inspiration for me this season.” Fellow first-year Connor Giersch followed not far behind Ensslin and took 12th with a time of 26:42.5. Giersch spoke
about his happiness with the results of his debut performance. “I was very pleased with the result. I performed better than I dared to even hope for,” Giersch said. “The Pineland course had a lot of rolling hills, which really played to my strengths as a runner, and I’m glad that I could take advantage of them so successfully.” The dominance presented by the two first-years in their first college meet highlights the high potential of the new crop of Tufts cross country athletes. Sophomore Joseph Harmon ran a 26:49.9 to finish 17th and was closely followed by junior Patrick Nero, who ran a 26:56.7 to finish 20th.
see CROSS COUNTRY, page 11