The Tufts Daily - Wednesday, April 14, 2021

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VOLUME LXXXI, ISSUE 42

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Wednesday, April 14, 2021

MEDFORD/SOMERVILLE, MASS.

University to end COVID-19 testing, on-campus housing prior to Senior Week

by Rebecca Barker

Outreach Coordinator

The university recently announced that it will end COVID-19 testing and require students living on campus to leave their housing prior to Senior Week, causing frustration and concern among many students in the senior class.

The university has scheduled virtual events for Senior Week from May 17–21, as well as a virtual Commencement ceremony on May 23, but is saying that students should celebrate at home.

“When students finish exams, they should take a COVID-19 test to make sure they are negative, then travel home to minimize risk of exposure to others,” Dean of Student Affairs and Chief Student Officer Camille Lizarríbar wrote in an email to the Daily. “Once home, they can engage in the virtual events planned for Senior Week and celebrate Commencement virtually with their friends and loved ones.”

Though Tufts is making students who live on campus move out of their on-campus housing before these events, most of the senior class lives in off-campus houses in the Medford/ Somerville area. TCU Senate President Sarah Wiener, Vice President Grant Gebetsberger and Treasurer Sharif Hamidi conducted a survey and found that 95% of respondents had finalized plans to stay in the Medford/ Somerville area for Senior Week.

They published a subsequent op-ed in the Daily on April 5, condemning Tufts for its decision to end COVID-19 testing and remove seniors from on-campus housing before Commencement.

Gebetsberger, a senior, said that he is specifically concerned about the inequities this decision creates between students living on and off campus. According to Gebetsberger, Wiener and Hamidi in their op-ed, many students living on campus are on financial aid and are students of color.

“I think the off-campus seniors aren’t going to change their behavior at all, but obviously on-campus seniors have no choice but to change their behavior because their housing will end,” he said. “Those are the folks that I have been most concerned about from the getgo … They won’t be able to stay and safely and socially distantly have a picnic with their friends during Senior Week outside, or

have drinks on the porch, or take [graduation] photos during that week … just those little things [are] obviously going to be much more difficult.”

Lizarríbar said that she understands the disappointment and concern students feel about the university’s decision, but feels that the administration has made the correct choice regarding the virtual nature of Senior Week and Commencement.

“We fully understand that some graduates and their families are upset at the decision to conduct Senior Week and Commencement virtually, and we share their disappointment that we are unable to gather safely to celebrate due to the threats that are still posed by the pandemic,” Lizarríbar said.

“However, we are absolutely certain that we have made the correct, safest, most equitable and most responsible decision given what we know and what we don’t at this time.”

Lizarríbar explained that the university’s decision was motivated by Massachusetts public health guidelines, and noted that variables such as new COVID19 variants, vaccine accessibility and some disregard from students regarding the university’s COVID-19 guidelines further emphasized the importance of a virtual Senior Week and Commencement.

“We have an obligation to protect the health of our Tufts community and our neighbors and to treat each other equitably,” Lizarríbar said. “Students who choose to stay in the area after exams are over to participate in unofficial Senior Week and Commencement gatherings will be choosing to put community members and others at risk and creating inequities among their peers, including those who are remote.”

However, the 95% of seniors who responded to the survey say they plan to stay. Additionally, 98% of survey respondents said that Tufts should continue to provide COVID-19 testing through May 23, and every single respondent said Tufts should allow seniors to remain in their on-campus housing through May 23.

Gebetsberger said that while he understands that the university is unlikely to reverse its stance on extending both COVID-19 testing and on-campus housing, he would see HOUSING, page 2

NICOLE GARAY / THE TUFTS DAILY

The Medford/Somerville campus COVID-19 testing site is pictured on Sept. 20, 2020.

TEDxTufts adopts virtual format to host annual speakers conference

by Ella Kamm

Contributing Writer

TEDxTufts held its seventh annual conference from April 9–11, featuring 10 virtual TEDxTufts Talks and performances. The theme, “REBOOT,” was a nod to both the virtual aspect of the event as well as the potential for growth and change coming out of the pandemic.

“This year our speakers are really recontextualizing old theories and they’re readjusting in the current moment, given current events and COVID,” TEDxTufts curator Simone Barr said. “It’s sort of acknowledging that pause that takes place right before you begin again in a new direction.”

She expanded on this, acknowledging the impact the current circumstances had on the content of the presentations at this year’s conference.

“We’re really excited this year to share stories and suggestions for how to begin again in new directions, especially since we’ve had so much time to pause and reflect in quarantine,” Barr, a junior, said. “There’s a lot of value in being very intentional with how we power back up again.”

Speakers included people from a wide variety of interests and industries. Supriya Sanjay (LA’19), a software development engineer II at Amazon Robotics, gave a talk titled “Have You Tried Restarting It? Rebooting Diversity in the Tech Industry.”

Kudrat Dutta Chaudhary (F’19), an international lawyer working in gender-based violence claims, presented “Patriarchy and Its Pillars: How We Can Crumble the System.” Tufts professor of mathematics Bruce Boghosian delivered a talk called “The Mathematics of Oligarchy.”

“All of our speakers are very different,” executive organizer Saherish Surani said.

“Everything is about the current moment that we’re in, but also how to look at it again and decide where to go.”

The event took place over three days, with two-hour sessions held each day. The organizers said that one challenge of adjusting to the virtual format was maintaining the interpersonal aspects of a typical TEDxTufts conference and its ties to the community.

“This is our seventh annual event holding an official TED

license, and every other year it’s been on stage in front of people,” Surani, a senior, said. “For the past couple of years we’ve sold out Cohen [Auditorium], we were program of the year, and I think for us it’s been a lot about having this one day that’s not just about the talks, but it’s also about building community, interacting and really being able to start spreading ideas.”

According to Barr, TEDxTufts partnered with an outside film production company to produce high-quality speaker content and showcase the ideas of the talks in an engaging way. The videos were all prerecorded, mostly in Curtis Hall.

“We had a lot of fun working with the external team to make sure that we have a lot of different angles and graphics,” Barr said. “It was a lot of fun to try our hand at something that we’ve never really done before, since live performance is what we’re used to.”

Although it was virtual, organizers said they prioritized maintaining the interactive elements of a typical conference, and the event involved community partnerships in a variety of formats.

SPORTS / page 9

FEATURES / page 3

OPINION / page 8

Softball ascends to first place in NESCAC East after 4-game sweep of Colby

In Myanmar, Tufts students protest for democracy amid national crisis

Tufts must end its ‘back door’ elitism in admissions

see TEDXTUFTS, page 2 NEWS

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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Wednesday, April 14, 2021

THE TUFTS DAILY Megan Szostak Editor in Chief

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LIZ SHELBRED COLTON WOLK Associate Editors Maddie Aitken Executive News Editor Sarah Crawford Executive Features Editor Tuna Margalit Executive Arts Editor Priya Padhye Executive Opinion Editor

Most seniors intend to stay local for virtual Senior Week, Commencement HOUSING

continued from page 1 like to see further guidance from the university on safety measures.

“I would like to see … some encouragement or some acknowledgement about the fact that they know that those of us off campus are going to be staying through the week for the most part … and maybe provide

Juanita Asapokhai Amulya Mutnuri Caroline Wolinsky Editorialists Alex Sharp Executive Sports Editor Jess Blough Investigative Editor Hannah Harris Executive Audio Producer

some guidance on tips to stay safe,” he said.

Gebetsberger hopes that despite the restrictions, seniors will have a Senior Week that provides them with opportunities for connection and closure.

“I hope that those of us who are still going to be in the area are able … to celebrate our four years here, because [it’s] just really

important to find some space for joy and celebration after what has been a really tough year,” he said.

Tufts will resume testing for students who are living on campus or attending in-person activities this summer, according to Medical Director of Health Service Marie Caggiano.

“Students who are living on Tufts campuses or are attend-

ing in-person activities over the summer will be required to participate in surveillance testing,” Caggiano wrote in an email to the Daily. “The university encourages all students to be aware of public health guidelines and by following those guidelines, they can reduce the risk to themselves and their communities.”

Conference tickets free of charge for the first time TEDXTUFTS

Julian Perry Editorial Editor

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continued from page 1 “Every night at intermission there [was] an opportunity to have a speaker sit down … and every night we also [had] a different interactive session,” Surani said. “[We partnered] with the Tufts Calligraphy Club and local businesses like MEM TEA and Seasonal Intentions.”

Sarabande Dance Ensemble also performed each night, presenting works choreographed by students.

Another part of REBOOT’s connection to local vendors was a gift box that attendees could purchase with their tickets that connected to the theme of the conference.

“Our event is more than just talks, it’s also an experience, and we really thought about how to get that experience translated to people’s homes or bedrooms, or wherever they were going to watch the event,” executive organizer Ava Soltani, a senior, said. “So we made a curated box to encapsulate some of the talks [and] have that local community.”

Emphasizing accessibility, Surani noted that the box was an optional add-on, but that anyone could watch the talks and participate by reserving a free spot through Tufts Tickets.

“This is also the first time in TEDxTufts history that we have a completely free ticket option as well,” Surani said.

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A screenshot of the TEDxTufts conference, which took place virtually from April 9–11, is pictured.

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FEATURES

Students reflect on pro-democracy activism, virtual studies from Myanmar

by Ben Leikind

Contributing Writer

One of the cliches of our day is that we live in “unprecedented times.” However, for Tufts students currently located in Myanmar, this expression may not capture the essence of the history that is currently unfolding in the country. The times are extraordinary, but according to sophomore Ingyin Khine, who is currently residing in Yangon, they are not necessarily unprecedented.

On Feb. 1 of this year, Myanmar’s military seized control of the government.

Since then, the country has been roiled by pro-democracy strikes, protests, and military counter-crackdowns. At this very moment, the state of Myanmar finds itself on a teeter as the people and the military play tug of war for its future. For Tufts students studying virtually in Myanmar, like Khine, this is a pivotal moment.

Khine is a sophomore studying international relations. She hails from the city of Yangon, where she has been studying virtually for the past year. She explained that there is a real sense of history to these protests.

“This is not a single event in Myanmar’s history of oppression by the military,” Khine said. “It’s [been] going on for like 70 years. It’s a generational thing, so it started from my grandparents, and then my parents and then right now. It’s like this generational trauma in the community.”

Myanmar does have a long history of dictatorship. In 1962, the military, under army chief of staff Ne Win, launched a coup that overthrew the democratically elected government under Prime Minister U Nu. In the early 1970s, Ne Win allowed a new constitution to be written, and in 1974, elections were held. Ne Win won the presidency, and kept power until 1988, when he resigned as chairman of the Burma Socialist Programme Party (BSPP), the ruling party, in the midst of violent dissent. In response to the mass-protests, the military, under General Saw Maung, seized power later that year, implementing martial law and ending democracy.

Maung was replaced by General Than Shwe in the early 1990s, but the at times brutal military regime Maung established lasted for about 20 years. The regime began to unravel in 2007, when monks staged a series of protests calling for democratic reform. The government responded with harsh crackdowns, and drew widespread

criticism from the international community. In 2011, the transition to civilian government began. By 2015, elections were considered free and fair, and the National League for Democracy, the country’s leading pro-democracy party, took power, with Aung San Suu Kyi in the leadership position of state counsellor. A precarious balance of power was established between the military and civilian government, which held until Feb. 1 of this year.

For the few Tufts students in Khine’s position, it is an extraordinary moment.

Just as her parents and grandparents took part in various historic protests, she now finds herself fighting for democracy.

Khine explained what motivated her to get involved in the resistance movement.

“I’m still doing classes and all that. But at the back of my mind, it’s always like, you’re in revolution, you’re in the midst of revolution. And all of these classes and education won’t matter, if there is not a hint of democracy in my own home country,” Khine said. “It’s something that we can’t afford not to do.”

The pro-democracy movement, which has become known as the Civil Disobedience Movement, has included government-worker strikes, popular protests, and student marches. Khine has participated in some of those marches.

Without planning to, she even joined a medical student march, although she is not a medical student herself.

She joked, “I was an imposter in my medical student march thing. I just joined.”

Khine also emphasized how dangerous the protests could be, saying one of the first casualties was shot just minutes away from where she herself was protesting.

“The situation just escalated so quickly, so violently…and as usual, there were tear gas, sound bombs, stun grenades, and all of that, but there were also live ammunition shots,” Khine said. “Now I think there are at least 300 casualties just from…protesting alone.”

The students, like Khine, who have been helping fuel the Civil Disobedience Movement, are, however, still students.

Zwe Latt, a first-year currently located in Yangon, spoke to the challenges of taking classes virtually in the middle of the national struggle. Latt is planning to study economics and international relations, and has not yet had the opportunity to come to campus. For students in his position, there are many challenges. Not only

is he taking classes with a ten and a halfhour time difference in the middle of a pandemic, but the military has also taken to enforcing internet blackouts, severely curtailing his ability to participate in classes.

When asked about the way that limited access to the internet has affected his studies, he explained, “Every single night, it’s off from 1 a.m. to, I think, 7 or 8 a.m. I used to have class at one am, before daylight saving time, so I would have to use my data on my phone to show up to class.”

Daylight saving time shifted his class an hour earlier, so it no longer conflicts with the internet curfew. As of Friday April 2nd the military completely shut down wireless access to wireless broadband internet services, leaving this an ongoing concern Latt said that his professors have been very understanding of the situation.

“All my professors have been so accommodating,” he said. “Every single one of them has [said] ‘if you have any problems, just [tell] me. You can submit this whenever. I’ll adjust the due dates for you.” Latt explained that those interactions have been a bright spot for him this semester.

With the death toll from military crackdowns over 500, the inherent risk in fighting for democracy grows, but that is not stopping students, like Latt and Khine, from contributing in their own ways.

Khine, who lives close to a square where many protests have been held, said she has attended protests herself. Latt, and his family, have sent food to people who went on strike. When asked what people on campus can do to be supportive, they both said the same thing: Read the news.

“I would say the easiest thing that you can do, it takes five minutes of your time, is just get informed about the situation,” Latt said. “Realize that these things are happening in the world, because, you know, it’s easy to get caught up in your own little bubble.”

The struggle between the people of Myanmar and the military over democracy is not a new one. It is a contest dating back to the nation’s independence. But for this generation, this moment is a first. Their parents had defining moments like this, as did their grandparents. These times are the re-emergence of a decades-long struggle, but this time the unrest is taking place at the same time as a pandemic, and students are juggling pro-democracy activism with taking virtual classes from a university that’s nearly 8,000 miles away.

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Casey Cummings Coffee Talk

Dewick-MacPhie Dining Center

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veryone talks about Carmichael Dining Center’s breakfasts (which are great, I mean … they have fresh berries every morning). However, Dewick-MacPhie Dining Center doesn’t get enough credit for its breakfasts.

In wake of the pandemic, Dewick has undergone some changes. Some of the things I miss the most include the cereal section, the toast and panini bar, the soft serve machine and of course, Sundae Sundays. However, some changes that the dining hall has implemented have been pretty fun. I’m personally a fan of the individually packaged Greek yogurts, chia seed puddings and the occasional smoothies that Dewick now offers. As it looks like the COVID-19 restrictions may change next fall, I am not sure how the dining halls will look, but I certainly hope they will continue to allow students to leave the dining halls with their food. It’s always nice to be able to eat outside or, if you’re low on meal swipes like I am, to take extra food back to your room.

Here are some of my favorite things from Dewick: Savory: If I am in the mood for something savory, I will pick up an everything bagel, eggs (preferably fried eggs), spinach and roasted tomatoes.

Then, I will assemble my own bagel sandwich. While nothing beats the bagel sandwiches from Bagelsaurus and Davis Square Donuts & Bagels, these DIY sandwiches are a close second — or third!

Sweet: My go-to sweet breakfast is pancakes (or gluten-free french toast) topped with vanilla Greek yogurt, bananas, cinnamon and berries if possible. My friends usually make fun of me for putting yogurt on my pancakes, but I definitely recommend trying it!

I can proudly report that I have even converted a former skeptic into a pancake and Greek yogurt fan.

Coffee: I have recently come across a new coffee combo that can be created at Dewick: Hazelnut coffee with chocolate almond milk. The coffee itself smells like roasted hazelnuts and adding chocolate almond milk to it gives off major Nutella vibes.

How I finesse Dewick: I think ahead.

In order to conserve my dwindling meal swipes, I usually try to pick up extra food that I can snack on later or eat for lunch. For example, I ask for non-toasted bread or bagels to use for sandwiches and bring back extra yogurts and cereals to my room. This may seem extreme, but I even ask for extra pancakes and take them back to my room where I stick them in the freezer. The following morning, I throw them in the microwave for a minute and 30 seconds and they are good to go!

Casey Cummings is a sophomore majoring in international relations. Casey can be reached at casey.cummings@tufts.edu.

Demonstrators are pictured protesting the military coup in Myanmar on Feb. 9.

VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

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Wednesday, April 14, 2021

‘Shiva Baby’ gives its take on Jewish humor in stress-inducing film

by Miranda Feinberg Staff Writer

“Shiva Baby” (2020), the feature directorial debut from 26-yearold Canadian Jewish filmmaker Emma Seligman, is a stressful and chaotic film that has finally been released to video on demand.

The film follows Danielle (Rachel Sennott), a jaded college student on the cusp of graduation, as she navigates a shiva (a Jewish tradition that takes place after a burial for mourners to reminisce and eat good food) surrounded by her parents, her sugar daddy, her sugar daddy’s (surprise) wife and newborn baby, her ex-girlfriend and a whole host of inquisitive middle-aged acquaintances. It is a claustrophobic, high-octave panic attack of a movie that is as visceral as it is awkward.

The film works as an experiment to discover just how anxious a filmmaker can make their audience; there’s good reason for why the film has earned the comparison to another recent anxiety-inducing film with Jewish characters, the Safdie brothers’ “Uncut Gems” (2019). One Twitter user’s comparison has been used as a trailer epigraph, describing the film as “’Uncut Gems’ for hot jewish sluts.”

The movie in its entirety, save for the cold open, takes place in the same house throughout the roughly four hours spent at the shiva. This tight space and contained time frame leave little room for escape or respite, as the characters are all thrown together and thrust into conversation and interaction. A big highlight of the film is its score — plucked strings and echoing orchestral openings that make for an electric feeling that cause the hairs on the back of your neck to stand up — that follows Danielle through the house. Follow, here, is the key word; much of the camerawork throughout the movie is pushed in close or shaky and nervous as it follows Danielle. The audio and visual directions of the movie

Chris Panella Comfort Cartoons

Secretive and supernatural ‘Gravity Falls’

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omething weird is going on in Gravity Falls, Oregon, and it’s up to preteen twins Dipper (Jason Ritter) and Mabel Pines (Kristen Schaal) to get to the bottom of it.

We’re talking about “Gravity Falls” (2012–16), one of Disney Channel and Disney XD’s funniest, strangest and most interesting animated endeavors. The show follows Dipper and Mabel’s summer vacation with their “Grunkle” Stan (Alex Hirsch) in Gravity Falls,

collapse into one another as they mirror the erratic emotions through which Danielle is seen wading.

The dialogue is great as well, adding a sense of reality and deadpan humor that work so well at bridging each storyline together.

From the over-familiarity of side characters and the gossip that remains constantly in the background, to the brusque honesty and curiosity of the main cast, the plot feels very lived-in. The atmosphere is acutely Jewish. As Seligman described of the humor that inspired her writing, the dialogue is that of “reform, religious-ish Jews.” With comments about Yiddish pronunciation, seemingly random connections between estranged shiva-goers and judgment passed on the behavior of non-Jews in attendance, all of the dialogue seems to underline the Ashki-Jewish aesthetic of a New York reform shiva.

Though at times this may come off as stereotypical, the loud conversations and sarcastic humor interwoven throughout the lows of the plot are nonetheless funny and charming.

There are also so many conversations to which Danielle is subject which are framed around prospects and plans following the end of college that every 20-something-year-old is sure to relate to. Equal parts uncomfortable and earnest, the film creates a very self-aware atmosphere that brings us to Danielle’s level.

When everything heats up and seems to come to a head, we are right there with Danielle as the horror of embarrassment overwhelms her.

Sennott gives an amazing turn as the overwhelmed Danielle, encapsulating all the little and big emotions of her situation, often all at once. In the quiet moments of introspection and acceptance and in the loud explosions of humiliation and argumentation, her facial expressions perfectly reveal what her character is experiencing. The a small town filled with secrets and supernatural activity.

When they’re not running away from gnomes who’ve morphed into one giant gnome (a la Power Rangers) or trying to fulfill a monster’s candy quota (so he won’t eat them alive), Dipper and Mabel are working summer jobs at Stan’s Mystery Shack, a tourist trap full of tchotchkes. Add in some fun coworkers, kooky local friends and town weirdos, and “Gravity Falls” becomes a shape-shifter of sorts: it’s a workplace comedy, a mystery and a summer coming-of-age story.

At its best, episodes like “Headhunters” and “Society of the Blind Eye” follow Dipper and Mabel as they find themselves entangled in something crazy and supernatural.

“Headhunters,” in particular, is a series highlight: The Mystery Shack’s wax museum figures

A promotional poster for “Shiva Baby” (2020) is pictured.

VIA PACIFIC NORTHWEST PICTURES

supporting cast gives a great collective performance as well, with Molly Gordon, Polly Draper, Fred Melamed, Danny Deferrari and

Dianna Agron giving measured reflections of the different storylines plaguing Danielle. Witty and horribly uncomfortable,

the film is an interwoven and maddened exaggeration of reality, and is as entertaining as it is off-putting.

come to life, cursed by the moon’s waxing phase. It’s pretty amazing to watch Dipper and Mabel destroy all the wax figures — which include a Larry King figure, voiced by the late Larry King himself.

Likewise, in “Society of the Blind Eye,” Dipper and Mabel discover a secret society that erases townsfolk’s memories if they’ve seen something supernatural. They connect this to Old Man McGucket — the local kook — and his history in the town.

The show’s ability to balance all of its various ideas is commendable. Most episodes connect to one another, allowing for richer storytelling. Personal relationships, like Dipper’s crush on coworker Wendy and Mabel’s friendships with Candy Chiu and Grenda Grendinator, have the opportunity to grow over the show’s two seasons. The same can be said for

the mythology of “Gravity Falls,” which gets deeper and more interesting with each episode.

Many of the strange and supernatural elements of the show have the depth of something like “National Treasure” (2004) and “The X Files” (1993– 2002). They’re richly detailed.

Throughout Dipper and Mabel’s summer, they find journals with details on local mysteries, unlock codes to secret locations and discover portals to other dimensions. It all culminates in a threepart finale, “Weirdmageddon,” involving the demon Bill Cipher and his desire to rule and control the dimension.

The detailed storytelling and funny characters of “Gravity Falls” are perfect for audience investment, and the show’s been graced with a dedicated fan base whose members have studied the episodes’ countless clues

and teasers. My earliest experience as a fan of “Gravity Falls” came when watching the episode “Summerween.”

I hadn’t seen the show much before this episode, but I vividly remember how scary the Summerween Trickster (the monster who forces Dipper and Mabel to fulfill his candy quota) was at the time. The episode’s “monster of the week” structure was exciting, but I also appreciated that the show was building that story into its deeper mythology and character development.

This wasn’t a filler episode, but rather something full of exciting plot development.

“Gravity Falls” is available on Disney+.

Chris Panella is a senior studying film and media studies. Chris can be reached at christopher.panella@tufts.edu.

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Wednesday, April 14, 2021 | Arts & Pop Culture | THE TUFTS DAILY

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Examining the career of legendary, controversial Frank Miller

by Drew Weisberg Arts Editor

“There’s Batman before Frank Miller and there’s Batman after,” Robert Kirkman, creator of “The Walking Dead” (2003–19) said in a recent Zoom interview with Miller, hosted on the “Collider Interviews” YouTube channel.

Was it a bold statement? Surely, but not wholly without substance.

Cutting his teeth as a fill-in and cover artist in the late ’70s, Miller’s big break came in the form of a monthly art gig on the floundering “Daredevil” (1964– 2015) title, and just 10 issues after he began drawing (starting in Issue #158), he began to pull double duty as writer and artist.

Miller’s run on the titular character was nothing short of revolutionary, so much so that in his first issue as the book’s auteur, he created Daredevil’s recurring love interest (and now a hugely popular character in her own right), the deadly assassin, Elektra.

One issue that sticks out is #191, “Roulette.” After the attempted resurrection of one of his allies, Daredevil plays a deadly game of Russian roulette with a .38 caliber revolver, while examining the importance of his ongoing war on crime and the factors that led him to become “The Man Without Fear.”

“The first thing I thought was ‘I’m going to turn this into a crime comic,’” Miller said when reflecting on his “Daredevil” work. He later joked, “I just stole from Will Eisner,” a revolutionary comic artist in his own right and a friend of Miller’s before his death in 2005.

Miller followed his work on “Daredevil” with an art gig alongside prolific “X-Men” writer Chris Claremont in their 1982 miniseries, “Wolverine,” and a miniseries about cyborg samurai in a dystopian cyberpunk future titled “Ronin” (1983–84), published by DC Comics.

This collaboration with DC would eventually bloom into “The Dark Knight Returns” in 1986, with Miller once again returning to his role as writer and artist. The story is a dour reinvention of Batman as a stoic 50-something-year-old man, 10 years retired from crime-fighting and seeking a “good death” as he grapples with his place in a world that’s past him. To say the book is revolutionary would be to undersell it, and yet in the interview, Miller explains his inspiration as though he’s recounting a vacation. “People had been bugging me to do something with Batman, and I woke up one day and realized I was 29, which meant that I was about to turn older than Batman,” he said.

As impressive as his body of work on two of the most popular vigilantes in comic books is, Miller’s recent work has been the subject of great scrutiny and necessary critique. In 2011, Miller published “Holy Terror,” an attempt at a modern propaganda comic dealing with the war on terror. What followed

The cover of “Daredevil” (2018) by Frank Miller is pictured. was a mess that “Wired” comic reviewer Spencer Ackerman described as a “screed against Islam, completely uninterested in any nuance or empathy toward 1.2 billion people he conflates with a few murderous conspiracy theorists.” From the portrayal of Muslims as a unified villainous organization to the abhorrent misquoting of the Quran, “Holy Terror” is a stain on Miller’s career, though one he’s not keen on erasing.

“I don’t want to wipe out chapters of my own biography,” Miller said in a 2018 interview with The Guardian. “When I look

at ‘Holy Terror,’ which I really don’t do all that often, I can really feel the anger ripple out of the pages. There are places where it is bloodthirsty beyond belief.” The answer is as complex as his work, not quite an apology but nonetheless taking responsibility for his mistakes and attempting to illustrate his moving forward.

Frank Miller will undoubtedly be a fixture of the comic book world for a long time, and hopefully, his recent posts in support of the Stop Asian Hate movement are emblematic of movement in the right direction.

VIA MARVEL

6

THE TUFTS DAILY | PHOTOS | Wednesday, April 14, 2021

tuftsdaily.com

In Photos: Restaurant musts Dear Class of 2025, Congratulations on your admission to Tufts! One thing that you’ll learn during your first year of college: Dining hall food can get old fast. The Photo section of The Tufts Daily has put together a list of some of our favorite eateries near Tufts’ Medford/Somerville campus to help expand your culinary horizons.

Love, The Tufts Daily Photo Section SOPHIE DOLAN / THE TUFTS DAILY

SOPHIE DOLAN / THE TUFTS DAILY

The Elm Street Taproom, pictured on April 6, has a great ambiance, nifty cocktails and American food for brunch, lunch and dinner. Get the nachos — just do it. It’s a big serving size with a bunch of optional add-ons.

Posto, pictured on April 6, is a more upscale, pricey Italian restaurant that you’ll go to maybe once a semester. Posto has great prosciutto pizza and tagliatelle, some of our personal favorites.

ANN MARIE BURKE / THE TUFTS DAILY

The Burren, pictured on March 13, is an Irish pub with massive servings and a late-night menu. Some of our favorite appetizers here are the spicy chicken and cheese nachos and the buffalo chicken quesadilla. Just these two appetizers will leave you and a friend stuffed for the night. No entrees needed. For those 21 and older, The Burren has a wide drink selection.

AARON APOSTADERO / THE TUFTS DAILY

Going to Danish Pastry House, pictured on Aug. 9, 2020, for breakfast/brunch is a must. DPH offers all sorts of yummy pastries, sandwiches and cakes. Not only that, it also offers elaborate customizable coffees. Many Tufts students work here around-the-clock, so you never know who you’ll run into!

SOPHIE DOLAN / THE TUFTS DAILY

Revival, pictured on April 6, is a great breakfast spot at the farthest point of Davis Square from campus. Its lattes are must-haves because you’ll feel like you’re discovering something new. It also has seasonal specials that keep its menu exciting. It serves pastries, cookies, cakes and some great speciality sandwiches.

SOPHIE DOLAN / THE TUFTS DAILY

Foundry, pictured on April 6, on Elm is an American restaurant in Davis Square with an array of foods that you likely haven’t tried before. Try the pumpkin pizzetta with candied bacon for lunch and an Asian pear pizzetta with mascarpone for dinner.

ANN MARIE BURKE / THE TUFTS DAILY

Picante, pictured on April 11, has the best Mexican food near campus — think Chipotle bowls, but better. It also has tres leches in the fridge and smoothies that hit differently in warmer weather. see PHOTO, page 10

7

THE TUFTS DAILY | Fun & Games | Wednesday, April 14, 2021

F& G

tuftsdaily.com LATE NIGHT AT THE DAILY

Robert: “I am the old man of any group I enter including old men.”

Fun & Games

SUDOKU

LINDA C. BLACK ASTROLOGY

Aries (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) It can be quite profitable. You find your comfort zone. Gather new income for the next several weeks with Venus in Taurus.

Travel interferes with your routine. Don’t flirt on company time. Show your philosophical side in public.

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Difficulty Level: Coming up with a difficulty level

Monday’s Solutions

CROSSWORD

8 Wednesday, April 14, 2021

Opinion

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VIEWPOINTS

Tufts, other universities must diminish the influence of privilege in admissions process

by Sara Kessel

Contributing Writer

A little over a year ago today, I received my acceptance notification from Tufts University. In that moment, as I stared in shock at the blue confetti on my computer screen, all of the sleepless nights, extracurricular activities and college application writing had been seemingly justified.

However, it was also impossible to feel anything but absolutely drained by the college admissions process. The jaded attitude many students have toward the process isn’t necessarily because of the time they put in to get a simple yes or no. Ultimately, no matter how much effort an applicant may put in, or how badly they want or deserve to be at a university, privilege-based barriers persist that prevent many from having a fair shot.

The college admissions scandal that emerged two years ago publicized the illegal behavior that many students and admissions experts already knew existed. On March 12, 2019, the U.S. Department of Justice unveiled a scheme led by William “Rick” Singer in which wealthy parents paid thousands to guarantee their children’s admissions into top universities through Singer’s “side door” operation. This entailed funneling money into a fake nonprofit run by Singer, who would then falsify athletic recruitment or standardized testing to ensure students’ admissions.

The recently released Netflix documentary “Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal” (2021) has reignited discussion regarding the false meritocracy of the U.S. college admissions system. As students, we need to continue shedding light on how both explicit and implicit privileges allow families

Matt Rice The Honeymoon Period

Joe Manchin’s ridiculous defense of the filibuster

S

enator Joe Manchin of West Virginia published an op-ed in The Washington Post on April 7 defending the Senate’s filibuster, a parliamentary tool that allows 41 senators to block legislation. For centuries, filibusters have been used by slave owners, segregationists and white supremacists to block civil

to continue to game the system with little consequence. But when addressing these inequities, we must also not ignore the role institutions like Tufts play in allowing these advantages to sway admissions, especially while attempting to promote an environment of diversity and inclusion.

The criminal practices and shady influences of ultra-rich families are not the only ways privilege manifests within the college admissions process.

Often, there are implicit advantages that improve a student’s application in the eyes of an admissions board. “Harder,” more advanced classes might appear more impressive to colleges and universities. However, the quality of education a student has access to depends largely on their location and socioeconomic background; thus, admissions processes can often serve to institutionalize privilege and reinforce class structures. And even when schools try to take this inequity into account, families with higher incomes often have greater access to the “soft skills” valued in the college process. Having the means to pay for expensive niche sports, private college counselors and other extracurricular pursuits amount to other ways one student can have an unfair advantage over another.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated barriers for students with limited access to activities both in and out of school. As many universities and colleges implemented test-optional policies, it is likely that many have come to weigh the nonacademic portions of an application more heavily. The barriers to support and communication in an online environment also make it much harder to navigate the required appli-

cation forms. This, combined with the immense financial and personal pressures induced by the pandemic, has contributed to a decline in the number of low-income applicants this past admissions cycle. The Common Application reported that the number of students “whose family incomes were low enough for them to have the fee waived fell by 2 percent,” while the number of students filling out the FAFSA form decreased by more than 12% nationwide.

It would be remarkably easy to place all of the blame onto uberwealthy families who abuse their privileges to the fullest extent.

At least, that’s the narrative that some universities implicated in the scandal promote. Wanda M. Austin, former interim president of the University of Southern California, called her university a “victim” and isolated the incident to those involved, stating, “It is immensely disappointing that individuals would abuse their position at the university this way.” However, it is these colleges that allow these abuses to occur. By continuing policies such as legacy admissions and thus failing to address the innate elitism and financial motivations within their admissions processes, prestigious universities are just as guilty — if not more so — than those who directly broke the law.

Tufts University ranks 10th in the nation on a list of colleges that admit more students from the top 1% of household incomes than the bottom 60%.

The university cannot continue to claim that it is a “diverse” and “inclusive” environment when such an overwhelming portion of its students come from this level of wealth. As a student body, we need to pressure our school to end the “back door” of elitism and privilege that allows

rights legislation. Sen. Manchin wants to make sure the tool is not weakened.

In his opinion piece, Manchin argues that the U.S. Senate is a dysfunctional body inclined toward political posturing instead of substantive deal-making. Manchin claims that the filibuster is a tool meant to encourage consensus and bipartisanship, and that to weaken or eliminate it would be to further divide the American people.

His argument boils down to an acknowledgement that the system we have is dysfunctional and we must change our individual behavior, but he will do nothing to change the current system.

In 2013, then-Majority Leader Harry Reid eliminated the filibuster for Cabinet

appointees and federal judges, but left it in place for Supreme Court nominees. This was after four years of the Republican Senate minority obstructing the most basic functions of the Senate. And of course, when Mitch McConnell wanted to confirm Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, he swiftly did away with the filibuster for high court nominees.

Reid and McConnell were both correct. In Reid’s case, President Obama and Senate Democrats could no longer wait for a supermajority of 60 senators to consent to presidential appointments. In McConnell’s case, he knew he could never get 60 votes for President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, so he killed the filibuster.

In order for the Senate to function, the majority party must

BY KAYLA DRAZAN

wealthier students to get admitted at disproportionately high rates. Unless we understand that the fault lies primarily in a university’s complicity, the college admissions process will never truly be a meritocratic one.

have the right to pass its agenda. (I say “majority party” and not “majority” because Senate Republicans have not represented a majority of American voters since 1996.)

As of today, the Senate Democratic majority represents at least 40 million more Americans than the Senate Republicans do, even though the chamber is evenly divided.

The Senate has always been and will always be a body that wildly overrepresents the interests of white, rural voters who skew more conservative.

Despite this fact, Sen. Manchin believes Republican senators have a right to unilaterally obstruct Senate business. Democrats won control of the White House, the U.S. House and the Senate in just four years — for the first time

Sara Kessel is a first-year who has not yet declared a major. Sara can be reached at sara.kessel@tufts.edu.

since 1932 — and Manchin still will not relieve McConnell of his veto power.

I only have 500 words to write about this, and I am obviously no subject expert. If you want to read a damning indictment of the filibuster, its centuries-long use by white supremacists and its anti-democratic nature, I recommend Adam Jentleson’s book “Kill Switch” (2021). As a former aide to Harry Reid, Jentleson knows firsthand how the filibuster is used.

In just 250 pages, Jentleson expertly dismantles Manchin’s asinine argument in defense of the filibuster. It’s worth the read.

Matt Rice is a senior studying political science.

Matt can be reached at matthew.rice@tufts.edu.

tuftsdaily.com

SPORTS

9 Wednesday, April 14, 2021

Tufts softball finds its groove, sweeps Colby in 4-game series

by Isaac Karp

Assistant Sports Editor

After a run-of-the-mill 1–1 start to the season, Tufts softball hit its stride this weekend by sweeping Colby in four consecutive games. Two of the games even finished early due to the mercy rule, which requires that a game be called if a team is leading by eight or more runs after five innings.

Tufts senior pitcher Kristina Haghdan described the Jumbos’ expectations coming into their games against the Mules.

“Going into it … we kind of knew that we would need to go out hot at Colby. With COVID, it’s kind of confusing how the season will progress, but … I think the mentality is always to win,” Haghdan said. “In my [first] year, I think we mercied them every game, and not to say we were expecting that every year, but we are expecting to have some solid wins. I think if we were ever to leave Colby with a loss, that would hurt a little extra.”

The series consisted of two doubleheaders: the first set at Tufts on Saturday and the second at Colby on Sunday. The final game was a blowout win for the Jumbos, who beat the Mules in five innings due to the mercy

rule. Tufts sophomore catcher Josie Steinberg and graduate student infielder Casey Maggiore combined for four hits and three RBIs. Meanwhile, Haghdan pitched four of the five innings and struck out eight batters while allowing no runs. Senior pitcher Kristi Van Meter put the finishing touches on the shutout, and Tufts emerged victorious in an 8–0 rout.

“In an ideal world, if I could throw three pitches every inning and they just hit it and I get an out, I’d be thrilled because that would save my arm a lot of work,” Haghdan said. “[I’m not] just aiming to get strikeouts … I want my teammates to field balls.

Definitely between Saturday and Sunday, I was locating the ball a bit better.”

The closest game of the weekend was the first of the Sunday doubleheader in Waterville, Maine. Tufts squeaked out a 1–0 win in a battle reminiscent of Game 1 of the 1986 World Series: a pitcher’s duel that ended with the Boston Red Sox beating the New York Mets 1–0. This time, instead of Bruce Hurst, it was Sophia DiCocco who did the pitching. DiCocco threw a full game shutout with minimal run support. Only two Jumbos had hits, and the only run of the

Tufts catcher Josie Steinberg is pictured in a game against Colby on April 10.

entire game came from sophomore outfielder Kat Yuzefpolsky on an RBI groundout.

Over the first six games of the season, Yuzefpolsky has had seven hits and five RBIs, raising her batting average to a whopping .368. She is simply an outstanding playmaker. DiCocco, a first-year who has immediately contributed to the team, now has a 3–1 record with two wins as a starter, and was just named NESCAC Pitcher of the Week. The last Tufts first-year to receive the award was Haghdan in 2018.

According to Haghdan, the softball team has an environment conducive to collaboration and camaraderie, which has allowed her and the younger DiCocco to work together to better their games.

“If [DiCocco is] trying to work on a certain pitch, I can try to support her with that and then she can try and support me with whatever pitch I’m working on,” Haghdan said. “Like a classroom, it’s very collaborative and our coach isn’t always there, so we can support each other with whatever we need.”

In the second leg of the doubleheader on Saturday, the Jumbos made quick work of the Mules. DiCocco put in four strong innings without allowing

a run, and junior Nicole Russo closed the game in the fifth while allowing one hit. The Jumbos’ bats caught fire with nine players recording hits. The Jumbos used a six-hit, seven-run fourth inning to put the Mules away. Altogether, the Jumbos scored 11 times on 10 hits, and they won due to the mercy rule after the Mules put up a goose egg in the fifth.

Tufts won the first game of the weekend 4–2 in a peculiar game that included a home run, fielding errors and baffling base-running. After a scoreless first inning, Steinberg singled to send home sophomore outfielder Michelle Adelman, putting the Jumbos up 1–0. The Mules tied things up in the top of the third, but in the bottom of that inning, Maggiore smashed the first pitch she saw into deep left field over the outstretched arm of the Mules’ left fielder. The home plate umpire signaled a home run while Maggiore ran around the bases with her arms raised triumphantly.

Haghdan also threw a stellar game, going five innings with three hits, one run scored, three strikeouts and only one walk. After completing five solid innings, she was replaced by Van Meter, who struggled at first, allowing three hits in the sixth,

putting the team in a pickle with the bases loaded. Although one runner scored on her watch, Van Meter struck out a batter and Adelman made a superb play on a throw home to Steinberg, getting the potential tying run out and ending the inning. Colby struggled with base-running throughout the series, and Tufts took advantage of the competition’s weakness whenever possible. Van Meter closed out the Mules in the seventh inning to earn herself the save and secure the 4–2 win for the Jumbos.

Tufts improved its record on the weekend to 5–1, moving the Jumbos up to first place in the NESCAC East Division. The Jumbos are already looking forward to their next games. The team also has something in the works to build up members’ chemistry as the season progresses.

“For the weekend, the thing we need to work on is cheering because — if you noticed — Colby had their routines,” Haghdan said. “It’s kind of like learning the team chemistry of it, so stay tuned for our creative softball cheers coming out.

Every game that we get we are so grateful and we all love each other and I love it. I’m really grateful that this team is my senior year team.”

SOPHIE DOLAN / THE TUFTS DAILY

10

THE TUFTS DAILY | SPORTS | Wednesday, April 14, 2021

Arnav Sacheti Olympic Torch

The torch must be lit in Tokyo

L

ast summer, when the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan were postponed for a year, it was the first time in modern Olympic history that the games did not take place for a reason other than war. Although sports fans and athletes around the world were incredibly disappointed, it was the right move. The pandemic had just started, and the logistics of safely getting thousands of athletes from around the world to a single location were in question. In addition, we simply did not know enough about the spread and severity of the coronavirus, and a potential vaccine seemed a world away. By pushing the Olympics to summer 2021, the International Olympic Committee believed that Tokyo would be better prepared to handle logistics with better tools in a COVID-19 world.

The IOC was right. Vaccines are relatively widely available now, and rapid, accurate COVID19 tests continue to be administered. While the torch will most

likely be lit in Tokyo this summer, there is still a level of uncertainty and hesitation from those involved. However, “most likely” needs to be turned into a “definitely” because of the ramifications that not having an Olympics this summer could have.

The Japanese government has spent $15.4 billion on this Olympics — more than has been spent on any other Summer Games in history. Postponement costs alone account for 22% of the budget, such as renegotiating new stadium and TV deals. This is more than double what Japan initially planned for when it took on the job for the 2020 games back in 2013. If Japan backs out now, it stands to lose out on not only publicity for the country but a lot of revenue as well.

The IOC also faces risk of loss if the Olympics don’t occur. TV rights and sponsorships make up 91% of the IOC’s revenue, both of which occur only during the Olympic season. The IOC does not have a constant cash flow like most companies and relies on big influxes of money during the Olympics to stay afloat.

Currently, due to the postponement, the IOC is cash-strapped and is looking for the games to save them.

The IOC is not just a profit-driven machine. It is the leading organization in the promotion of Olympic sports around the world. Many sports federa-

tions that actively promote athlete development rely immensely on IOC contributions. Indirectly, IOC money sponsors the continuation of the sporting legacy around the world. The future of sports is at stake here.

The Japanese government and the IOC have already said that if the Tokyo Games don’t happen this year, they will not happen at all. By that point, the IOC will need to start preparing for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Therefore, there could be an eight-year gap between two consecutive Summer Games.

Even for the best athletes, eight years is almost the length of an entire career.

For some of the lesser-known Olympic sports that I spent this semester’s column discussing, this could mean that their best athletes never get the recognition and compensation that they deserve. That’s like saying the Michael Jordan of trampolining may never even be made known if we don’t have the Olympics.

No more “maybes.” The Olympic Games need to happen this summer in Tokyo.

While there is definitely money at stake, more importantly, there are careers that hang in the balance.

Arnav Sacheti is a sophomore studying quantitative economics. Arnav can be reached at arnav.sacheti@tufts.edu.

In Photos: Local eats PHOTO

continued from page 6

SOPHIE DOLAN / THE TUFTS DAILY

The Boston Burger Company, pictured on April 6, is a Massachusetts burger chain. The Davis Square location is always packed with customers because its burgers are just that good. It also serves a great barbecue pulled pork mac and cheese with crispy onions. It’s quite spicy though, so beware.

tuftsdaily.com

Samuel Charlton Long Shot

JJ Redick and ThreeFourTwo Productions

J

J Redick is a legendary NBA journeyman who’s played for six NBA teams so far in his career. Originally from Roanoke, Va., Redick was a high school player renowned for his fundamentals and ability to shoot the ball. Long before the days of viral Instagram and YouTube videos, Redick gained national attention in high school for playing an Amateur Athletic Union game against one of the other top recruits, Dwyane Wade. Redick left high school a McDonald’s All American and took his talents to Duke University, where he played for four years and was a captain for two. Redick entered the NBA draft in 2006 and was viewed as one of the most polished and well-rounded guards available.

That reputation made him a lottery pick, as the Orlando Magic selected him with the 11th overall pick.

Fast forward roughly 10 years, Redick is one of the most respected NBA players and he’s helped lead the Los Angeles Clippers in several playoff runs. During this time, he founded his first podcast in conjunction with Yahoo Sports, and at the time, this podcast was the first of its kind run by an active professional athlete. Redick received a good deal of criticism at the start, as many pundits and former athletes questioned how committed he was to his full-time job of being an NBA player. To combat this, Redick released a statement during his first episode stating that the show would never come before basketball, sticking

to his word by putting up closeto-career numbers on the court.

The show ran for one season under Yahoo, after which Redick took the concept and began to work under The Ringer Podcast Network, a media company started by Bill Simmons. Redick had a great run working with The Ringer and amassed hundreds of thousands of followers and subscribers on several social media platforms.

Over the past four years or so of running his podcast and interviewing people from NBA stars to presidential candidates, Redick fell in love with podcasting as a creative medium but felt that his endeavors were always somewhat lacking from the business end. He began to realize during the early months of 2020 that he didn’t own the most valuable assets of his show, the concept and the intellectual property behind the show. This led Redick to leave The Ringer at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and start his podcast network. The network was named ThreeFourTwo Productions, and it began making shows along with its production partner Cadence13, at the beginning of the NBA bubble. Redick kept his show, naming it “Old Man and the Three,” as the flagship program of the network. He has also signed Duncan Robinson, another NBA player known for his shooting, to his network. Duncan hosts a podcast that also interviews many NBA players, mainly focusing on their journeys to the league, as Robinson himself had a very unconventional path to the NBA. In the end, however, Redick stresses that his first love, shooting a ball through a hoop, will be his top passion and priority as long as he’s still playing.

Catch the interview on which this article is based on the Game Plan Podcast!

Samuel Charlton is first-year who has not yet declared a major. Samuel can be reached at samuel.charlton@tufts.edu

AARON APOSTADERO / THE TUFTS DAILY

The Sink, pictured on Feb. 16, is an on-campus cafe that sells coffee with syrup flavor add-ins, muffins and bagels. It’s located in the Mayer Campus Center and has our favorite coffee on campus. The Sink is operated by students and is a super hip spot to study and hang out.

SOPHIE DOLAN / THE TUFTS DAILY

Mike’s, pictured on April 6, is a place where a lot of Tufts students like to congregate. It always has sports games on the TVs inside and offers year-round outdoor seating. Its garlic bread loaves are huge and a good deal. Seasonal cocktail samplers and entire pitchers of margaritas are also available for those 21 and older.

SOPHIE DOLAN / THE TUFTS DAILY

Sugidama, pictured on April 6, is a sushi place tucked away just off Davis Square. Definitely get its donburi bowl that is served with miso soup on the side. We also love its sake don with a side of avocado to mix in.