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Monday, November 16, 2020
Tufts tightens COVID-19 restrictions on students studying in person
Tufts plans for winter break COVID-19 protocols, possibility of moving spring semester online by Liza Harris News Editor
ANN MARIE BURKE / THE TUFTS DAILY
A sign that reads, “Practice physical distancing,” is pictured on President’s Lawn on Sept. 6. by Alejandra Carrillo Executive News Editor
Tufts has imposed new, stricter COVID-19 guidelines regarding when students are allowed to leave their residence halls or off-campus apartments, according to an email sent today by university health officials to the Tufts community. In the email, the university said it recorded 10 new COVID19 cases over the weekend, and noted that not all students may be adhering to the existing restrictions intended to limit the spread of the virus.
As of Nov. 13, there are 19 individuals in isolation and 70 individuals in quarantine on the Medford/Somerville campus, according to the COVID-19 dashboard. Under the new guidelines, students can only leave their residence halls or off-campus apartments to attend class, seek medical care, go to or from their jobs, pick up food, get a COVID-19 test or exercise outdoors. The email also announced that the gym will close starting tomorrow for recreational purposes, but will continue to house
athletic training in accordance with health guidelines. The university reiterated existing guidelines for students to follow, and issued a reminder that it will not identify the health status of specific students due to privacy reasons and to follow HIPAA rules. Students who have been in close contact with someone who tested positive will continue to be contacted by the university and be advised to quarantine. The email clarified that no single residence hall has been associated with a majority of new cases.
Tufts has asked all students in on-campus housing to pack up their belongings before departing for winter break, in the event that the COVID-19 pandemic worsens and the university is forced to cancel the in-person spring semester, according to Director of Residential Life and Learning Josh Hartman. If this occurs, Tufts will either move, store or ship students’ belongings to them. “Because the course of the pandemic during the break is unpredictable, we have asked all students to pack their belongings in case it is not possible to return to campus according to our expected schedule,” Hartman wrote in an email to the Daily. Tufts does not expect to move the spring semester online but is preparing for all possibilities, according to Hartman. “While we expect to be resuming in-person residence and instruction for the spring semester as scheduled, we are planning for a range of contingencies in case the pandemic worsens,” Hartman said. The winter break calendar has been extended to allow for students to return on a staggered basis in the spring, as they did in the fall. “Classes will start later in Spring 2021 to create a longer winter break allowing for students
to arrive on a staggered basis and complete their testing and quarantine requirements before classes begin,” Marie Caggiano, medical director of Health Service, wrote in an email to the Daily. Caggiano expressed concern at the rising number of cases in the Tufts area and in Massachusetts. “COVID rates are rising in the communities surrounding Tufts and, as we approach colder weather with more time spent indoors, we are concerned that these rates will continue to rise,” Caggiano said. As such, Tufts is planning strategies to ensure that students can safely congregate next semester. “For example, a group including the Dean of Student Affairs office, Facilities, Campus Life, Student Health, and Residential Life have been working collaboratively to identify outdoor locations that can be utilized with lighting and heaters in the colder months, and plans to implement several of these are well underway,” Camille Lizarribar, dean of student affairs and chief student affairs officer, wrote in an email to the Daily. Lizarribar also explained the situation about students remaining on campus for winter break. “Due to the restrictions created by the pandemic, our capacity see SPRING, page 2
Congressman Adam Schiff speaks about Trump impeachment trial, U.S. elections by Sara Renkert News Editor
Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, addressed the Tufts community in a webinar on Nov. 12 as part of the Tisch College Distinguished Speaker Series. The event was moderated by Alan Solomont, dean of the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life, and co-sponsored by the political science department, JumboVote, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.
Solomont first asked about Schiff’s drive toward public service. While working as an assistant U.S. attorney, Schiff had a close friend who ran and won a seat in the state legislature. He said this showed him the impact changing laws can have, instead of just enforcing them as a prosecutor. “When you’re a prosecutor, generally the crime has already been committed and your responsibility is to put the perpetrator away, you don’t have as much of an opportunity to try to prevent crime from taking place [or] address some of the issues that lead people into that life,” Schiff said. “I was very attracted
to what [my friend] was doing in the legislature.” Schiff then spoke about how he lost his first few races. “I’ll say this about losing … I did a lot of it when I was starting out,” Schiff said. “I didn’t come with a family name in politics [or] money … I did try to learn from my failures and try to find in the seeds of defeat.” On the subject of President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, Solomont inquired about the value of the investigation despite knowing the Senate would not convict him. “I also believe that the strongest argument for impeachment
was also the strongest argument against it,” Schiff said. “And that is, we didn’t impeach the president when he was committing such abuses of power. What would that say to future presidents about their ability to engage in that conduct without repercussion? On the other hand, if we did impeach him and he was acquitted?” Solomont then asked Schiff about his recent bill, the Protecting Our Democracy Act, which is intended to prevent future executive actions of the sort that led to the House impeachment of President Trump. The bill would strengthen the independence of the
EDITORIAL / page 8
FEATURES / page 4
SPORTS / back
Civic engagement remains vital after 2020 election
Students find new, creative ways to foster connection with animals
LaMelo Ball makes top 3 of NBA Mock Draft
Justice Department and reinforce the emoluments clause and the penalties for violating the Hatch Act, according to Schiff. The bill also includes standards to curb the abuse of pardon power, the statute of limitations and protections for whistleblowers and inspectors general. Schiff referred to these reforms as “post-Watergate reforms.” “[Congress] passed any number of protections to avoid the kind of abuses that were experienced during the Nixon administration,” Schiff see SCHIFF, page 2 NEWS
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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Monday, November 16, 2020
THE TUFTS DAILY Alex Viveros Editor in Chief
EDITORIAL
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Students who test positive for COVID-19 permitted to stay in Mods over winter break
Rebecca Barker Hannah Harris Managing Editors Jake Freudberg Associate Editors Jilly Rolnick Alejandra Carrillo Maddie Aitken Jessica Blough Tom Guan Liza Harris Alex Janoff Matt McGovern Sara Renkert Sarah Sandlow Anton Shenk Carolina Espinal Sam Klugherz Alexander Thompson Alicia Zou
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Decorations are pictured in a dorm room in Hill Hall on Nov. 15. Editorial Cartoonists
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SPRING
continued from page 1 to offer winter break housing is very limited. However, there will be exceptions for international students who face travel restrictions, as well as for students with other significant hardships,” Lizarribar said. She indicated that more information regarding permis-
sion to stay on campus is forthcoming. Testing over the winter break will continue for students, staff and faculty in need. Students who test positive will be permitted to stay in the Mods and receive food provided by the university. “For students who test positive and need to isolate or are
identified as close contacts of a person who tests positive, Tufts will continue to offer supports including housing at the mods, food delivery, and case management. Testing will continue to be available for staff and faculty,” Caggiano said. Caggiano also said Counseling and Mental Health Services will remain open for students.
Hartman confirmed that Tufts will also deep clean the dorms over winter break. “Our Facilities team will be entering all residence halls to conduct cleaning that is best completed without occupants in the building, such as shampooing carpet and other deeper cleaning methods,” Hartman said.
Schiff discusses foreign policy, China's rising power SCHIFF
continued from page 1 said. “And those served us really well, they maintain the independence of the Justice Department, they helped curb abuses. They helped rein in unethical, improper or illegal campaign contributions.” With regard to foreign policy, Schiff shared that China’s rising power, abuses of power by Russia and nuclear regulations for Iran and North Korea may be concerns for the Biden administration. “I think that the enduring challenge of the foreseeable future will be China,” Schiff said. “They’re formidable in space, at sea, in science, in cyber and as an economic powerhouse. We’re going to need to be completely on our game to compete with that. And we can do that.” Schiff left listeners with an overarching lesson that he believes should be taken into the next four years. “Right now, we are doing everything we can to speak out [and] prepare,” Schiff said. “We are litigating to protect the franchise votes cast by millions of Americans. We need people with good faith in the Republican Party to put the country first, until they do, the republic is not safe.”
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Features
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In-person students miss animal interaction by Katie Furey Staff Writer
How many times have you thought about running up to pet a dog on campus but stopped yourself because … COVID-19? How about FaceTiming — have you relentlessly yelled your cat’s name over the phone only for her to give the camera a dirty look and walk away? Relatable. College students always miss their pets, but this year in particular, in-person Tufts students seem to be craving animal interaction. Even students whose families live near Tufts cannot go home and visit their pets as frequently as they may have in previous years because going home for the weekend breaks COVID19 safety protocols. Among these local students is Lizzie Goldstein, a sophomore from the Framingham, Mass., area who is currently living on campus. “Last year, I was able to go home a few times to see [my cat], and I would have already been home like three times by now,” Goldstein said. “But I haven’t been able to go home at all, and especially since I can’t go home for Thanksgiving, I’m really sad that I won’t be able to see her until Christmas break.” Making matters worse, Animal Aid — a club at Tufts that pairs student volunteers with local dogs to walk once a week — is not operating at its normal capacity. Jason Getzler, a senior and co-coordinator of Animal Aid, described how the club made the decision to not take part in dog walking this semester. “At the beginning of the semester, we were working with [the Office of Campus Life] and [the Leonard Carmichael Society] to see if it would be possible to run,” Getzler said. “While it might have been possible under very, very strict circumstances, we just deemed, for the safety of our community and for the walkers, that it would just be best to forgo walking this semester.” Getzler expressed how the inability to walk a dog weekly has impacted him during this unusual semester. “Animal Aid has always been a distraction and a relaxing thing,” Getzler said. “Not to be able to do that this year when, arguably, I need more distraction and more relaxation — it’s super frustrating because it feels like it’s something that’s missing, something that I can’t use as kind of a method to tune out everything for a minute between the election [and COVID-19.]” Goldstein also used to walk dogs for Animal Aid, and she expressed a similar sentiment about the club not running normally this semester. “I really liked interacting with the dogs and having something to look forward to,” Goldstein said. “It also helped me have
more structure in my day, which is not something that I really have now with online classes” Despite the melancholy surrounding the lack of animal interaction, students have been finding creative ways to get their animal fix. Animal Aid, for one, has been sending weekly emails with cute photos and descriptions of dogs. The emails feature dogs from Somerville and Medford which Animal Aid volunteers used to walk, as well as club members’ dogs from home. “We got an email just the other day saying, ‘Hi, can you add me to the Dog of the Week e-list?’ It must mean that people are talking about it, which I think really just shows that it maybe brings a smile, even if it’s just a quick, fleeting smile, something to distract them for a minute,” Getzler said. The club also held a virtual “Halloween Pet Pageant.” Students and community members joined the Zoom call to showcase their pets, many of which were decked out in Halloween costumes. “We had dogs, cats and guinea pigs. Costumes ranging from Baby Yoda to unicorns to a spider corgi. Just really cute, really fun, and smiles all around,” Getzler said. Deciding virtual animal interaction wasn’t enough, one group of seniors living off campus decided to foster cats this year. Lucy Fan and her six housemates have fostered a total of four cats since August, but not all at the same time. They are fostering through the Medfordbased nonprofit organization, Kitty Connection. “Having cats is kind of fun because all my classes are online this semester, so I’m at home all the time anyway, so just hanging out with the cat while I’m in class is kind of cool,” Fan said. Fan said the length of time any one cat stays with them is variable. “So far, it’s been super random. I think especially right now though, adoptions are in really high demand,” Fan said. “For example, the first cat we got, Tiger Shark — he was 13. I thought he was going to stay with us for at least like a month or something … But he got adopted in like three days.” Currently, Fan and her housemates have one cat named Alice. They previously fostered Alice’s two kittens. Earlier in the semester, all three cats became ill. Fan explained that she was not personally responsible for veterinarian bills. Instead, she just had to take the cats to a specific veterinarian with which Kitty Connection has an arrangement. Fan said she would recommend fostering cats to other off-campus students, provided their landlord approves it. However, Fan did warn that peo-
COURTESTY LUCY FAN
Two of Lucy Fan’s foster kittens are pictured. ple considering fostering have to be sure they won’t become too attached to their foster pets. “I feel like some people could get really attached to the cat, but one thing that the foster organization specifically said, they were like, ‘You can’t adopt a cat that you’re fostering’ because then if you do, you can’t foster more … which is what they don’t want,” Fan said. Goldstein also has a pet at Tufts this semester, except hers is a guinea pig named Persephone who resides in Goldstein’s on-campus dorm. Such an arrangement is allowed by the university because Persephone is a certified emotional support animal. “[Persephone] helps me feel emotionally supported because it’s really lonely in the pandemic overall, and not being able to interact with animals has been really tough, so having the guinea pig has really helped me feel better about that,” Goldstein said.
Goldstein said that although having Persephone on campus this semester has been a beneficial experience, the process of getting the guinea pig approved to live in her dorm was exhaustive and involved a large amount of paperwork and waiting. “A lot of people could benefit [from having a therapy animal] and I think that Tufts makes it very difficult,” Goldstein said. “They should make it a lot [easier], especially since people who need to get a therapy pet don’t always have the time or energy to fill out a lot of forms and go through a long process.” Not everyone is in a position where they can have pets of their own at Tufts like Goldstein and Fan, but that does not mean there aren’t ways for them to interact with animals this semester. Goldstein and Getzler suggest asking people who are walking dogs on campus if they are comfortable with their dogs being pet, but recommend being men-
tally prepared for them to say no if they feel doing so is unsafe. Getzler also said that, at least for him, cute animals videos can help as well. “Honestly, for me, watching cute animals — it’s not the same as petting a dog, absolutely don’t get me wrong for a second — but just to bring a smile to your face, that has been something that helps me get through it,” Getzler said. Tufts students are hopeful that next semester will bring more opportunities for animal interaction, but that remains uncertain. Animal Aid, specifically, is doing what it can to plan for next semester. “We’re in communication with [the Office of Campus Life] and [the Leonard Carmichael Society], but at the moment, we can’t make any decision before plans have been approved by a medical team to make sure there’s limited risk transmission … so lots of steps, but we’re trying,” Getzler said.
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THE TUFTS DAILY | Features | Monday, November 16, 2020
Lena Leavitt Little Bit of History Repeating
O
OK K.
It’s short. It’s elegant. It generally affirms. It’s recognizable in almost any language. But what does “OK” even mean? The origins of the word “OK” are a bit mysterious because so many phrases from so many different languages sound similar or seem related. Take, for instance, the Scots’ “och aye,” which means “oh yes,” or the Greek “ola kala,” which means “all good.” Many believed that “OK” came from the Choctaw “oke” or “okeh,” meaning “it is so.” It seems like the O and K sounds are destined to unite in service of acknowledging information. However, the influence of “OK” as we know it today can be traced most readily back to a Bostonian editorial joke. In the 1830s, young highbrows in the know would intentionally misspell and abbreviate words, using “KC” for “Knuff Ced,” “KY” for “Know Yuse” and “OW” for “Oll Wright.” In 1839, the Boston Morning Post published a satirical article poking fun at poor spelling in which “OK” stood for “Oll Korrect.” All correct was already a common phrase meaning that all was in order, so it wasn’t long before other newspapers picked up on the little inside joke and spread it across the country. Then, Martin Van Buren, also known as Old Kinderhook, used “OK” in his campaign for reelection as president in 1840. In other words, Old Kinderhook was all correct. The snappy slogan failed to save Van Buren’s presidency (his opponents turned “OK” around on him, saying it stood for “Orful Katastrophe.” Ouch.) but succeeded in embedding “OK” in the American vernacular. “OK” found a functional purpose thanks to the invention of the telegraph in the 1840s. The letters O and K together were represented by an easy and recognizable sequence of dots and dashes: •• –•–. “OK” became the standard reply signifying that a message was received. Another reason “OK” sticks around is because there’s something about the way “OK” looks. The two letters just fit together so nicely. K is also an uncommon letter, so companies love using it because it draws the eye: Kool-Aid, Kraft, Kleenex, Krispy Kreme. Although the footage was unclear, “OK” might have been the first word spoken when humans landed on the moon, courtesy of Buzz Aldrin. “OK” has infinite capacity for meaning. When someone “gets home OK,” they’re safe. With a cheery “OK!” someone agrees to a plan. A drawn out “oohkay then” means the someone is frustrated or weirded out but moving on. To “give the OK” is to allow something. When someone says, “I’m OK,” they’re alright. But, Demi Lovato reminds us, it’s “OK Not To Be OK.” Then again, in the words of AT&T, “just OK is not OK.” OK is good, alright, excited, condescending, sarcastic, disappointed, fine or acceptable all rolled into one. It’s simple and makes no sense, and therefore somehow so American. By the way, last year Lake Superior State University put “OK, boomer” on its annual “List of Words (and Phrases) Banished from the Queen’s English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness.” Nice. Lena Leavitt is a first-year who has not yet declared a major. Lena can be reached at arlene.leavitt@tufts.edu.
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Monday, November 16, 2020
FILM REVIEW
‘The Queen’s Gambit’ achieves checkmate
‘Armor,’ ‘Tundra’ expansions build on strengths of Pokémon ‘Sword,’ ‘Shield’ by Christopher Panella Arts Editor
VIA IMDB
A promotional poster for “The Queen’s Gambit” (2020) is pictured. by Phoebe Wong
Contributing Writer
Content warning: This article mentions addiction and substance abuse. Following a genius obsessed with their craft is no new premise for television or film — much to the contrary, it’s proved itself a recurring formula for success in “Black Swan” (2010), “Whiplash” (2014) and “Birdman” (2014), just to name a few. Netflix’s miniseries “The Queen’s Gambit” (2020) is no exception. Impressive in its own right, “The Queen’s Gambit” adopts a fresh perspective by delving into chess’ intersections with substance abuse and gender discrimination. The show follows Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy) from the car accident that leaves her orphaned at the age of nine to her rise to world fame as a master chess player. Despite its fictional plot adapted from the 1983 novel of the same name by Walter Tevis, “The Queen’s Gambit” has been applauded for its accurate depiction of competitive chess. It even references real players and games from the 1950s and 1960s and tackles the male-dominated nature of the sport by placing a female prodigy at its center. From her first tournament, Harmon is unapologetic in defying expectations. Her geeky awkwardness starkly contrasts other girls at her high school who seem to prioritize shopping and social clubs over
“Pokémon Sword” and “Pokémon Shield” launched in 2019 amid a boycott of the franchise for not including all of the series’ previous Pokémon. Along with criticisms around graphics and story, it was a whirlwind of issues for Nintendo. It didn’t bode well for Pokémon’s first mainline game on the Switch console; 2018’s “Let’s Go, Pikachu!” and “Let’s Go, Eevee!” were remakes of the 1998 Pokémon Yellow. Despite this, “Sword” and “Shield” launched to critical and commercial success: They were the fastest-selling Switch games until “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” (2020) and are currently the fifth-best-selling Switch games ever. They were fantastic games, full of exciting battles and some of the franchise’s best new Pokémon. It all added up to make them the best games since “Black 2” (2012) and “White 2” (2012). Their recently released expansions build on their strengths while patching their minor weaknesses. “Sword” and “Shield” have received two downloadable content (DLC) expansions, “The Isle of Armor” (2020) and “The Crown Tundra” (2020). The DLCs replace the remake games that Nintendo is known for. Pokémon games seldom exist for a year or two before an enhanced version is released (see just about every Pokémon game since 1998’s “Yellow” version). Usually, these remakes come so fast that they’re just focused on their predecessors’ major issues. “Platinum” (2008) fixes the slow gameplay of “Diamond” (2006) and “Pearl” (2006), while “Black 2” and “White 2” added more Pokémon to the smaller Pokédex of “Black” (2010) and “White” (2010). The remakes provide (almost) instant gratification to fans who play the games
with keen eyes for issues. We get to see the franchise respond and grow. But with “Sword” and “Shield,” the DLCs are much faster than any remake. Within a year of the game’s original launch, any problems fans might’ve had (graphics, smaller Pokédex, simple story) are fixed. “The Isle of Armor” and “The Crown Tundra” made “Sword” and “Shield” a larger, more immersive game without a need for a new release. “The Isle of Armor,” released June 17, introduced islands off the coast of Galar, the home region of “Sword” and “Shield.” On the islands, the player trains through a Pokémon dojo and captures legendary Pokémon Kubfu and its evolution Urshifu. There is a lot going on: 108 returning Pokémon, tough rivals, walking with your Pokémon (a feature continued in “The Crown Tundra”) and Gigantamax forms for the Kanto and Galar starters. The latter comes with Dynamax, a new feature in “Sword” and “Shield,” which can involve special Gigantamax forms for certain Pokémon. The DLC also heavily influenced competitive battling, specifically with Drizzle ability Politoed and Swift Swim ability Kingdra. It was an important first release of content for “Sword” and “Shield,” but “The Isle of Armor” still needed a larger story. That is where the second DLC, “The Crown Tundra,” comes in. The Oct. 22 release is a massive addition to the games, at some points seeming it could stand on its own. Set in a new frosty area of Galar, the player navigates an interesting story with the legendary Pokémon Calyrex (the series’ best legendary since Reshiram and Zekrom). There are also new additions like Regieleki, Regidrago and regional forms of Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres. see POKEMON, page 6
all else. However, it is Harmon’s glamorization as she rises through the ranks of chess that most juxtaposes her male-centric environment. While her ugly duckling to swan trajectory feels a bit exaggerated and trite at times, it challenges the assumption that her femininity should prevent her from belonging in competitive chess. With her luxurious coats, collared dresses and elegant headscarves, she stands out from a crowd of drab suits in the best way possible. Thanks to stellar costume design, her outfits are authentic to the period, but simultaneously so timeless. Beyond pretty clothes and chess sets, the show explores more serious substance abuse and mental health issues. Harmon, played as a child by Isla Johnston, first becomes hooked on tranquilizers after receiving them at her orphanage — one of the most memorable scenes occurs when she steals more at the end of the first episode. While everyone is distracted watching the movie “The Robe” (1953), 9-year-old Harmon breaks into the pharmacy and downs handfuls of pills. With eerie, angelic music playing, her footage is interwoven with the culminating movie scene, where a woman requests to be executed along with the man she loves believing that they’ll enter the new realm of heaven together.
VIA NINTENDO
see GAMBIT, page 6
Promotional posters for “Pokémon Sword” (2019) and “Pokémon Shield” (2019) are pictured.
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THE TUFTS DAILY | Arts & Pop Culture | Monday, November 16, 2020
Maeve Hagerty Maeve’s Music Mondays
Celebrating Black voices
T
hroughout my musical journey of cultivating Spotify playlists and searching for new artists and genres that engage me, I have realized — as I think many of us have — that there is often a significant lack of Black artists and musicians in our playlists. Because of structural racism within the music industry, it can be difficult to find Black voices in mainstream music. So, I’ve decided to compile some of my favorite Black artists from a collection of different genres for your listening pleasure. For a more modern take on traditional soul music, Leon Bridges is the man of the hour. His album “Coming Home” (2015) features the hit “River,” as well as my personal favorites “Flowers” and the tender, loving song about Bridge’s mother, “Lisa Sawyer.” Dutch R&B artist Nicole Bus stirred the waters with her 2019 album “KAIROS.” Her powerful, gospel-trained voice fills the tracks with large swells and crescendos, as in the hit “You,” while other songs like “Love it” and “Rain” are slower, softer examples of Bus’ versatility. For me, as far as alternative rock is concerned, fellow Maryland-native Gallant manages to seamlessly fuse the genre with his unique falsetto and alternative R&B. I was first introduced to his music while working as a Starbucks barista (yes, the Starbucks curated playlists are truly amazing), and I haven’t gotten bored of it since. The relaxed beat of songs like “Percogesic” and “Weight in Gold” from his album “Ology” (2016) pairs perfectly with his soft voice. His most recent album “Sweet Insomnia” (2019), however, features my favorite of his songs: “Sweet Insomnia (feat. 6LACK)” and “Céline.” Drawing from more indie-folk influences and combining them with neosoul style, Lianne La Havas is a talented songwriter and musician. Her 2015 album “Blood” features the song “Green & Gold,” in which La Havas recounts the challenges of accepting her beauty as a young Black child. Her voice is equal parts haunting, soothing and capable of unfathomable emotion. The song “Good Goodbye” from the same album never ceases to make me cry with its affectionate opening and building orchestration. I came across the rock band The New Respects purely by accident. I went to a small concert for one of my favorite bands, Ripe, in D.C. last January; The New Respects were the opening act. I was blown away by their astounding stage presence and amazing songs. Their album “Before the Sun Goes Down” (2018) is a perfect mix of R&B-style melodies like in “Come As You Are” and “Trouble,” that also incorporates grittier rock songs like “Trigger” and “Freedom.” Throughout the whole concert, I was constantly turning to my friends and asking how it was possible that we didn’t know about such a good band. That’s the trial when it comes to music. Some musicians become famous, and others don’t, but I do believe it is extremely important that we give them all a chance to be heard, especially when they have been disadvantaged by racism and societal prejudices. So, until next week, happy listening! Maeve Hagerty is a first-year who has not yet declared a major. Maeve can be reached at maeve.hagerty@tufts.edu
‘The Queen’s Gambit’ addresses gender roles, misogyny in the chess world GAMBIT
continued from page 5 Similarly, Harmon’s action catapults her into a new stage of dependency from which she won’t easily be able to turn back. Like the woman who dies for her love, Harmon is enamored by the substances which will be the source of her undoing for the rest of the show. Addiction directly collides with her chess obsession, as she gets high just to spend hours mentally playing through games. Interestingly though, unlike other works which study the self-destructive aspects of perfectionist obsession, mental health and substance abuse issues extend beyond the protagonist to other characters. This goes for both Harmon’s adoptive mother Alma (Marielle Heller) and her birth mother Alice (Chloe Pirrie), pointing to possible biological and social factors for Harmon’s difficulties beyond her genius. In fact, just as Harmon struggles as a woman in chess, these other women’s mental health and addiction issues are fueled at least in part by gender discrimination. Alice’s husband seems to give up and leave when he doesn’t know how to deal with her mental health issues. Alma experiences an existential crisis about becoming a housewife instead of following her dreams to become a concert pianist after her husband leaves her. Furthermore, flashbacks of Alice struggling as an independent woman
begin most episodes, framing Alma and Harmon’s similar struggles. Episode Five begins with an especially intense shot from young Harmon’s perspective looking up while Alice firmly tells her that she will need to learn quickly how to survive on her own in the world. Indeed, Harmon soon has to grow up without her birth mother, and this memory prefaces the episode where she must learn how to survive after her adoptive mother dies, too. By showing the legacy of women persevering in a man’s world behind Harmon, the series portrays her issues as much more complicated than the destructive side of genius. In light of this intergenerational gender oppression, her obsession with overtaking the male-dominated chess world takes on a new level of meaning. The show becomes less effective when it focuses too heavily on particular chess games, losing sight of their connection with Harmon’s more complex struggle against addiction and sexism. These scenes drag on and become repetitive over time. The ending also feels far too clean to resolve the complex struggle for which the show laid so much groundwork. With that said, “The Queen’s Gambit” is still worth noting for how it carries on — and adds deeper commentary to — the destructive genius theme of previous works.
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Pokémon ‘Sword,’ ‘Shield’ reach new heights in context with its expansions POKEMON
continued from page 5 This all comes with the Max Lair, a strange location in the icy tundra where the player can travel with a rented Pokémon and catch Legendary Pokémon from the previous games. It’s pretty insane how many there are available, including monsters from Mewtwo to Dialga and Guzzlord. The battles require a much stronger approach than any other Max Raid and feature some particularly tricky Pokémon to beat, like Zygarde. But once the Legendary is beaten and captured, it can be used on the player’s team. This certainly might seem like a somewhat broken mechanic for giving everyone the chance to catch Legendary Pokémon in the game. But considering that Pokémon Home makes it easy for seasoned players to transfer Pokémon from previous games into “Sword” and “Shield,” what would stop players from bringing in all their Legendaries, anyway? With Max Lair, that opportunity is available to all players, new and old. It all adds to make “Sword” and “Shield” better, more all-encompassing games. There’s something for everyone: new Pokémon to add to competitive teams, more Legendaries to make curry with and plenty of interesting stories to play through. The strengths of “The Isle of Armor” and “The Crown Tundra” question whether Nintendo should consider these DLC releases for future games (as opposed to releasing entirely new remakes). And if that turns out to be the case, we’d love to see it. It not only allows Nintendo to respond to criticism and bugs quicker, but it also keeps fans invested in playing.
Monday, November 16, 2020 | Fun & Games | THE TUFTS DAILY
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LATE NIGHT AT THE DAILY Kevin: “I’m not gonna abuse my power and veto a late night like SOME PEOPLE in this office” (Editor’s note: Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we aren’t actually in the office.)
Fun & Games
SUDOKU
LINDA C. BLACK ASTROLOGY
Scorpio (Oct. 23–Nov. 22)
Keep financial agreements, deadlines and promises. Stay in communication as circumstances shift. Things may not go as planned. Fantasies dissipate. Expenses can arise. Stay practical.
SEARCHING FOR HEADLINES...
Difficulty Level: Realizing you saw many of your friends in person for possibly the last time this semester
Friday’s Solutions
CROSSWORD
Monday, November 16, 2020
Matt Rice The Countdown
The grift lives on
Opinion EDITORIAL
What the 2020 election taught us
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BY VALERIA VELASQUEZ After four and a half tense days of counting razor-thin results, former Vice President Joseph Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris won the presidential election. Last weekend, members of the Tufts community rejoiced, celebrating on the streets of Davis Square. President-elect Biden’s victory, along with a number of local Democratic wins, represents substantial progress and a movement toward a more equitable future; for many, faith in democracy has been temporarily restored. But while American democracy might have won a short-term reprieve this election season, it remains susceptible to ongoing efforts to undermine it. This election also highlighted the deep political divisions that continue to separate this nation and the glaring vulnerabilities of democratic institutions. In order to move forward and build a democracy that serves all of our communities, we must commit to continued civic action and engagement in the next four years and beyond. The results of this year’s election offer some cause for hope. Biden and Harris have pledged to take immediate action in response to COVID-19, combat climate change and give Americans equitable access to affordable health care. In states like Delaware and Missouri, there were also significant local wins for the LGBTQ
and Black communities. This would have not been possible without the grassroots organizations who fought diligently to protect every American’s right to vote, despite extensive efforts to suppress the voices of many, including people of color, college students and immigrants. This election also indicated record-breaking civic engagement among young voters. The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement found that as of Nov. 9, “50%-52% of voting-eligible young people, ages 18-29, cast a ballot in the 2020 presidential election.” This marks an estimated 8%–10% increase in youth turnout when compared to the 2016 presidential election, a notable achievement of this year’s election. Furthermore, young voters of color were pivotal in determining the outcome of the election in swing states like Georgia and Arizona, as they demonstrated overwhelming support for Biden. Civic engagement was also very apparent on Tufts’ campus in the months leading up to the election, as student organizations tirelessly mobilized to register new voters and campaign for progressive candidates. The significant impact of young voters on electoral results speaks to the salience of Tufts’ continued efforts to create a civically minded student body.
Despite these encouraging steps forward, it would be a mistake to define the election outcomes wholly in terms of progress. In spite of Trump’s blatantly racist, sexist and xenophobic rhetoric and his administration’s utter failure to address the pandemic, over 70 million Americans still voted for him. Depending on the outcomes of Georgia’s runoff elections, Republicans likely will keep a majority in the Senate, and some newly elected congressional representatives hold deeply concerning rightwing views. These electoral outcomes are a stark reminder of the deep-rooted divisions in this country as well as the persistent reluctance of the electorate to embrace many of the changes that American youth advocate for. They also demonstrate the fragility of our democracy. President Trump has rejected the outcomes of the presidential election, making baseless claims of voter fraud and filing lawsuits to challenge the results. Although these efforts have thus far been ineffective, Trump’s overtly undemocratic rhetoric reminds us that our democracy is not a certainty, but rather a flawed system we must actively work to preserve. While Biden’s victory may be a step forward, there is still much work to be done; Biden receives a broken nation rife with systemic racism, wealth inequality and political division. Restoration of American trust in democratic institutions will fall upon the upcoming administration. Although not a perfect politician, Biden can be much more effectively mobilized to produce sustainable change. Real change will only result from action — as young voters, we must pressure the upcoming administration to deliver on its promises and represent the voices of its constituents. In addition, we must capitalize on the momentum generated from this election to work toward further change on both local and state levels. One of the most pressing items on our agenda should be mobilizing voter turnout for the Georgia runoff elections, set to occur on Jan. 5. The Trump administration compromised the integrity of American democracy, but it lives another day. As we look toward the next four years, it is necessary that we realistically reflect upon the prevailing flaws of this country and demand action on all fronts. Our work has only just begun, and it demands everyone’s involvement.
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oe Biden is the President-elect. He is currently working with his transition team and outsider advisors to name cabinet secretaries, key West Wing posts and other political appointees who will take over the government on Jan. 20. Even though President Donald Trump refuses to concede the election, The New York Times has reported that he is already eyeing 2024. Despite Trump and his sycophants putting on a fighting finale for his more hardcore supporters, Trump has been frantically sending out emails and text messages asking for donations to fund lawsuits across the country. But in reality, some of this money is being funneled into the Trump Make America Great Again Committee and Save America, a new political action committee the president may use to influence the midterm elections in 2022 and maybe even the Republican presidential primaries four years from now. This is the game he has been playing his entire life, and it shouldn’t surprise any of us that his newest con — like most of his others — is working. From Trump University to the Trump Casino, his business successes rely solely on the appearance of riches and gluttonous consumerism. “He’s going to say, ‘They stole it from me,’ and then he’s going to go to Florida and continue to be the most influential Republican in the country,” one Trump campaign advisor told Politico. Without conceding that he lost this election, Trump will likely continue to spontaneously tweet out several more all-caps claims that the election was stolen or rigged in some way. He will keep pulling this trick out up until the moment he walks out of the White House on Jan. 20, and it should not surprise any of us if President Trump continues to do so for the rest of his life. As Trump deceptively takes money from supporters and quietly moves onto his own super PAC, not only will he have a huge sway over the GOP in his post-presidency just by the fact of his popularity in the party, but he likely will also fund congressional, senatorial and gubernatorial Republican races all over the country. Groveling wannabe Republican politicians will make the holy trek to Mar-a-Lago and beg for Trump’s endorsement in their primary campaigns. By the sheer volume of media attention Trump receives, his overwhelming popularity within the party and the millions he can afford to spend in the next midterm elections, we are going to see a full and complete Trump takeover of the GOP. Yes, Trump criticized and berated disloyal Republicans on Twitter during his presidency, but now, he will have the luxury of being an “elder statesman” for the newest generation of Republican politicians. They will demonstrate their loyalty and lavish Trump with praise, allowing him to maintain control while still outside of the actual arena. Trump may be toying with a potential 2024 run, but his money and influence in Republican primaries going forward will metastasize without any barrier.
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Matt Rice is a senior studying political science. Matt can be reached at matthew.rice@tufts.edu. The Tufts Daily is a nonprofit, independent newspaper, published Monday through Friday during the academic year, and distributed free to the Tufts community. The content of letters, advertisements, signed columns, cartoons and graphics does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Tufts Daily editorial board. EDITORIALS Editorials represent the position of The Tufts Daily. Individual editors are not necessarily responsible for, or in agreement with, the policies and editorials of The Tufts Daily. OP-EDS The Op-Ed section of The Tufts Daily, an open forum for campus editorial commentary, is printed Monday through Thursday. The Daily welcomes submissions from all members of the Tufts community; the opinions expressed in the Op-Ed section do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Daily itself. Opinion articles on campus, national and international issues should be 600 to 1,200 words in length and submitted to opinion@tuftsdaily.com. The editors reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, space and length. All material is subject to editorial discretion and is not guaranteed to appear in the Daily. Authors must submit their telephone numbers and day-of availability for editing questions. ADVERTISING All advertising copy is subject to the approval of the Editor in Chief, Executive Board and Business Director.
Sports
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9 Monday, November 16, 2020
2020 NBA Mock Draft: Uncertainty at the top by David Cooperman Contributing Writer
The 2020 NBA draft is coming up, and, like with this year’s free agency class, there is a lack of star power near the top. There are plenty of ‘boom or bust’ prospects, and this mock draft will try to find the perfect home for this year’s top rookies. Minnesota Timberwolves (No. 1): Anthony Edwards, G, Georgia A selection that has perhaps generated more debate than it should, the Timberwolves should make the safe call here and take Edwards. The 19-yearold wing is oozing with potential and could form a dynamic backcourt with D’Angelo Russell for years to come. Golden State Warriors (No. 2): James Wiseman, C, Memphis While the Warriors are likely to look to trade out of this pick, this mock will not incorporate any trades. With that in mind, the Warriors have been linked with Wiseman for a while, and he would be a perfect fit for their roster. The big man would be allowed to play to his strengths, providing high-energy play on both ends while continuing to develop a more advanced offensive game in Oakland. Charlotte Hornets (No. 3): Lamelo Ball, G, N/A Ball has been a captivating prospect ever since he and his brothers were tearing up the California high school basketball scene, and the time has finally come for him to reach the NBA. The sharp-shooting, high-profile guard is sure to bring plenty of hype to whatever team selects him, and there are few teams that need a beacon of hope like the Charlotte Hornets. Ball
could breathe a new sense of life into Buzz City, giving them a star to replace the recently departed Kemba Walker. Chicago Bulls (No. 4): Deni Avdija, F, Israel The Bulls are in an interesting situation, possessing a lot of the pieces that would typically be accompanied by winning but also holding a lot of losses over the past few years. For them, the 19-year-old Avdija could be the missing piece to a playoff run. Fitting seamlessly into a lineup headlined by Zach Lavine and Wendell Carter, Avdija’s sky-high potential could push the Bulls back to national prominence. Cleveland Cavaliers (No. 5): Obi Toppin, F, Dayton College basketball’s best player last year, Toppin is a high energy, do-it-all forward who will contribute right away to whatever team he ends up on. Cleveland, a team currently locked in an internal battle between rebuilding and making an ill-advised run at the playoffs, could see Toppin as the perfect piece to straddle that line. Cavs general manager Koby Altman might want Toppin as a highfloor, high-ceiling, no brainer pick at No. 5. Atlanta Hawks (No. 6): Tyrese Haliburton, G, Iowa State After the somewhat agreed upon top five prospects, things become a little murkier starting with the Hawks at No. 6. However, Haliburton fills a major need for the Hawks: a secondary floor general behind Trae Young. Haliburton’s consistency can allow him to steady the Hawks’ offense with Young off the court, while his length will allow Lloyd Pierce to occasionally send out a two-point guard lineup.
Alex Sharp Sharp from the Sofa
Underappreciated greatness of Aaron Rodgers
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n the divisional round of the 2017 NFL playoffs, the Green Bay Packers were tied with the Dallas Cowboys, facing a third-and-20 with 12 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers took the snap, rolled to his left, ran towards the sideline to buy time, and flung a 35-yard dart across his body. The ball narrowly avoided a Cowboys defender and landed in the hands of Packers tight end Jared Cook, who was pressed against the sideline. Joe Buck, Fox Sports’ play-by-play announcer, said “the pass is incomplete, out of bounds.” Seconds later, both he and color commentator Troy Aikman exclaimed, “That is unbelievable!” The pass set up a game-winning field goal as time expired. It was one of the greatest throws in NFL history, but you wouldn’t know it from the muted
VIA SLAM ONLINE
University of Georgia guard Anthony Edwards is pictured. Detroit Pistons (No. 7): Patrick Williams, F, Florida State In a pick that has recently been lighting up the rumor mill, sources report that the Detroit Pistons have given a promise to Williams, and he could very well be opening his career in the Motor City. The forward has displayed an attractive set of skills, but putting it all together has been an issue for the 19-yearold. An elite coach like Dwayne Casey could be what Williams needs to turn into a star. New York Knicks (No. 8): Killian Hayes, G, France The Knicks have long been in the hunt for a point guard, with past options like Dennis
reactions of Jared Cook and the rest of the Packers. That’s because it was just another day at the office for Aaron Rodgers, the man who makes the impossible seem probable. Aaron Rodgers is a Super Bowl champion and two-time MVP. He’s also the most talented and criminally underrated quarterback in NFL history. After yesterday’s Week 10 game against the Jaguars, Rodgers is 10 touchdown passes away from joining the 400 touchdown pass club. The six quarterbacks who have thrown 400 career touchdowns are Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers, Dan Marino and Brett Favre. At the time of his 400th touchdown pass, Brady had 143 interceptions, Brees 196, Manning 198, Rivers 202, Marino 231 and Favre 258. Rodgers? Right now he has 87 career interceptions. That’s a list of some of the greatest quarterbacks ever, and none of them are close to Rodgers when it comes to taking care of the ball. Rodgers’ career touchdown to interception ratio? 4.5 to 1. Next best? Russel Wilson, 3.3 to 1. Absurd. Rodgers has a cannon for an arm, being able to both sit in the pocket or throw on the run, often making plays with his legs as a runner. His highlight
Smith Jr. and Frank Ntilikina not working out. Hayes, an intriguing guard who had some solid production this year in the EuroCup, would be a solid first selection for Leon Rose’s newly installed regime. When looking back at this class in five years, Hayes could very well end up one of the top players and a steal here at No. 8. Washington Wizards (No. 9): Onyeka Okongwu, C, USC After years of mediocrity, this year has Wizards fans hoping for a resurgence. The returning John Wall is the key to this upcoming season for Washington, and NBA fans are hoping for a return to glory for Bradley Beal and Wall.
reel is stuffed full of plays that Tom Brady and Peyton Manning could never dream of making. But the NFL is a business focused on winning, and Rodgers doesn’t have the Super Bowl pedigree of the Brady, Montana and Bradshaw crowd, causing our underappreciation of his wondrous pedigree. Rodgers won his lone Super Bowl in 2011, throwing for 304 yards and three touchdowns in a win over the Steelers. His pursuit of a second ring has been tragically hindered by broken collarbones, former head coach Mike McCarthy’s questionable game management theories, and Packers defenses that don’t seem to stop anybody. Still, with Rodgers under center, the Packers have played in the NFC championship game in three of the past six years. Rodgers is one of the most intelligent quarterbacks in the NFL, and he plays like it. No quarterback in the NFL is better at earning free plays with hard counts that cause defenses to jump offside or quick snaps that catch the defense with too many men on the field mid-substitution. Number 12 capitalizes on it. In 2019 the NFL’s football operations department found that since 2006, Rodgers had thrown 84 passes on free plays for almost 2000 yards. Over that time period, Ben
That dynamic backcourt needs support, and Onyeka Okongwu is the perfect fit. A core led by Beal, Hachimura, Wall and Okongwu could make some noise in the Eastern Conference. Phoenix Suns (No. 10): Kira Lewis Jr., G, Alabama The hottest riser on NBA draft boards, Lewis has the potential to be a solid NBA starter. For the Suns, Lewis would be able to learn from Ricky Rubio, while slowly developing into the perfect complementary piece for Devin Booker. Along with a frontcourt headed by DeAndre Ayton, Booker and Lewis could solidify Phoenix’s backcourt for years to come.
Roethlisberger is a distant second with just over 1,000 yards passing on free plays. In his 16th year in the league, Rodgers has the Packers sitting atop the NFC and has the best quarterback rating in the NFL. The guy is must-see TV every Sunday. Still, outside of ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith consistently calling him a “baaaaad, baaaaad man,” I don’t hear nearly enough about Rodgers’ game. For some reason, he’s barely a part of this year’s MVP discussion and it just doesn’t seem like football fans understand how special he is. Why is that? Maybe it’s because he only has one Super Bowl ring. Maybe it’s because he plays in the NFL’s smallest market. Or maybe some people just really don’t like the State Farm ads. Nonetheless, what is clear is that Aaron Rodgers is a once-in-a-generation talent who should not be taken for granted. Despite his sole Super Bowl, he is too great a player to retire with just one ring. Whether this season or those after will provide his second is yet to be known, but it’s something I’d certainly put my money on. Alex Sharp is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. Alex can be reached at alex.sharp@tufts.edu