The Tufts Daily - Monday, April 4, 2022

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Monday, April 4, 2022

Senator Tim Scott talks criminal justice reform, education, Ukraine, Supreme Court in Tisch College event

by Chloe Courtney Bohl Executive News Editor

United States Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) sat down with Dayna Cunningham, dean of the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life, for a wide-ranging conversation about criminal justice reform, education, internal and external threats to democracy and partisan divides in the latest installment of the Solomont Speaker Series on April 1. The event was co-sponsored by the Department of Political Science and the Tufts Republicans.

Scott began his political career in local and state government before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010. When he joined the U.S. Senate in 2013, he made history as the first Black person to serve in both chambers of Congress and the first Black senator from South Carolina. He sits on the Senate Finance Committee; the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs;

and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and he is the ranking member on the Special Committee on Aging.

Cunningham opened the conversation with a question about Scott’s Opportunity Agenda, a plan to create so-called “Opportunity Zones” across America by offering tax breaks to businesses that invest in rural communities with high poverty rates. Scott said the agenda was informed by his own upbringing in a poor, single-parent household in North Charleston, S.C. “It seemed like for me to find opportunities, I had to leave my community,” Scott said.

“And that was always frustrating because some of the most talented individuals I’ve ever met lived in my neighborhoods.”

Scott believes that private sector investment, not government spending, is key to creating jobs and increasing property values in impoverished communities without gentrifying them.

“Where I lived we had plenty of government money coming in trying to be helpful … truth is

that it provided some assistance but not a lot,” Scott said.

Building on the idea of opportunity, Cunningham shifted the conversation to education access and affordability in Scott’s home state of South Carolina.

According to Cunnignham, the annual income of a single parent earning minimum wage there, which is $7.25 per hour in 2022, is approximately $14,000, while the cost of one year’s in-state tuition at the University of South Carolina, the state’s largest public university, is about $13,000.

Cunningham asked Scott to justify this barrier to education for working-class, single-parent families.

Scott argued that few single mothers in South Carolina make minimum wage and pointed to the state’s high rate of Pell Grant, merit- and need-based higher education scholarships.

“South Carolina, for the first time, will make your first two years of community college free and those credits transfer to a see SCOTT, page 2

VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) is pictured.

Incoming SMFA dean Vendryes passes Erika Lee (A’91) to deliver Class of 2022 away unexpectedly commencement address

by Chloe Courtney Bohl Executive News Editor

Margaret Rose Vendryes, the incoming dean of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts, has passed away unexpectedly, Dean of the School of

Arts and Sciences James Glaser shared in a March 31 email to the Tufts community. “​​Our community was anticipating her arrival with great excitement, and I was personally looking forward to working closely with her in the years

COURTESY MARGARET ROSE VENDRYES

Margaret Rose Vendryes is pictured.

to come,” Glaser wrote in the email. “While most of us only met her briefly, she made quite an impression and we are deeply saddened by this news.”

Vendryes was an art historian, curator and professor.

She chaired the Department of Performing and Fine Arts at York College at the City University of New York and published the definitive biography of the Black American sculptor Richmond Barthé titled “Barthé: A Life in Sculpture.” She was also a visual artist who celebrated Black women performers’ power and agency in “The African Diva Project,” a series of paintings and mixed media created over the span of 15 years.

In an interview with TuftsNow earlier this year, Vendryes shared her hopes for advancing diversity, equity and inclusion at the SMFA. “I’m hoping that I can be the face of change,” she said in the interview. “As a Black, queer practicing artist, historian, and curator, I openly represent, and advocate for, these groups and professions.” see VENDRYES, page 2

by Aaron Gruen News Editor

Erika Lee (A’91), an a w a rd - w i n n i n g scholar of immigration and Asian American history, will deliver the commencement address to the Class of 2022 on May 22. Tufts announced on April 1 that Lee would deliver the address and receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree, along with five other distinguished individuals.

“It is such an honor to be able to come back to campus as the 2022 commencement speaker!” Lee wrote in an email to the Daily. “I credit my experiences at Tufts – both inside and outside of the classroom – for making me the person I am today: a professor, writer, advocate, and engaged citizen.”

Lee is the regents professor of history and Asian American studies at the University of Minnesota, where she also directs the Immigration

SPORTS /back

FEATURES / page 3

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Women’s lacrosse commemorates Madie Nicpon in memorial game

After a roughly two year break, Tufts junior publishes third book of poetry

Swashbuckling pirates start off on a good tack in “Our Flag Means Death”

History Research Center. Lee received her Ph.D. in history from the University of California, Berkeley after receiving her bachelor’s degree from Tufts.

“Dr. Lee is one of our nation’s leading historians of immigration and the Asian American experience, and I look forward to welcoming her to campus to share her important message for our graduating students,” University President Anthony Monaco wrote in an April 1 email to the Tufts community.

Lee’s main areas of study include xenophobia, immigration and racism in the United States. Lee has authored four books on Asian American history. Her 2019 book “America for Americans: A History of Xenophobia in the United States,” won an American Book Award and the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature.

Lee is president-elect of the Organization of American see COMMENCEMENT, page 2 NEWS

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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Monday, April 4, 2022

THE TUFTS DAILY Alexander Janoff Editor in Chief

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Scott says Biden's Ukraine response is too weak, equivocates on Brown confirmation SCOTT

continued from page 1 four-year college,” Scott said, referencing a program originated by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster in 2021 using $17 million of federal coronavirus relief money.

The discussion then turned to criminal justice reform. Scott introduced the JUSTICE Act, a piece of police reform legislation co-sponsored exclusively

by Republicans, in summer 2020 following the murder of George Floyd. Democratic lawmakers say the bill doesn’t do enough to counteract qualified immunity or ban forms of brutality, like the use of chokeholds. Cunningham asked Scott to respond to this criticism.

Scott maintained that his bill represents real movement on police reform and has the potential to gain bipartisan support — unlike the Democrats’ proposed legislation. Scott sees increased funding to state and local police forces for training and DEI initiatives as the path forward to reform.

“Officers today need more money for training,” Scott said.

“We should be providing more money for de-escalation training, more money for the duty to intervene. We should have more money for providing for

the police department to reflect the community from a diversity standpoint. All those things require more resources. … Our federal government gives about a billion dollars a year to local police to help these initiatives.

I think it’d be 4 billion, 5 billion dollars. I mean, we’re talking about negligible amounts for something that I believe is the primary responsibility of government, which is security.”

Scott stipulated that “the federal government should not run local policing, period.”

Asked about the greatest threats to democracy today, Scott pointed to Russia’s war on Ukraine.

“Probably the biggest threat to democracy around the world is what we’ve seen happen with Putin’s genocide in Ukraine, which is also encouraging and emboldening … Iran, as well as China, North Korea is paying attention as well,” Scott said.

Scott described the present U.S. response to Putin’s war as “a very weak posture.”

“If I were in a position to encourage the president to do more, I would say sanction all the banks,” Scott said. “I would say, don’t just stop buying the Russian oil — sanction it. I would say real-time intelligence would be very helpful for the Ukrainians.”

Scott said that domestically, democracy is threatened by “a very uneven education system,” which he says constitutes a threat to national security. This is evidenced, he said, by low literacy rates among incarcerated populations.

Uneven education outcomes are a particularly salient issue in Scott’s home state of South Carolina, which is known to contain the “corridor of shame” a swath of impoverished, rural counties that share dismal public school conditions and severe disparities in educational outcomes between Black and white students. Probed during the audience Q&A on possible solutions to this problem, Scott said that federal funding for education is not the answer.

“You can’t think of money as simply the panacea to what ails us,” Scott said, before pointing to a philanthropically-supported New York City charter school in a majority-Black neighborhood as an example of how to improve equity in education.

Cunningham asked Scott to share his opinion of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Biden’s nominee to the Supreme Court. Jackson is expected to be confirmed by a slim margin — so far only one Republican Senator, Susan Collins of Maine,

has committed to voting for her.

Scott, a constitutional originalist, described Jackson as a “likable person” and “impressive candidate,” expressed concern over her “activist” judicial philosophy and ultimately declined to say whether he will vote to confirm her.

Cunningham’s final question for Scott was about how to bridge the hyper-partisan divides that cut across American society today.

“Have a cup of coffee with someone that you are diametrically opposed [to],” Scott said.

“Literally sit down and say, ‘instead of telling you what I want you to know, I want to listen to you for a few minutes.’ …

Work your way from a position of no rapport and no credibility to a position of rapport and credibility.”

Scott said he strives to have productive conversations with his counterparts across the aisle, naming Senator Cory Booker (D-NY ) and Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) as colleagues with whom he has been able to find personal and professional common ground.“I think we all have a tendency to fall into groupthink,” Scott said. “The most powerful force on earth is a person with an open heart.”

Six accomplished individuals to receive honorary degrees at Class of 2022 commencement COMMENCEMENT

continued from page 1 Historians and a member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. She was named an Andrew Carnegie Fellow in 2018 and testified before the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary in 2021 during its hearings on violence against Asian Americans.

The five other individuals who will receive honorary doctorates on May 22 are Callie Crossley, a journalist who covers issues impacting communities of color; Pablo Eduardo (BFA’94), a renowned sculptor; Jane Frommer ( J’76), a trail-

blazing nanoscientist; Lonnie King, a veterinarian and former administrator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and Asad M. Madni, an award-winning engineer and former COO and president of BEI Technologies.

Anand Mahindra, chairman of The Mahindra Group, will address Fletcher students at Tufts University’s Class Day on May 21.

Commencement for the Class of 2022 will take place at 9 a.m. on the Academic Quad.

An in-person ceremony for the undergraduate Class of 2020,

with a separate commencement speaker and honorary degree recipients, will take place on May 27. According to Monaco’s email, the university will announce the Class of 2020 the commencement speaker and doctorate recipients early this week.

Lee will be the first speaker since 2019 to deliver a commencement address in person.

“I know from firsthand experience how challenging the last few years have been for college students,” Lee wrote.

“So I know that this is just going to be a huge moment of celebration.”

VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Erika Lee is pictured at the Library of Congress National Book Festival on Sept. 5, 2015.

Tufts reflects on the legacy of incoming dean Vendryes VENDRYES

continued from page 1 Speaking to the Daily in February, Glaser, Dina Deitsch, chief curator of the Tufts University Art Galleries and Dr. Kelli Morgan, director of curato-

rial studies at Tufts all said they looked forward to collaborating with Vendryes.

“We send sincere condolences from Tufts to her family and friends,” Glaser wrote in his March 31 email.

In the same email, Glaser encouraged students to reach out to the University Chaplaincy, Counseling and Mental Health Services, the Division of Student Diversity and Inclusion, the International Center and the

Dean of Student Affairs Office if they are in need of support during this difficult time. Faculty and staff can also access support resources through the Tufts Employee Assistance Program and the University Chaplaincy.

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Tufts junior Archit Jain to release his third poetry book in coming weeks

Kate Seklir Kate in Paris

by Emma Bittar

wo weeks ago, thanks to several Tufts friends who came to visit Paris (and me), I had the chance to reexperience the city through their eyes and feel the excitement of Paris all over again.

As I am sure many of my readers might be aware, two weeks ago was Tufts’ spring break, and it seems that many students currently studying on the Medford/Somerville campus took the week to visit friends currently studying abroad. I was lucky to have a few visitors myself, and guiding them around a city that has now become my homemade for a truly wonderful week.

In my last column, I talked about Paris’ nearing spring, and the reinvigoration that a changing season brings.

Over spring break, my friends and I got to experience the best of it, with sunny days falling somewhere in the 60s and cooler, pleasant evenings when the sun set later and later each day. And even though my pollen allergies kicked it into high gear, Paris welcomed its visitors with the beautiful spring that has made it the subject of poems and the backdrop of romantic comedies. Even if Gil Pender, played by Owen Wilson in “Midnight in Paris” (2011), promotes the magic of Paris in the rain, I do find that it is especially pleasant to sit with friends in the Place des Vosges under a blue sky and bright sun. But I see his point, too, I suppose.

More than anything, hosting visitors the week of spring break gave me the perfect excuse to act the part of the tourist, which, as much as I feel integrated into Parisian life at this point, I suppose I still am in some respects. But I’m more than happy to play that part when it means riding bikes at the Palace of Versailles, traversing the Seine on an unseasonably warm evening or admiring “The Thinker” at the Musée Rodin.

Above all else, being able to see Paris through the eyes of others has shown me how much I have grown, learned and made this place my home since the semester began. There comes a sense of personal pride when you find yourself navigating the Paris metro seamlessly, knowing exactly which car to position yourself in to disembark closest to your desired exit, a feat which only a few months ago would have required the near-constant checking of Google Maps.

Melding my Tufts life with my new world here was, at first, somewhat daunting. Would my friends think I had changed? Would they think I had not changed “enough,” whatever that means? But good friends make it easy to fall back into the friendship that was there before and to pick up right where you left off. At times, it seemed almost easiest to separate this semester from my ones on Tufts’ campus, to compartmentalize my experiences here and keep the two worlds separate. But it makes me happy knowing that when the time comes to return from this semester away, my friends and I will be able to share this piece of the experience together and that I was able to take them into my new world, even if only for a week.

Staff Writer

Interdisciplinary is one of the many words used to describe Tufts, and junior Archit Jain truly encompasses that description. Jain is majoring in computer science, minoring in economics and entrepreneurship and is on his way to publishing his third poetry book.

Jain published two poetry books during his first year of college, and after taking a break his sophomore year, he’s now back with his third book which covers different aspects of his personal life and events that he observes. Jain hopes to help others work through their emotions and views his poems as a way to do that. While the themes in Jain’s third book are similar to his previous books, it will be his first published in Hindi.

“I wrote this one in Hindi/English which means that it’s written in English script but the language itself is Hindi,” Jain said. “It has a chapter about self-motivation, about experiencing grief … about showing sympathy, empathy and compassion towards a lot of unfortunate events.

There’s one poem about … people who fear society or the judgment of society so they are not able to portray their true self to society.”

Jain made the decision to take on this new project after sharing a poem in Hindi at an open mic night at Tufts. His friends fervently encouraged him to write more in Hindi more often which led him in the direction of publishing this book. He also noted that Hindi is more poetic in nature.

This can make translating his work into English a little tricky.

The title of his book is “Kuch Pal Hare aur Neele,” and he explained the meaning of that title. “‘Kuch Pal Hare aur Neele’ translates to ‘Moments Which Are Green and Blue,’ which does not really make sense if you literally translate it, but it basically means that you have moments which are happy and when you’re just on top of the world — that’s … green … And there’s one which I call blue, which is more of sadness,” Jain said. “[The book is] diving deeper into the emotions of both and trying to find balance.”

Despite not really enjoying literature as a high school student, Jain began writing poetry for himself as a way to articulate ideas and feelings that were difficult to communicate despite his expressive nature. Along with this motivation, he had a lot of encouragement and inspiration along the way from his “best friend” Saumya Mehta, a junior studying psychology.

“One inspiration has definitely been my best friend from high school, who also goes to Tufts now,” Jain said. “He used to

PHOTO COURTESY ARCHIT JAIN

A poem written by Archit Jain is pictured, with artwork by Disha Narain. read my poems, and he actually proofread my first book.”

The team that Jain has put together in order to publish these books has also been a vital source of support.

“Disha Narain [is] a sophomore [at Tufts], and she’s helping me with the graphics [and] book covers,” Jain said. “My publisher, who has published my previous two books — he’s from India — Jyotir Jain, my closest friend … he helped me publish the books … he helped to compile it [and] put all the pieces together.”

While Jain says that poetry has a very special place in his heart, he doesn’t plan on pursuing it as a full-time career, and he thinks that gives him more flexibility, especially if he experiences something like writer’s block.

“I just give it time … why I like to be semi-professional … is that creativity shouldn’t have boundaries, it shouldn’t have limitations,” Jain said. “I’d rather not publish than publish something that’s not of good quality or that’s something that I don’t like.”

In terms of his process, Jain has been able to find a balance between completing his schoolwork and writing his poems.

“Usually at night I write or in the evenings before I go to sleep. I play some music, and I feel like that’s the best way I tend to pursue art, like in a good, calm environment when I’m done with the day … when I’m retrospecting, introspecting. I think that’s the best time to write poems, because thoughts are right on your mind.

They’re fresh, so I write then.”

The more technical side of his process includes three editing stages. Jain first writes the poem, looks over it and might make a few small changes. Then, he reads it again after a few days and makes one or two other changes. Finally, he views the poem within the larger context of the other poems that will accompany it, seeing if anything needs to be cut or if he needs to switch up the order of the book at all. He also focuses more on changes to do with grammar and vocabulary within the final edits.

Even though Jain is still finishing up his third book, he already has a vision for his next book to come. He says that it will likely talk more about injustice, as well as upcoming personal experiences.

“A sequel to this [would cover] deeper and more mature emotions,” Jain said. “I feel like even I would have grown more by then. I would … probably be close to graduation or graduated. Seeing job culture through my internship this summer … I think there’s a lot more to learn, a lot more [emotions] to dive deeper into … so it’ll definitely be along those lines.”

Jain is slated to release his third book, “Kuch Pal Hare aur Neele” on Amazon by the end of April or the start of May. His first book and second book are currently on Amazon. He also has a poetry page on Instagram, @ thoughts.extended, and Disha Narain, who is responsible for the art in Jain’s book, has an art page on Instagram, @dishanarain.art.

TRASHING ONE EGG WASTES 55 GALLONS OF WATER

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Kate Seklir is a junior studying political science. Kate can be reached at kate.seklir@tufts.edu.

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Monday, April 4, 2022

Ellie Lester and Sadie Leite The Art of Good Soup

T

Oh, ginger!

his week we went home. A place that loves us and cares for us and sometimes does things to us like making us fall asleep in our friend’s bed across campus and walk home at five in the morning because you swore you would just take a nap. No? Just Ellie? Anyways.

Home for us is O Ginger in Davis Square. In our long history, the inside has changed. The walls are now a cheerful teal. We forget what they were at first, but we swear they have changed.

We’ve known the staff nearly as long as we’ve known each other. We are dear friends, us and them. Or maybe we just like to think that. Though they did give us free crab rangoons.

Goonies, if you will.

We’ve had our ups and downs, but O Ginger is a constant. So, we thought why not stop by for a bowl of soup before our coming adventure of the night.

As we entered O Ginger, the sky was still bright with late afternoon. It was a little empty, but we didn’t mind, because we had the place to ourselves. We sat down and admired the classic Chinese zodiac menus that were placed on every table. It reminded us of the anime about the zodiac that we were watching, because anime is cool — really cool — and not something to make fun of.

Sometimes you’ll make fun of anime, and then, through a random series of events, you will find yourself watching it and enjoying it because it’s actually quite emotional and reminds you of paper menus in O Ginger, something you also love.

Sadie ordered the vegetable udon soup and Ellie ordered the vegetable ramen soup. Ellie was upset because of her milky broth. She’d made this mistake before and didn’t learn. As it turns out, size really matters, when it comes to noodles at least. Get your head out of the gutter.

Size determines slurpage. Sadie’s udon noodles made for a smooth and efficient slurp, while Ellie’s smaller ramen noodles made her upset. Why? They were not as easy to slurp. And their crimped texture caused milk broth to be splattered. Milky white liquid all over her face. We never want that.

Luckily, the scallions were back to save the bowl, along with some asparagus. There was a bit of confusion at first, because we thought it might’ve been a green bean. That would’ve changed the whole dynamic.

Our bowls came with comically large broth ladles. They made us feel like giants. Ellie then proceeded to use said comically large broth ladles to slurp down Sadie’s broth while she was in the bathroom. It was salty and delicious and not at all milky. When Sadie returned, she was alarmed but not really surprised at the carnage.

We rate this soup 17 bowls after Peach Pit’s song, “Seventeen” (2016). Because we were headed to their concert. And because we might be in love with them.

We definitely are. Kidding. But wait, the hair flips though.

Ellie Lester is a sophomore studying sociology. Ellie can be reached at eliana.lester@tufts.edu. Sadie Leite is a sophomore studying English. Sadie can be reached at sadie.leite@tufts.edu.

‘Our Flag Means Death’ sets off to a strong sail with humor and heart

COURTESY IMDB

Pirates Izzy Hands (Con O’Neill) and Edward Teach (Taika Waititi) are pictured in HBO’s “Our Flag Means Death” (2022–).

by Nate Hall Staff Writer

‘Our Flag Means Death’ sets sail with humor and heart In the last few years, Taika Waititi has become popular for a distinct brand of comedy that mixes absurd humor with emotional depth, which is exemplified in “Thor: Ragnarok” (2017), “Jojo Rabbit” (2019) and “What We Do in the Shadows” (2019–). In his newest project, the HBO Max series “Our Flag Means Death” (2022–), Waititi’s comedic instincts as an actor are stronger than ever.

“Our Flag Means Death,” which premiered on HBO’s streaming service this March, tells the story of Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby), a real-life 18th-century English aristocrat who gives up his comfortable life to become a pirate. Loosely based on real events, the series follows Bonnet and his equally strange crew aboard their ship, Revenge, as they face off against pirate competitors and British authorities. The crew is forced to deal with

new leadership when its vessel is taken over by the legendary pirate Blackbeard (Taika Waititi). Over the course of ten episodes, what seems at first glance to be a conventional period comedy charts a course in unexpected directions, making for an incredibly entertaining watch.

Rhys Darby gives a lively performance as Stede Bonnet, also known as “The Gentleman Pirate,” a captain out of place among his swashbuckling counterparts.

After a midlife crisis, Bonnet abandons his family, his estate and his predictable life in British-controlled Barbados to pursue a life at sea, despite knowing nothing about piracy. A genial but ill-equipped leader, Bonnet is the anchor of the show, allowing the story to cover both absurd hijinks and deep emotional moments.

Opposite Bonnet, Taika Waititi shines as the pirate captain Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard. Known in real life as a fearsome leader, “Our Flag Means Death” shows a softer side to Blackbeard, as he forms a bond with Bonnet and takes an interest in his aristocratic life-

style. Standout performances among the ship’s ragtag crew include Nathan Foad as Lucius, Bonnet’s scribe; Vico Ortiz as Jim, a skilled fighter and Samson Kayo as the levelheaded Oluwande.

The series gets off to a somewhat slow start, introducing a large ensemble of characters and jumping between plot points without a strong through line. The story picks up steam, however, with the introduction of Blackbeard and his crew, creating an entertaining juxtaposition between Blackbeard’s shrewdness and Bonnet’s naivete. The pair’s relationship moves to the forefront later in the season, but the series doesn’t lose any of its energy as the crew’s adventures continue.

The series is bolstered by strong writing, which packs every episode with humor and wit while allowing the story and characters to develop. That’s not to say that there aren’t serious moments too — the season ends quite effectively on a deeply dramatic note. The costumes and set design help to situate the show in its time and place, both in raucous scenes on the high seas and in flashbacks to Stede’s quiet life before piracy in England.

The show’s ensemble cast has undeniable chemistry, and its depictions of characters of color and queer relationships bring marginalized groups into a historical setting where they traditionally have been ignored.

In the end, the crewmates of “Our Flag Means Death” form a sort of “found family,” a common theme among Waititi’s works. Even when things don’t work out, they’re always there for each other. The show deserves praise for subverting viewers’ expectations by injecting a story of comedy and adventure with moments of introspection and romance. “Our Flag Means Death” is more than meets the eye — hidden just below the surface of the comedy are valuable lessons about the power of love and togetherness that bring the story and its characters to life in an astonishing way.

Reflecting on 10 years of ‘The Hunger Games’

by Ryan Fairfield Staff Writer

The 2010s birthed dozens of bookto-movie adaptations, mainly based on young adult books. There was “Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief” (2010), “The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones” (2013), “The Maze Runner” (2014), “Divergent” (2014) and many more. Of all of the popular adaptations, few have stood the test of time and most remain forgettable, with fans of the books remembering them as disappointing. Yet, one adaptation stands out among the rest as impactful and memorable, while also having garnered both critical and popular acclaim — “The Hunger Games” (2012–2015).

The plot of “The Hunger Games” franchise is fairly well known today. Set in a dystopian America that has been divided into 12 districts, every year one male and one female tribute between the ages of 12 and 18 from each district are chosen to compete in the Hunger Games. In the first film, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) volunteers to take her sister’s place for the 74th Hunger Games. Once in the Games, Katniss fights to survive and make it home to her family, sparking a revolution along the way.

The Games symbolize survival as each tribute is fighting to make it out alive, but on a deeper level, they epitomize the consequences of hierarchy and corruption.

The 12 Districts each differ in wealth, with District 1 and District 2 being the richest, and District 12 being the poorest. The wealth disparity between the districts and the differences between the opportunities of those in the lower districts versus the higher districts is a theme that can be applied to society today.

Additionally, the Games showcase the corruption of the Capitol. The head of all the Districts and the home of the government, the Capitol allows the Games to continue as its leaders argue it is to honor the anniversary of the original rebellion.

The real purpose of the Games, however, is to keep the Districts in fear of the Capitol so there is not another rebellion, while also providing entertainment for the wealthy Capitol citizens. The concept of the lower class competing for the entertainment of the wealthy is a powerful message and one that has been replicated in media many times, most recently in the hit Netflix show, “Squid Game” (2021).

The most formative moment in the franchise occurs in the first film — Rue’s death. Rue (Amandla Stenberg) was

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The promotional poster for “The Hunger Games” (2012) is pictured.

Katniss’ ally from District 11 who helped save Katniss and nursed her back to health after she was attacked by highly venomous wasps. When Rue is murdered, Katniss see REVOLUTION, page 7

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THE TUFTS DAILY | FUN & GAMES | Monday, April 4, 2022

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The film series remains a cult classic and rings with truth in modern day REVOLUTION

continued from page 4 is overcome with sadness and guilt. Rue’s death shows that the tributes are more than just pawns in a game for the Capitol.

Rue symbolizes young, innocent lives that are lost when governments abuse their power. Her death also serves as a catalyst for the revolution. Right after her death, the film shows a montage of riots in District 11. The idea of revolutions starting due to the loss of innocent lives is mirrored in real life, with resemblances to movements such as Black Lives Matter and March for Our Lives.

Alongside the idea of a revolution, “The Hunger Games” dissects the dual-

ity of hope and hope’s manipulation.

President Snow (Donald Sutherland) says in the film, “Hope. It is the only thing stronger than fear. A little hope is effective. A lot of hope is dangerous.” Snow uses hope to keep the districts obedient, whereas Katniss unintentionally uses hope, following Rue’s death, to spark a revolution. The juxtaposition of hope within the film forces the viewer to think about the ways in which hope can lead to deception but also has the power to spark real change.

What makes “The Hunger Games” successful and what has allowed its popularity to continue 10 years after its initial release is that the story, specifically

the politics within it, can be looked at through a modern, realistic lens, despite its being fiction. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter where the film’s director, Gary Ross, reflects on the film, he says, “The themes in this movie are only more resonant now than when we made it.” The story of “The Hunger Games” is rooted in survival, revolution, corruption and love, all of which are themes that can be seen in different aspects of society today. It is likely that “The Hunger Games” will continue to be enjoyed by generations to come, as it not only serves as a political and social commentary but also tells a powerful and captivating story.

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7 Monday, April 4, 2022

Ethan Jaskowiak Ethics of the Environment

The dark side of cannabis

A

s cannabis legalization continues its march across the country and investment in legal cannabis continues to grow, many previously veiled aspects of cannabis cultivation have come to light, including a surprisingly damaging environmental cost. High water and energy usage, pesticides and fertilizer poisoning, degradation of public lands and potential ozone effects have all been linked to cannabis cultivation.

In the quest for quality, some professional growers employ vast artificial greenhouses where recreating the sun requires vast amounts of electricity. In Colorado, moving cannabis production outdoors would save an estimated 1.3% of the state’s total carbon emissions, a carbon footprint near that of the state’s entire coal industry at 1.8%. A recent study found that the median carbon footprint of a kilogram of dried cannabis is roughly equivalent to a 9,000-mile car journey. Additionally, a single cannabis plant needs almost 22 liters of water per day during the growing season, a consumption rate of 3 billion liters of water per square kilometer of greenhouse cultivation, putting a strain on already scant water supplies.

Outdoor grows may seem like an obvious solution to the disproportionate resource consumption of indoor grows, but they also present a host of environmental issues. It has been found that many illegal growing operations, including those which trespass in national forests, use banned pesticides, such as bromethalin and carbofuran. Ecologist Greta Wengert of the Integral Ecology Research Center described the problem: “A quarter teaspoon [of carbofuran] could kill a 600-pound black bear. So obviously just a tiny amount can kill a human. It remains in an ecosystem for a long period of time.”

These pesticides travel up the food chain and become more concentrated in living tissue, presenting a critical problem for predators. Wildlife ecologist Mourad Gabriel uses fishers (small carnivores in the weasel family) to demonstrate this damage, finding that 85% of California’s fishers have been exposed to rodenticide, which is especially damaging to them as fetuses, and infants receive the toxins in utero and again through the mother’s milk.

The problem is not isolated to fishers. Wengert reported that “the mountain lion population in California is exposed to anticoagulant rodenticides at a rate well over 90%.” She continued, “we have detected [carbofuran] in the soil, in cannabis plants, in native vegetation, the water, the infrastructure. You name it, we have detected it. It’s horrible.”

This raises the question: How do I reduce the impact of my cannabis consumption?

An overarching solution is to continue efforts to legalize marijuana. Jennifer Carah, senior scientist at the Nature Conservancy of California, explained “the black market is not going away, but to the degree that we can entice growers into the legal market, their agricultural practices can be regulated like other agricultural crops, which will go a long way to addressing potential environmental impacts.” If marijuana production and sale is incorporated into legislation, regulations — including environmental protections — can be applied to this industry, allowing for more significant allocation of resources and attention to these pressing issues.

Ethan Jaskowiak is a senior studying biology. Ethan can be reached at ethan.jaskowiak@tufts.edu.

8 Monday, April 4, 2022

SPORTS

Women’s lacrosse beats MIT, falls to No. 1 Middlebury

tuftsdaily.com

Oliver Fox Sports and Society

New York’s problematic solutions to sports and pandemic

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MAC CALLAHAN / THE TUFTS DAILY

Tufts attacker Anna Clarke looks to pass to a teammate in a game against Williams on March 6.

by Isaac Karp

Executive Sports Editor

After winning five straight games, Tufts faced an out-of-conference opponent in Massachusetts Institute of Technology, whom Tufts beat 22–3 in an all-around performance. With 14 different Tufts scorers, the Jumbos outclassed the Engineers who previously held a 4–3 record. Firstyear attacker Margie Carden and junior attacker and midfielder Caroline Walter led the Jumbos in scoring with each player netting a hat trick. Senior goalie Molly Laliberty commented on what went right for Tufts.

“We played a full game together. I think we had 14 different goal scorers, we had three defenders score,” Laliberty said. “I think everybody was just out there having fun playing our game.”

The Jumbos came out running in the first period by scoring seven unanswered goals. Sophomore midfielder Madeline Delaney struck first for the Brown and Blue and the floodgates immediately opened as graduate student attacker Claire Wright, Carden and junior midfielder Sami Rothstein all put the ball in the back of the net in the next six minutes. Carden got the scoring started in the second period to give herself two

goals with a free position shot. After Tufts scored two more times to bring the score to 10–0, MIT finally got on the scoreboard. The Jumbos responded well by scoring four straight goals, one by senior midfielder Ananda Kao who has been playing defense this season.

The Jumbos made a concerted effort to turn defense into offense during the MIT game. In the last 20 seconds of the second quarter, MIT scored again to bring the team’s goal total to two. The third and fourth periods were much less eventful with the Jumbos scoring eight more goals and the Engineers netting one goal. The game ended with a 22–3 victory for the Jumbos.

The Middlebury game went much differently as the Jumbos lost to the Panthers 14–7. The first period featured a fairly even game with both teams taking turns scoring. It ended 3–2 with Middlebury surging to a one goal lead in the last minute of the period. The Panthers started to increase the lead in the second period by netting four goals to the Jumbos’ two.

Laliberty believes the second-half breakdown lost the Jumbos their game.

“I think once they took a lead, I don’t think we ever even tied it back up, which was unfortunate and wasn’t the game plan going in,” Laliberty said.

The third and fourth period saw the Panthers gain control of the game and the Jumbos’ offense stumble a little as Tufts struggled to keep up with Middlebury’s attacking force. In terms of overall stats, the teams appeared to be on the same level.

However, the Panthers took advantage of their scoring opportunities, something Laliberty says the team needs to work on in order to win competitive games.

“If I’m being a senior leader and talking about the things that we need to improve on, I want to hold myself accountable as well and say that if I get the chance to play Middlebury again, I know I’ll have more saves and I can definitely be better for my teammates,” Laliberty said.

Although the Jumbos lost, the most important and meaningful part of the day was the team’s tribute to their teammate Madie Nicpon, who passed away in October. Students and families came to show their support, with some players and coaches giving speeches commemorating Nicpon’s memory.

Laliberty discussed the importance of that moment for her and her teammates.

“It’s just really great to have an opportunity to celebrate everything that Madie brought to this program and continues to bring even to this day and to the future as well,” Laliberty said.

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accine mandates protect people.

That has been the position of the New York City government since ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio began the private sector mandate in December. Last week, that position stayed the same in theory. Unless, apparently, you’re Kyrie Irving. Or Aaron Judge. Or Anthony Rizzo, Jacob deGrom or any rich and powerful New Yorker with enough pull to get an exemption.

Mayor Eric Adams announced last Thursday that the city’s private sector vaccine mandate would be amended to include an exemption for athletes and performers, conveniently going into effect before the NBA Playoffs and the MLB’s Opening Day. Irving, Judge and other top-level athletes are suddenly above the rest of the city’s workers.

Last week, when I demanded that administrators and experts prioritize clarity and consistency in further COVID-19 mitigation efforts, a hypocritical, plainly elitist revision that prioritizes the wealthy was not exactly what I had in mind.

The new plan sends a clear message about the city’s priorities in working toward the “new normal:” COVID-19 measures only apply to those who do not pose a public relations threat to the city, which, conveniently, is most ordinary people.

The absurdity of this policy goes way beyond sports, but it cannot be understood without acknowledging the stranglehold athletes can have on politics when they choose to take a hard line. Prestigious athletes that serve as New York cultural ambassadors and celebrities have essentially opened the entire system up to legal challenges on the basis that exemptions are granted arbitrarily.

This massive land mine could destroy the entire city’s COVID-19 mitigation infrastructure and was brought about by a few athletes with enough patience to cross their arms and dare the city to ban them from playing, which would hurt the teams’ respective chances of winning and enrage fans. If Irving can win out against one of the largest cities in the world, what’s to stop other powerful groups from demanding exemptions to private sector vaccine mandates?

The only thing worse than a set of confusing restrictions are a set of measures that clearly favor the lobbying elite. The new policy is disastrous for the Adams administration and for any remaining sense that we are all in this together. For NYC, the pandemic is over for those who can afford it.

For athletes, this is the ultimate victory in validating their position as true members of the American power elite.

New York City is essentially declaring that the actions and priorities of its elite athletes carry enough weight to force a liberal administration to adopt an oligarchical vaccine policy. Player power is formidable, but Adams could and should have stood up to the intransigence of certain New York athletes. The fact that he didn’t, though, proves the force of American athletes has risen to that of a true political insider.

Oliver Fox is a first-year who has not yet declared a major. Oliver can be reached at oliver.fox@tufts.edu.