OPINION

tuftsdaily.com TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2021

VIEWPOINT The ‘Big Lie:’ How the crusade against the 2020 presidential election threatens our democracy

by Reya Kumar and Sara Kessel

Opinion Editors

After days of counting and nail biting, President Joe Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election last November. Two months later, on Jan. 6, supporters of former President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol building in an attempt to stop the certification of the election results, following a “Stop the Steal” rally held by Trump nearby.

This violent outcome did not appear out of thin air — Trump had been casting doubt about election results since before the 2016 election. He claimed the 2016 election would be rigged against him and once he won, he said that he lost the popular vote due to people illegally voting for Hillary Clinton. His rhetoric remained the same for the 2020 election. Now, the so-called “Big Lie,” the term Trump has coined to claim his stolen victory, has become a central point in the Republican platform.

In April, after calls from Trump to investigate the election results of Arizona’s Maricopa County, which had previously been audited and certified, a group of Arizona Republicans commissioned an audit of the Maricopa County ballots. Election audits are common, but they are usually nonpartisan and performed by experienced election officials. However, this group of Arizona Republicans chose a private cybersecurity firm called Cyber Ninjas, which had never audited an election and whose CEO is a known election conspiracy theorist. Additionally, the audit was largely funded by groups connected to Donald Trump.

In late September, after months of delays, Cyber Ninjas released their report. Despite the obvious partisanship of the audit, they found 99 more votes for Biden and 261 fewer votes for Trump — a negligible difference which nonetheless nullifies any claims that Trump should have won the county. Yet Trump has falsely reiterated that they found evidence of fraud and many Republicans in other states, such as Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, are pushing for similar audits.

Democrats and even many Republicans have spoken out against these partisan audits. Nonetheless, Trump and his supporters continue to push for them and perpetuate the lie that the 2020 election was stolen. In fact, according to a CNN poll, six out of 10 Republicans said that believing that Trump would win the 2020 election was a significant part of what being Republican meant to them.

Today, more Americans identify as Democrats than as Republicans, and the Democratic party’s popular lead over conservatives only continues to increase as more people become eligible to vote. Democrats are typically concentrated in urban areas while Republicans dominate rural areas, giving smaller, Republican-leaning states outsized governmental importance, as laid out in the Constitution. Because Republicans do not necessarily need to win majorities to win seats or the presidency, they have moved sharply to the right, toward conspiracy theories like QAnon and away from democracy. Their strategy has moved toward using conservative media and Trumpism to electrify their voters while employing voter suppression tactics, casting doubts on election validity and manipulating redistricting to reduce the impact of Democratic voters.

What is most terrifying about the proliferation of the Big Lie is the potential legislative impact of this conspiracy. Spreading the belief that our elections are fraudulent because Trump did not win has spurred a Republican movement to enact restrictive voting laws. Arizona removed voters from its Permanent Early Voting List if they did not cast a mailed ballot in a four-year period, regardless of whether they voted in person during that time. Texas’ state house passed a bill increasing the power of partisan poll watchers, raising penalties for voting crimes and barring election officials from sending unrequested mail in ballots to Texas citizens. In Michigan, Republican lawmakers are pushing a number of voting bills that would limit the accessibility of casting a ballot or finding information on elected officials.

These laws are only the beginning of what could be a complete demolition of voting rights as we know them. And the push to stop this trend at the federal level through the For the People Act and the Freedom to Vote Act is only weakening as partisan gridlock increases.

Across the ideological spectrum, the protection of voting rights and fairness in our democratic system should be a priority. Weakening the voting process through what is essentially Trump’s political pity party makes a mockery of this system while furthering tactics of voter suppression. Rather than incite a partisan war over contesting fair and legitimate election results, our lawmakers’ focus should always be to protect the trust citizens have in government and ensure that all voters can easily participate in our elections.

If you can vote, exercise that right and vote, not just in the upcoming midterms but for local and state races. Support organizations like Fair Fight Action that work to protect voting rights and fight against disenfranchisement. Push your representatives to make protecting our democracy a legislative priority. Make sure the people in your lives are voting if they can. Help them navigate any barriers that may exist toward casting their ballot and if they support claims of widespread voter fraud, educate them on why these ideas are misguided. We cannot let any more disinformation, restrictive laws or partisan claims threaten the future of our democracy.

BY ASLI KOCAK

VIEWPOINT What’s at stake in the Virginia gubernatorial election

by Faye Shen Li Thijssen

Opinion Editor

Today, the state of Virginia will vote to decide who its next governor will be. With the 2022 midterm elections rapidly approaching, the two leading candidates in next week’s election head into the polls in a close race.

The leading democratic candidate, Terry McAuliffe, is an experienced politician who is running for reelection after previously serving as governor for one term from 2014 to 2018. He has led his campaign with the message of moving the commonwealth forward and creating a better future for its citizens, especially in the context of a post-COVID-19 economy. Though he has often argued that the state needs “seasoned” leadership, there is some concern that McAuliffe’s prior experience in government may prove itself detrimental to his campaign’s success in a political environment that has begun to favor outsiders. Though many anticipated a secure victory for McAuliffe, the race has taken a turn, leading McAuliffe to reach out for support from national leaders like President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama in the hopes of maintaining a Democratic hold over statewide office.

Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin, a former businessman with a right-leaning agenda, has become a formidable threat to Democratic leadership in this year’s gubernatorial race. Given his state’s potential transition to a red state and similarities between their professional backgrounds, Youngkin has unsurprisingly gained the support of former President Donald Trump. However, Youngkin has strategically avoided expressing his explicit support or disapproval of the controversial leader, instead branding himself as a “niceguy dad” while donning his signature fleece vest and emphasizing his humble upbringing and his life as a father of four children. When asked whether he supported Trump, he avoided providing a direct answer, instead stating, “I’m Glenn Youngkin.”

Aside from his carefully curated personality, one of the forefront parts of Youngkin’s platform focuses on winning support from parents who oppose critical race theory (CRT) being taught to their children in schools. Youngkin’s campaign promises of removing CRT from school curriculums plays into polarized debates that have recently gained traction throughout the state and the nation. Many parents that are protesting the implementation of CRT claim it emphasizes racial identity over people’s individuality, with some even connecting it to “advancing Marxist ideology.”

Youngkin’s promise to ban CRT and McAuliffe’s claims that his opponent’s issue is “another right-wing conspiracy” exemplify the polarization that continues to progress throughout statewide and national political environments. If Youngkin is elected to office this November, it could set a dangerous precedent for local educational discourse on a nationwide level. Youngkin’s views on CRT reflect an ignorance that should not be endorsed by the government.

Today’s election marks the first major election since the 2020 presidential cycle, giving it the possibility for significant influence over upcoming decisions in national politics. Virginia has held strong Democratic control over all statewide offices for over a decade, and just last year, Biden won a majority of the state’s votes by over 10 percentage points in the presidential election. As a historically contended state, the outcome of the Virginia gubernatorial election could be integral to predictions of the upcoming midterm elections in 2022. Losing this Democratic lead could reverberate across the national political sphere. This election might bear implications for the nation in terms of concrete policy, precedent or polarization on key issues. Constituents and leaders beyond Virginia should remain educated and involved in Virginia’s political decisions as we make our way into another national election cycle next year.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2021

Tufts football beats Hamilton in overtime thriller

TOBIAS FU / THE TUFTS DAILY The Tufts football team is pictured in a game against Wesleyan on Oct. 16, their last loss before this two-game winning streak.

by Isaac Karp

Sports Editor

After claiming its first victory of the 2021–22 season on Oct. 23, Tufts football continued its hot streak on Saturday, beating Hamilton 30–24 in overtime. The Jumbos have had a difficult season with injuries to many of their key starters, but it seems as though the offense and defense finally clicked.

Junior wide receiver Philip Lutz explained how the team has figured out its red zone issues.

“I think we’ve just been executing a little bit better, play calls have been pretty consistent,” Lutz said. “We’re realizing we have a really good running game as well as passing game. We practice it a lot so it kind of translates into the games.”

The first score of the game came during the second drive as Hamilton gashed the Tufts defense for 60 yards and got into the end zone on a 2-yard rush by junior running back Joe Park eight minutes into the game. After each team punted on the next two drives, Tufts got the ball back five minutes before the end of the first quarter and got to work. First-year quarterback Michael Berluti, who really stepped up after junior starter Trevon Woodson’s season-ending injury, and junior running back Tyler Johnson countered with a 95-yard drive that ended with a 11-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Billy Dunn to tie the game.

“Berluti is a great dude, a great leader,” Lutz said. “He’s also a hell of a player. He keeps us up when stuff’s going wrong, he keeps your head up, and when stuff goes right he’s the first person to tell you’re doing a great job.”

Hamilton responded well by scoring on its next drive that ended with a Park rush for three yards. Tufts failed to continue the touchdown streak as they were stopped short by the Hamilton defense, who blocked a 22-yard field goal attempt and recovered the ball. The Continentals looked to capitalize on the blocked field goal, but on only the second play of that drive, Tufts sophomore linebacker Tyler Roach intercepted first-year quarterback Joe Cairns and went for a house call to pull the game even at 14 points each.

Scoring would not resume until the fourth quarter on the first drive by Hamilton when Cairns led the Continentals down the field with two plays over 20-plus yards, and then made a nice throw to senior wide receiver Drew Granski to get the lead up to seven. Berluti answered by throwing a 46-yard touchdown pass to Dunn to tie the game again.

The Continentals tried to close out the game in the fourth quarter by letting Park waste the clock to get into field goal range. With 27 seconds left, Hamilton senior kicker Quinn Voboril drilled a 20-yard field goal attempt to give them a three-point lead.

Berluti refused to give in and worked the 20-second drill by launching a 40-yard pass to Lutz and then a 12-yard completion to junior wide receiver Jackson Butler to put the Jumbos in field goal range. First-year kicker Sal LoCoco, who missed two field goals already on the day, came in clutch with a pure 41-yarder to send the game to overtime.

Tufts went first on offense, and Berluti captained a beautiful drive that gave the Jumbos the upper hand in overtime. On 4th and goal, Johnson rushed on the 1-yard line for a touchdown. Hamilton had to score a touchdown to keep playing, but another massive interception made by the Tufts defense from senior linebacker Spencer Alligood gave Tufts its second win of the season in a thrilling fashion. Lutz displayed another masterpiece with 144 yards, Dunn caught two touchdowns on the day and Berluti threw for 311 yards and two touchdowns while leading the team in rushing with 73 yards.

Lutz described how he felt as the game went to overtime.

“Personally I had full confidence, I knew we were going to do it,” Lutz said.

The Jumbos will look to win out with two games left on their schedule facing Colby on Saturday at home and at Middlebury the following week. As a sporadic Boston Celtics fan, I don’t usually get concerned over a bad stretch of basketball during the regular season. This stretch is different. As a fanbase, we knew that coming into the 2020–21 season that the Boston Celtics were not a title contender; they simply do not have enough talent nor depth on the roster to manufacture a title run. Additionally, they have a new head coach, Ime Udoka, who is working with a roster that doesn’t have a true identity. The Celtics’ start to the season has been nothing short of a dumpster fire. After their heartbreaking double-overtime defeat to the New York Knicks on Opening Night, the Celtics have only played three quarters of inspiring basketball. It’s a dreadful trend that has continued from last season.

As much as its record might suggest, this is not a rebuilding team; Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are both perennial all stars while Payton Pritchard and Aaron NeSmith are solid developmental pieces for the future. Throughout this roster, there is enough talent for this team to secure a playoff spot come next April. However, the talent alone is simply not enough to carry the team. What makes matters worse is that the effort among the team is nonexistent through this first stretch of games. The team looks disengaged on offense, and a lackadaisical effort on defense is the main theme each game; teams are bullying our big men in the paint, and the amount of wide-open 3-pointers that the Celtics were giving up was astounding.

What’s so frustrating about this Celtics team is that they know the effort is not there — they just aren’t doing anything to fix it. Brown and Tatum are head and shoulders above the rest of the team, yet they are not acting as leaders in the locker room. For a team that is struggling to search for an identity, having no strong voices present truly affects the attitude in the long term.

Even if Brown and Tatum deserve some blame for the early disappointments, they shouldn’t be tasked with carrying the scoreboard each night. Unlike in previous seasons, Marcus Smart looks downright abysmal on the court; he is averaging 7.4 points per game and is shooting just 23.5% on 34 attempts from beyond the arc. Although Smart is known to be trigger-happy inside the front court, these numbers are atrocious. Moreover, Smart’s hustle on the court is invisible. He’s known for his “heart and hustle” on the court, but he seems out to lunch on almost every possession so far.

Sure, I could be overreacting to this start — it’s an 82-game season and every team will go through a bad stretch or two eventually. However, when the Celtics desperately needed a break in the schedule, they played four games in six days with three of them against strong playoff contenders. Their recent play will not be of any help against these teams, and if they go 1–3 this week, this fanbase is going to start aggressively searching for a scapegoat. The panic button should not be pressed yet, but an answer to this lackluster start is critical. tuftsdaily.com