The Tufts Daily - Monday, December 11, 2023

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Thursday, December 11, 2023

VOLUME LXXXVI, ISSUE 12

UNIVERSITY

Tufts alum talks corporate climate change action in HochCunningham lecture series

Nicholas Prather

Contributing Writer

The Environmental Studies Program held its final Hoch Cunningham Environmental lecture series on Thursday, featuring Tyler McCullough (LA’17), company manager of corporate climate action at the environmental advocacy firm Ceres.

In the lecture titled “Investor Advocacy and Business Working to Address Climate Change,” McCullough discussed how Ceres facilitates investors’ divestment from fossil fuels and how companies are transitioning to clean energy while maintaining financial ambition.

After graduating from Tufts in 2017 with a degree in environmental science and international relations, McCullough briefly taught English abroad before beginning his work in the environmental sector. Now, he works on implementing Ceres’ climate transition action plans to help large companies and clients reach their sustainability goals.

MICHELLE LI / THE TUFTS DAILY

Curtis Hall is pictured on Sept. 14, 2021.

“Ceres uses three levers to affect our change,” McCullough said. “The first one, which is really our niche … is investor change.

Essentially, investors are very influential, especially over the companies they own, but also over policymakers, so they can push

UNIVERSITY

Massachusetts lawmakers introduce bill targeting legacy admissions

The Petey Greene Program, Tufts University Prison Initiative of Tisch College and the City of Boston’s Office of Returning Citizens hosted a documentary screening and panel discussion on Oct. 18 titled “Overcoming Housing Barriers After Incarceration,” featuring social entrepreneur Yusuf Dahl.

When Dahl moved to Allentown, Pa. two years ago, his application to rent a house was denied because of a drug distribution sentence from 25 years prior. Frustrated that he couldn’t move to the school district he felt would best support his daughter’s education, Dahl wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post in 2022 and made a documentary with VICE Media called “Backgrounded.”

Dahl is now a co-founder of the Allentown-based Real Estate Lab and a trustee of the Petey Greene

Program, which connects incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people to pre-college education opportunities. Joining him on the panel were Leslie Credle, executive director of Boston-based Justice 4 Housing, and Greg Vasil, CEO of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board.

“There’s this disproportionality when it comes to incarceration and the collateral consequences that ensue as a result,” Dahl said. “We live in a society where if, in my case, you get caught with two ounces of marijuana, that’s a drug distribution charge and you can be legally denied housing for the rest of your life. But we don’t take that same approach to other mistakes people may make in life.”

In 1988, the segregationist Senator Strom Thurmond added an amendment to the Fair Housing Act that allowed landlords to deny housing to applications convicted of drug manufacturing or distribution. Still on the books today, the law has disproportionately impacted people of color.

In the documentary, Dahl describes how his housing application was denied, despite his credentials as a successful entrepreneur and Princeton graduate, because of the decades-old drug conviction from when he was a teenager.

“I spent the last 25 years working 16 hours a day to have the resources to put my family in this community,” he says. “Yet because of that decision, it doesn’t matter.”

Some progressive cities like Berkeley and the state of New Jersey have passed “fair chance” legislation that outlaws criminal background checks for housing applicants. But Thurmond’s amendment remains in effect in Massachusetts.

Vasil acknowledged that some landlords view a formerly-incarcerated tenant as “a risk.” Part of his organization’s advocacy work involves urging smaller landlords to “take the

Features

Arts & Pop Culture

Opinion

Sports

Pandemic-era policy lets seniors graduate early

Envison shines in ‘Exception to the Rule’

The red-blue divide

Drama awaits in Champions League

Staff Writer

Originally published Oct. 26.

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Panel discusses barriers to housing for formerly incarcerated people Samantha Eng

companies to take sustainability actions in the name of business.”

According to its website, Ceres is an environmental nonprofit

based out of Boston that works with investors, companies, policymakers, regulators and other nonprofits to tackle the ultimate goal of creating a more sustainable future.

“Second, with corporate change, … we work directly with leading companies, companies that want to do the right thing on sustainability,” McCullough said.

“We help them take those actions.

Lastly, [we work with] policy and systems change. Investors and companies are both really influential on policymakers.”

The company primarily works with companies in industries such as tanking, electric power, food, crude oil and gas, steel and transportation, which collectively produce 80% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to McCullough.

“A lot of companies are making commitments,” McCullough said. “A third of the world’s largest 2,000 companies have net zero goals. But that means twothirds do not. It also means that

see HOUSING, page 2

Matthew Sage

Deputy News Editor

Shortly before the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down affirmative action in June, Massachusetts legislators introduced a state bill that, if passed, would discourage colleges and universities from using admission practices that favor wealthier applicants.

Spearheaded by State Representatives Simon Cataldo and Pavel Payano, Bill H.3760 would impose a financial penalty on schools that give preference to legacy and donor applicants and offer binding early decision policies. Proportional to a school’s endowment per student, this “public service fee” would go directly towards funding the state’s public community colleges.

“This bill is designed to address affirmative action for

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the wealthy,” Cataldo said. “The bill does that by identifying three policies that weigh heavily in favor of wealthy students.

Those policies subordinate merit to wealth.”

The bill, filed in early 2023 and presented to the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Higher Education in late June, is currently awaiting the committee’s approval — which may not arrive until spring 2024.

Cataldo said the bill would be a “win-win,” giving schools a binary choice of either halting practice of the aforementioned policies or “pay[ing] a fee that, while it’s nearly negligible to them in terms of the wealth of their institutions, … would be highly impactful to community colleges in the commonwealth.”

“I think the reason that this bill and this concept has see LEGACY, page 2 News Features Arts & Pop Culture Fun & Games Opinion Sports

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THE TUFTS DAILY

Thursday, December 11, 2023

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T he T ufts D aily Aaron Gruen Editor in Chief

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Founded in 1980 The Tufts Daily is the entirely student-run newspaper of record at Tufts University in Medford, Mass. An editorially and financially independent organization, the Daily’s staff of more than 100 covers news, features, arts and sports on Tufts’ four campuses and in its host communities.

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McCullough discusses climate-conscious investments CLIMATE

continued from page 1 those that have the goals might be, and often are, lacking on interim targets, implementation and quantitative progress against their goals. So, it’s great to have a goal, but it’s certainly not enough.”

That’s where Ceres steps in to provide clients with detailed plans for emission reduction.

When designing action plans for emission-heavy companies, McCullough and his team take specific care to ensure accountability and fair expectations.

“The company has specific, forward-looking actions that will share in each of these areas and the expected quantitative emissions reductions they expect from each of those actions,” he said.

“Oil and gas is one of our focus sectors because it contributes a huge amount to emissions. There are near-term things that these

companies can do that they are willing to do if they’re pressured to do so. … If as investors and as policymakers, we can force and push these companies to reduce methane emissions now, that is what has to happen.”

McCullough highlighted two major challenges in keeping global temperature rises below 1.5 degrees, a figure needed to hit in order “avert the worst effects of climate change.”

“One, we need 45% emission reductions by 2030 and net-zero by 2050,” he said. “And second, the International Energy Agency has estimated we need $131 trillion to finance that transition, whether for companies, for governments, etc.”

He expressed optimism that steps are being taken to achieve these goals. In 2022, the U.S. passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which he called “the largest investment in climate ever by

the government in the history of mankind.”

“Currently, within the investor finance community, 50% of assets under management are committed to helping this transition to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050,” McCullough said. “Companies basically are waking up to the reality that climate change poses risks to their business … [and] that climate change has opportunities for them.”

McCullough also compared what investors, companies and policymakers must do on all fronts to bring down greenhouse emissions.

“Essentially, investors need to decarbonize their portfolios,” he said. “Companies that have really high emissions footprints — how can we, as investors, pressure them and equip them with capital to bring those emissions down?

… Companies need to set these targets, reduce emissions and take a variety of sustainability actions. Policymakers need to understand climate economic risks, and then support economy-wide decarbonization.”

McCullough commended the climate finance sector’s recent growth and climate-conscious investments, and made clear that all types of environmental action — including that of protesters — are essential to creating change.

“Five years ago, a company would laugh at you if you’re saying you need to take this action for a business reason. A lot of progress has been made by today, the fact that so many companies have signed up for these targets and are taking these actions,” he said. “We really need all of these solutions and we need all of them at once.”

Petey Greene Program, TUPIT co-host documentary screening HOUSING

continued from page 1 risk and try, because you never know — you may end up with an amazing tenant.”

Compounding that bias, Dahl said, more landlords are outsourcing the application review process to third-party screening companies whose algorithms automatically reject applicants with drug distribution convictions.

“The goal shouldn’t be to punish somebody for the rest of their life,” Vasil said, arguing that ostracizing formerly incarcerated people from normal life only increases recidivism.

Advocacy is important, Credle said, but changing the law is the only way to “get to the core

issues,” otherwise “nothing is going to change.”

Justice 4 Housing not only provides home re-integration services and manages housing applications for formerly incarcerated citizens, but also works to enact policy for justice impacted people in Massachusetts, working towards a national model. The organization has helped house over 210 people in the last two years with a 0% recidivism rate.

Credle encouraged the audience to contact their legislators in support of a Justice 4 Housing Bill that will be brought up in the next state legislative session. House Bill H.1362/Senate Bill S.878, “An Act to Secure Housing for Returning Citizens,” would incentivize the

SAMANTHA ENG / THE TUFTS DAILY

Yusuf Dahl, Leslie Credle and Greg Vasil are pictured on Oct. 18. creation of housing for formerly incarcerated people and establish a reentry program to connect people with housing resources.

According to Dahl, housing justice should also be tackled from the landlord’s side.

“We need to be forward-thinking,” he said. “How do we recruit the next generation of landlords — community builders — that actually reflects the communities that we live in?”

from a private school,” Cataldo said. “When you have 55% or 60% of your spots taken up by binding early decision … there’s a much smaller number of spaces available for everyone who cannot afford [tuition].”

Dean of Admissions JT Duck said that the demographic of early decision applicants remains similar to that of the general student body, and maintained the university’s policy of meeting “100% of demonstrated financial need for all admitted students.”

Natasha Warikoo, professor of sociology at Tufts, has a different take on legacy, donor and early admissions.

“I do think there’s a fundamental problem in private higher education in the United States, which is our tuition dependency,” Warikoo said. “Obviously, you need financial aid. Some of that comes from the federal government, but not all of it. And private higher education has depended on donors to fill that gap. … Where’s this money going to come from?”

She says that in some ways, legacy admissions is a straw man for a bigger problem. Even if you ban preferential admissions for legacy students, “they’re just going to be replaced with someone who has a similar class background.”

“That’s not to say we shouldn’t do it,” she said. “But we also should be realistic about it’s not that you can automatically replace [legacy donors] with a student who needs say full financial aid, right?”

Warikoo underscored the greater public good that could be funded by Bill H.3760’s penalty fee.

“The places that are the engines of social mobility are really our community colleges, our big state schools,” Warikoo said. “Those are where you have a lot more working-class students who then have the higher education [that] leads them on a path that they otherwise wouldn’t have had available to them.”

Bill discourages college admission practices favoring wealthier applicants LEGACY

continued from page 1 attracted national attention is the profound hypocrisy of elite schools in, on the one hand, decrying the loss of race-conscious affirmative action, and on the other hand, persisting with the use of policies that clearly damage the opportunity for working-class kids to get into those schools when they would be otherwise qualified,” Cataldo said.

While the bill’s fee ranges from 0.01% of a school’s endowment to 0.2% for the wealthiest of universities, the bill would require schools with an endowment of over $2 billion to pay at least $2 million towards the joint fund. Tufts University, with an endowment of $2.4 billion, would have to pay this $2 million.

Patrick Collins, Tufts’ executive director of public relations, wrote in an email to the Daily that the university working group is reexamining its admissions policies “holistically and in the context of the accessibili-

ty of a Tufts education,” following the Supreme Court’s strikedown of affirmative action this previous summer.

“How the university will treat applicants with family members who have affiliations with Tufts is part of that review,” Collins wrote. “Because this work is ongoing, we are unable to comment in detail or speculate on potential strategies, but we are confident that we will end up with policies that allow the university to live up to our values and commitment to diversity while following the law.”

The bill notably discourages binding early admission, a practice that usually commits students to one school before they can consider other institutions’ financial aid packages.

Applicants aren’t able to pick the most affordable option, which Cataldo says discourages them from applying early.

“The kids who apply early and get in early binding decision are two to three times [more] likely to be from a wealthy zip code, three times [more] likely to be

THE TUFTS DAILY

Thursday, December 11, 2023

Features

3

F eatures Beyond the hill: Tufts seniors graduate a semester early Claire Wood Staff Writer

Most Tufts students are familiar with the residency requirement, which mandates that all students complete eight semesters of full-time study in order to graduate.

However, due to the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, the university decided to waive the residency requirement for students who were enrolled in the fall 2020 semester.

Matriculated students who were enrolled at Tufts in the fall of 2020 will only have to complete six semesters full time instead of eight. Once these students complete their six semesters, they have the option to graduate early or enroll part time.

The Class of 2024 includes some of the last students to benefit from this policy. Some graduated last spring at the end of their third year on campus, while others will be graduating after this semester.

Tuition costs are one of the many reasons seniors may choose to graduate early.

Gwendolyn Brown, a senior studying environmental studies, said that she is saving money by graduating after this semester.

“Tufts is so expensive, so any money that can be saved is great. … knowing that I don’t have to pay for another semester is awesome,” she said.

Kush Shah, a senior studying biochemistry, felt similarly.

“Not paying a whole semester of tuition is great,” Shah said. “You can start work early or … take more time to figure it out and get a job and make more money.”

Students also felt that their time may be better spent in a non-classroom setting, instead investing time in career development, preparations for graduate school or rest.

Kayla Drazan, a senior studying psychology, said that she felt she would benefit more from being in a work environment as opposed to a classroom setting.

“I think it just depends on what you need for your own growth and development,” she said. “I felt like I had gotten all [that] I could from the psychology department, … so I didn’t really need many other classes. … I felt like the learning that I could do could be done on my own time in a work setting.”

Similarly, Emma Bittar, a senior studying environmental studies and anthropology, felt that a change in environment would be most conducive to her learning.

“I feel like I got to the point where I felt kind of stagnant during college and often when that happens, I like a change. … I don’t do well when I feel like I’m not growing anymore,” she said.

“Some of my other friends decided to graduate early and once they did it that kind of pushed me over the edge.”

Eva Tyomkin, a senior studying biochemistry, worked a job over the summer and will continue to work with the same company in the spring.

“I’ve been working. I’ve had a job since the summer that I continued on this semester, and I’m just going to go back to working full time at my job,” Tyomkin said.

GRAPHIC BY BEX POVILL Tyomkin, Shah, Brown and Drazan will all be working in the Boston area after graduation.

“I’m still going to be in the area. I’m just going to be working in Boston … or doing a remote job, so I’m still gonna be able to see all my friends. I’m just not going to be taking 18 credits worth of classes,” Brown said.

Other students, like Bittar, are traveling or returning home during their time away from campus.

“From January to basically the end of March, I’m going to be going to Costa Rica to get my dive master certification,” she said. “I’m going … both for recreational and professional reasons. … After that, hopefully by April, I’ll have a job and I’ll start working.”

Graduating early wasn’t an easy decision, though. Both Brown and Tyomkin cited departing their club positions as bittersweet.

“I was the Loj director for the Tufts Mountain Club and … my friend is now taking over the role. So it’s great to see someone who I know will put the same amount of care into it be taking it over, but it was really tough because I think that was a role that I put so much time into and … it became a part of my identity,” Brown said.

Tyomkin said that she wishes she could continue in her leadership roles on campus.

“I’m … [ Tufts Dance Collective] President,” she said. “I don’t think I can continue my position once I graduate early, and I’ve … worked really hard for the club. … So I think that’s the only kind of regret I have. … I wish I could continue on some of the things that I’ve been doing over the years just to see it through.”

During their senior year, students also have a prime course registration time, and many look forward to taking fun or high-demand classes they otherwise wouldn’t have gotten into.

Shah, though, said that the benefits of graduating early outweigh this.

“I think a lot of people use their last senior semester to take all those fun classes that they’ve been waiting for, … but I’m fine with that. … Not paying for tuition is definitely better,” Shah said.

Some students also feared that graduating early would exclude them from enjoying their senior spring.

“[The] only con I was worried about honestly was FOMO and being like, ‘I’m a senior. Am I gonna miss out on all these senior events?’” Bittar said. “But, once I got over that hurdle and just realized I would be so much happier graduating early, then I took the leap.”

Some seniors graduating early will also retain their off-campus housing during what would’ve been their spring semester, allowing them to remain present on campus and in the community.

“Having a job near here means that I can still live in my off-campus apartment with my friends,” Shah said.

Drazan added that while working in the area, she can remain active on campus.

“I’m still gonna be sticking around.

It’s not too big of a deal. And I can still find ways to be active on campus while I’m just working in the area,” she said.

Their graduation becomes official in February 2024, but all students graduating a semester early will still participate in May graduation ceremonies.

“People who graduate in the winter don’t get to walk until the spring, so in a lot of ways we’re all … using this time to do our equivalent of studying abroad or something like that. … We have the time to kind of have a more low-key couple of months,” Brown said.

Current Tufts students that were not enrolled during the fall 2020 semester will not have the option to graduate early.

“I don’t see why [students should] keep taking classes if you don’t have to, especially if your major’s complete,” Tyomkin said. “I don’t think one semester is going to change anything.”

Brown felt similarly, noting financial constraints as an important reason to remove the eight-semester residency requirement.

“I’m honestly disappointed in Tufts that this isn’t a universal policy,” Brown said. “It is one of the most expensive schools in the country and it’s really unfair for them to be putting a financial burden on people.”

Bittar noted that more Tufts students could benefit from having the freedom to remove an eight-semester constraint on their education.

“I think it’s really hard to fit people into the box of four full years. I think everyone is on their own trajectory and path,” she said. “I think it’s really unfortunate that it’s gonna stop with our class.”

Katie Pflieger Weekly Wellness

‘Veganuary’

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s the holiday season begins and the new year looms, the question of what resolution to pursue may start to come up in conversation.

Whether in the name of health or a to lower carbon footprint, going vegan or vegetarian in the new year is a goal that ambitious eaters may decide to take on.

Started by a U.K. nonprofit organization, “Veganuary” is an annual challenge to meat-eaters to eliminate animal products from their diet for the month of January to support a world where the production of food does not harm the environment.

While I will not be partaking in this particular challenge this coming January, my three-year stint as a vegan has left me with an abundance of recipes I enjoy making and sharing with those trying to incorporate more plant-based meals into their lifestyles.

Without further adieu, here is a list of some of the best plant-based recipes from a retired vegan and avid foodie: Vegan Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies This is always a crowd-pleaser, even for those most critical of plant-based goods.

I highly recommend slightly underbaking them and adding salt on top!

Cinnamon Rolls This recipe is perfect for the holidays and winter mornings. Even without dairy or animal products, it’s hard to tell the difference between these and non-vegan cinnamon rolls.

Adobo Mushroom Tacos I love that these use whole foods instead of a meat substitute. Mushrooms not only have significant health benefits but also hold on to the seasoning mix really well, making them very flavorful and delicious.

Spicy Vodka Sauce Pasta with Cashew Cream This recipe went viral a few years ago and is super easy to make vegan! Just follow the pasta recipe substituting with vegan butter and cashew cream in place of heavy cream.

Cacio e Pepe This is another easy and delicious pasta recipe using cashew cream that won’t leave you missing the dairy.

Grilled Romaine Caesar Salad This recipe is great for a creative salad, especially when grilling. It also tastes great with some croutons or crispy chickpeas for some crunch.

Fall Harvest Salad Perfect for any time of year, this salad uses sweet potato and a maple dressing for a bit of sweetness.

Mediterranean Falafel Bowls These bowls are super customizable and use falafel, a plant-based Mediterranean protein with mashed chickpeas. These also go perfectly with the vegan tzatziki from Trader Joe’s.

Katie Pflieger is a first-year who has yet to declare a major. Katie can be reached at katherine.pflieger@tufts.edu.

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THE TUFTS DAILY

Thursday, December 11, 2023

Features

Tufts Dance Collective dances their way through ‘Your Roman Empire’ Sophie Axelrod

Assistant Features Editor

Tufts Dance Collective’s semester show, “TDC Presents: Your Roman Empire,” on Dec. 2 in Cohen Auditorium, was a performance for the ages.

TDC is one of many dance groups on Tufts’ campus that highlight student creativity and freedom of expression. Student choreography and creative wit are at the forefront of this energetic and playful club.

TDC has been around for at least 15 years and is a community collective many enjoy participating in, leading or spectating. As one of the most highly anticipated student performances at Tufts, tickets for TDC often sell out within minutes of going on sale.

There were 14 different group dances this semester. In pairs, students pitched names and themes around which to choreograph their dances. With titles like “Phineas and Ferbalicious” and “Barb Mitzvah,” the music and choreography of the dances often emulate and combine pop culture references.

The club is open to all undergraduate students, except for first years in their first semester, and no previous dance experience is required.

Sophomore Ava Van Gelder, who took part in her first TDC performance this semester, explained why she joined TDC. “I think at Tufts, it’s kind of hard because all of the dance groups are very elite, and so I wanted a fun outlet to dance where it was in a much more casual setting, low stress, laid back but still a lot of fun,” Van Gelder said.

After attending the TDC general interest meeting at the beginning of the semester, prospective dancers can choose to fill out applications for as many dances as they want.

During the hour-long rehearsals once a week, groups

Max Druckman Munching with Max

Super suppers

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ccording to ‘experts,’ breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You’ve heard it for your entire life and probably believe it. I am here to dispel that myth.

In my world, breakfast doesn’t offer much beyond coffee.

For me, the most important meal of the day is dinner.

Why, you ask? The generous portions, of course! And you can eat just about anything and call it ‘dinner.’ You can eat ‘breakfast’ foods like waffles or ‘lunch’ foods like sandwiches for dinner. Fun fact, a common synonym for dinner, ‘supper,’ has its roots in the word ‘super’ (look it up).

COURTESY ALONSO NICHOLS / TUFTS UNIVERSITY

Tufts Dance Collective student performers are pictured dancing in “Your Roman Empire.” practice their dances while getting to know their fellow group members. The bonding and choreography practice culminate in a public dress rehearsal and performance at the end of the semester.

TDC co-President Eva Tyomkin explained how the club brings together students from across campus. “[ TDC] breaks down all those weird Tufts things where people stick to their groups and stay kind of cliquey, but everyone during TDC … none of that exists and you’re all being silly, making a joke of yourself,” Tyomkin said.

This semester, Tyomkin and co-President Luke Morris were in charge of overall planning for the event, including organizing rehearsal spaces, communicating with the Cohen Auditorium staff, managing lighting and choreographing the dance.

“There’s a lot of preparation going into it but it is truly so rewarding,” Morris said. “[Knowing people] through

TDC is a weird bond, but we can laugh about that together.”

Tyomkin and Morris are both longtime members of the club. After two semesters of being a dancer, Tyomkin joined the TDC executive board fall semester of her junior year. Morris joined TDC his first-year spring and choreographed his first dance sophomore fall with someone he met in his first dance.

In addition to being co-president of TDC, Tyomkin, who had no prior dance experience, choreographed “Sneaky LinkedIn” this semester with senior Will Carter.

“I have no dance experience, no knowledge of how dance works, no formal training … I don’t know what I’m supposed to look like or what’s supposed to happen,” Tyomkin said.

As a pre-med biochemistry major, Tyomkin said TDC was an outlet and opportunity to have fun. When assignments pile up and exams loom, TDC

allows students to focus on spending time with others in a new and exciting way.

Morris did not choreograph a dance this semester. Instead, he was a dancer in Will Rubin and Renee Singh’s “Papa’s Cupcakkeria” dance.

“I was truly blown away by all the dances this semester … [‘Papa’s Cupcakkeria’] had a bit of a plot in there, which I always appreciate,” he said.

Morris said being co-president was a very fun experience as it opened his eyes to more of the planning and efforts that go into making TDC the special and fun group it is.

“Thanks to everyone who came to the show. And thank you to all the people involved this semester, especially the choreos and my e-board,” he said. “It was great, everyone had so much fun with each other and that’s really what it comes down to.”

Sophomore Maddox Weisz, who joined TDC for the first time this fall, was in the dance “Hey It’s Fred, Again,” choreo-

Much to my embarrassment, none of my previous columns have featured on-campus dinner options. So, for my final column of the semester, I’ll recap some of the super suppers I sampled this week on campus.

First, in honor of Hanukkah, I tried Pax et Lox Glatt Kosher Deli’s latke Reuben. Rarely do I hear two words as intriguing as ‘latke Reuben.’

Between rye bread, the sandwich features hot corned beef, coleslaw, Russian dressing and two latkes. Yes, latkes inside a sandwich! As a devoted potato pancake fan, I ordered a side of latkes too.

The corned beef was lean and well-cooked, the Russian dressing was abundant and flavorful and the rye held firm despite the heavy load. The coleslaw was tasty but clashed with the warm sandwich because it was chilled. The crispy latkes were outstanding and added an extra

crunch. I also appreciated the applesauce provided for my side of latkes.

Overall, it was a jam-packed sandwich that would make the Maccabees proud.

Next, I ventured to Hodgdon Food-on-the-Run to try the Pan Asia meal deal. I ordered a noodle bowl with beef stirfry, bok choy, broccoli, carrots, mushrooms and Thai coconut red curry sauce. To be honest, I was not sure which vegetables to add, so I selected them all.

The bowl was fine. The noodles were flavorful but a little soft, and the curry sauce was overshadowed by the other ingredients. My fresh vegetable combination worked out nicely (I am patting myself on the back). The beef was tangy and well-cooked, but also chewy.

In the end, the bowl proved to be a solid on-the-go option from Hodge.

My final dinner was at Tufts Student Life’s “First-Year

Feast.” Sorry, upperclassmen who missed out, but hey, a guy’s gotta eat.

Another of my favorite word pairings, ‘taco bar,’ headlined the feast. Tortilla strips, red cabbage slaw, corn, rice pilaf, black beans, pork carnitas, pulled chicken, pico de gallo and guacamole filled the buffet, all accompanied by apple cider!

Overzealous, I stuffed everything into my tiny corn tortilla. Based on my one semester of collegiate Spanish, my creation could be called, “más o menos promedio.”

My tortilla was too small, so unsurprisingly the fajita crème sauce bled through. The rice and beans lacked flavor, and the corn was meh. On the bright side though, the pulled chicken was delicious, the guacamole superb and the apple cider refreshing.

A hearty thanks to Tufts Student Life for organizing this decadent event!

graphed by Anna DeCotis and Jaden Shemesh. The theme of the dance was a combination of the DJ sensation “Fred Again” and the 2000s YouTube personality “Fred.”

Weisz explained how he enjoyed meeting a variety of people from across campus through TDC. “It’s really fun. … I highly recommend [TDC]. You’ll make a bunch of new friends. The community is amazing,” Weisz said.

“And it really is whatever you want it to be. So the more effort you put in, the more you get out.

No matter what you do, it’ll be good and you’ll have fun.”

Junior Andrew Kerpel, who was Weisz’s dance partner, emphasized this feeling of community within TDC. “​​ I’m able to get closer with other students that I wouldn’t otherwise cross paths with while working towards a collective goal,” Kerpel said.

Show day highlights the hard work of the TDC executive board, choreographers and dancers in a jaw-dropping performance.

With their dancing, people show off their talent and collaborative efforts to make something special. Everyone works together to make sure everyone is safe and feels comfortable performing.

“My favorite part was probably getting to perform in the show and getting to watch everyone else perform. It’s really fun to see everyone else’s dances and what they created,” Van Gelder said.

TDC will be back in the spring semester with new dances and applications. Anyone interested in applying should follow @realtuftsdancecollective on Instagram and attend the general interest meeting in the spring. “[ TDC] is so magical … because just the fact that everyone gets to devote a whole day just to carefree, silly [and] make a fool of themselves is my favorite thing in the whole world about TDC,” As always, here are my gut reactions: Pax latke Reuben: Great combo.

Make sure to bring napkins.

Pan Asia bowl: A solid quick bite. Request extra curry sauce.

First-Year Feast taco bar: Thoughtful and generous, but I overfilled my taco.

Finally, I appreciate my readers, who have munched with me through my first semester at Tufts.

Thank you! Hopefully, you’ve been inspired to try some of the delicious food options I’ve reviewed, available both on campus and in Davis Square (and skipped the not-so-impressive ones).

Whether you feast on ham, sufganiyot or seven fishes, may the holidays be restful and filling. To paraphrase the words of Mariah Carey, all I want for Christmas … is food!

Max Druckman is a first-year who has yet to declare a major.

Max can be reached at max. druckman@tufts.edu.

THE TUFTS DAILY

Arts & Pop Culture

Thursday, December 11, 2023

5

A R T S & P O P C U LT U R E Roxane Gay doesn’t hold back in ‘Opinions’ Natalie Bricker Staff Writer

Roxane Gay, bestselling author and opinion writer, spoke at the Cambridge Rindge & Latin School on Oct. 28. She spoke about her recent novel, “Opinions: A Decade of Arguments, Criticism, and Minding Other People’s Business” which features a collection of her essays from the past decade.

Throughout her writing career, Gay’s writing has maintained a distinct voice: straightforward and blunt. She doesn’t sugarcoat anything, and this was exemplified in her talk; when asked how she was feeling, Gay joked, “I mean, it depends if you pretend the rest of the world doesn’t exist.”

She addressed her status as a public figure, admitting: “I wouldn’t recommend it.” She also covers this topic in the “Introduction” section of her new book: “There are the trolls who look for your most tender weak-

nesses, the places where you are too vulnerable, and then they dig and dig at you. … The cruelty can be relentless and heartbreaking” (p. xxii). Nevertheless, Gay does her best to ignore the trolls and continue publishing her opinions, proving that her sharing her ideas is more important than listening to cruel criticism.

At her Cambridge event, Gay called her new novel a “time capsule” of her work, which is the perfect way to describe the collection of essays. She’s organized each section of the novel in chronological order. It’s fascinating to read through them and be taken back to pre-COVID-19 or pre-2020 elections. Readers are able to reflect on the opinions they held during the time when each essay was published.

Gay’s intelligence was apparent in her frequent witty remarks.

She cracked jokes that pushed past the line of the “typical book talk topic,” such as her tangents about the Fast and Furious movie series, after admitting that her

“So Fast, So Damn Furious” piece is her favorite piece in the collection. This light-hearted piece is one which breaks up the intense essays in her novel. She told the audience why this balance is important: “[We should] recognize that yes, things are actually quite terrible. But we should also highlight the things that make us joyful, because otherwise, what are we fighting for, and all of the justice-oriented work that we do?

And that’s why I did include a few funny pieces in the book to remind everyone like, it’s okay to also laugh. We can do both.”

Besides “So Fast, So Damn Furious,” one of the standout pieces in “Opinions” is “The Case Against Hope.” Originally published in the New York Times in 2019, this piece is just as relevant today as it was then. In the essay, Gay says, “Because I write about difficult subjects — gender, sexual violence, sexuality, race — people wondering ‘Now what?’ often ask me about hope.” She goes on to say that she “doesn’t traffic

in hope,” but rather, “Realism is more my ministry.” This realistic point of view is apparent in Gay’s work. No matter the focal point of her articles, Gay’s writing breaks down concepts and recent events in a way that acknowledges the range of opinions on the topic, pushing readers to think about every angle.

The second part of the talk was dedicated to questions.

Audience members asked insightful questions and Gay took her time to answer each one in detail, talking directly to the audience member who’d asked the question. In response to one such question, Gay explained that she’s selective about when she shares her opinion: “Just because you have an opinion does not actually mean it needs to be expressed. And so I am working on knowing when to say something and when to listen.”

One of Gay’s strengths is powerful, punchy ending lines.

Lines like “I have a voice and I am going to use it, as loud-

ly as I can” (“Hate That Doesn’t Hide [on Trump’s Presidency]”).

Or: “I am ready to fight for the future, no matter what it holds.

Are you?” (“I Am Shattered but Ready to Fight”). Gay concluded her talk much like she ends her essays, saying: “It’s just gonna be rough for the next while … the next year is gonna suck. I don’t have any nice words for you about that.” Gay has always shared her opinions honestly, bluntly and unapologetically and seems committed to continuing to do so.

Luckily for fans of her work, Gay has more novels coming out in the near future; when asked if she’d ever write a children’s book, Gay responded, “I’m open to it,” and shared she’s “writing a YA novel that will be out in 2025.” She also announced a book of writing advice that will be coming out the same year.

The main takeaway from her talk and new novel is: Gay won’t be holding back her opinions any time soon.

‘Exception to the Rule’: An exceptional production by Envision Black Theater Jennifer May

Contributing Writer

On Dec. 1 and 2, Curtis Hall was transformed into a lively after-school detention room for Envision Black Theater’s production of “Exception to the Rule” (2022). The audience watched as six students experiencing detention for different reasons chatted, flirted and argued. As time passes without any sign of the detention monitor, the tension increases as the students decide whether to stay or go. Throughout the play, we learn more about the characters and their relationship with the school system.

“Exception to the Rule,” by playwright Dave Harris, is set in an inner-city public high school. The play begins with six students arriving at detention one by one, each bringing a distinctive personality and perspective. We are first introduced to Mikayla (Ayah Harper) and Tommy (Pauly Osmond), whose playful conversation about Mikayla’s ex instantly intrigues the audience. Abdul (Wanci Nana) isn’t so interested in socializing and keeps to himself, maintaining a reserved attitude. Dayrin (Ayomide Oloyede) joins Mikayla and Tommy’s conversation when he enters the classroom and speaks his mind. Dasani (Sarah Simmons) is spirited and sweet, but nonetheless argumentative when the time calls for it.

Lastly, Erika ( Jenny Brown), also known as “college-bound Erika,” arrives to the surprise of the five other students.

Chance Walker, co-founder of Envision Black Theater,

COURTESY JENNIFER MAY

Cast members in “Exception to the Rule” are pictured. explained why she chose “Exception to the Rule” as the theater group’s second show.

She was introduced to the play in her sophomore year at a staged reading by Front Porch Arts Collective, co-founded by Maurice Parent, a Tufts professor of theater, dance, and performance studies. “Exception to the Rule” had a lot of what she was looking for in a play.

“Envision wants to tell stories that are just different from what’s been out there that highlight Black joyful experiences, Black art, not just trauma, and [stories] that are funny and deep and good,” Walker said. “‘Exception to the Rule’ does that.”

The play is structurally similar to “Waiting for Godot” and “The Breakfast Club,” but differs thematically in its portray-

al of education, community and opportunity. The characters have unique backstories yet find commonality in their experiences through conversation. One of the central issues addressed in the play is how educational institutions impose rules and create a culture that effectively marginalizes Black students. Tensions run high between Erika and Dayrin over their future paths and differing attitudes towards school, and internalized racism is brought to the forefront. The restlessness of the atmosphere is enhanced by the unknown hour, announced every so often over the loudspeaker in a muffled voice. There is a feeling of being trapped, which is especially stressful to Tommy, who experiences panic when there is an indication of danger

by a loud noise. In their time spent together in detention, the students come to know one another and empathize with each other.

The dialogue’s strength is in its ability to articulate serious topics while also being playful and heartfelt. The dynamic between characters on stage and each actor’s delivery of their lines was consistently impactful. There was a feeling of connection between the audience and the actors, no doubt supported by the theater-in-the-round set up.

The moments of support and understanding between characters were time-stopping and fully immersive. Nuanced lines were timed and delivered with profundity.

Although the theater group was working with a limited

budget, they were able to create a convincing and uplifting environment for the performance. According to Walker, their budget came entirely from the ticket sales of their first show. Details such as academic papers posted on the wall and desks arranged on stage created a realistic classroom setting.

Walker credits the production team and stage manager Loey Waterman with helping the show run smoothly.

The incredible performances given by the show’s actors can be attributed not only to their talent, but also to their attention and dedication to character development. When asked about the process, Walker explained some of what the team was considering in their effort to bring the story to life.

“We did a lot of character work, a lot of imagining, ‘Where do these people come from? What is their background? What do they go home to?’, and just sitting down and thinking about how we as people can relate to the very human desires that the characters have,” Walker said.

This empathy was evident in each actor’s performance and clearly resonated with the audience. Throughout Saturday night’s performance, audience members around the room were cheering on and enthusiastically responding to the characters.

For Walker, this was very rewarding to witness.

“You go to a show like Saturday, and you see how engaged people are,” Walker said. “You see the energy from the crowd, and it’s like, ‘Wow, all this hard work really paid off.’”

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F&G

THE TUFTS DAILY

Thursday, December 11, 2023

Fun & Games

Late Night At The Daily Olivia: “Claire is a staff writer because she’s on staff and she’s a writer.”

Fun & Games

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Difficulty Level: Cole slaw.

Puzzle 1 (Very hard, difficulty rating 0.76)

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The deadline to apply is December 15 for seniors (GSAS and SOE) and March 15 for juniors (GSAS only). gradadmissions@tufts.edu | 617-627-3395

Benefits of a Fifth-Year Master’s Degree • Earn your bachelor’s degree and master’s degree • GRE scores not required • Application fee and enrollment deposit are waived • Only two letters of recommendation are required • Generous scholarships are available*

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* The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences will provide a graduate tuition scholarship proportional to the undergraduate tuition award at the time of application. Learn more about School of Engineering tuition savings opportunities at go.tufts.edu/SOEfifthyear

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THE TUFTS DAILY

Opinion

Thursday, December 11, 2023

7

O pinion VIEWPOINT

Red versus blue or red, white and blue?

Reya Kumar

Deputy Opinion Editor

On Nov. 30, California Governor Gavin Newsom and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis faced off in what Fox News billed as the “Great Red vs.

Blue State Debate.” Moderated by conservative Fox News host Sean Hannity, the debate drew 4.75 million viewers. But only one of the men in the debate is running for president, so what was the point?

Hannity claimed that he wanted to highlight “political and philosophical divides in this country.” For DeSantis, this debate was an opportunity to tout his conservative policies over liberal ones for the largely conservative Fox News viewership while support for his presidential campaign is dwindling. Newsom, on the other hand, has less clearly discernible ambitions. He has expressed unequivocal support for President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign and staunchly defended the administration’s policies throughout the debate, leaving the possibility of a 2028 presidential run on the table.

Despite Hannity’s claim that he would be moderating and “not be part of the debate,” the questions were far from fair to Newsom. Hannity’s questions largely ignored areas where California does much better than Florida including a high-

er median income and longer life expectancy. California has better health outcomes in general with lower rates of cancer death, infant mortality, teen births, accidental deaths and suicide according to the CDC. In addition, California’s GDP per capita last year was 48% higher than Florida’s.

Despite DeSantis’ posturing about the negative economic effects of California’s COVID19 lockdowns, Florida’s real per capita GDP only grew by 13.1% between 2017–22, while California’s GDP grew by 16.6%.

The questions Hannity did ask were also biased. For example, on a question about taxes, Hannity stated that “property taxes are lower in California, but everything else is higher,” despite the fact that the vastly different tax systems make the states difficult to compare.

Newsom pointed to the deep inequity in Florida’s tax structure, which was corroborated

by PolitiFact, though his point was ignored by DeSantis. In fact, households in the bottom 20% of income paid 10.5% of their income in taxes in California compared to 12.7% in Florida and households in the top 1% in California paid 12.4% of their income in taxes while wealthy Floridians paid only 2.3%. On the issue of guns, Hannity brought up stats on how in 2019, when both governors took office, California

GRAPHIC BY ALIZA KIBEL had more mass shootings than Florida despite having the most restrictive gun laws of any state.

This framing, meant to show that gun control doesn’t work, completely ignores the fact that California has almost twice the population of Florida and that mass shootings represent just a fraction of gun deaths in America. While Newsom’s claim that Florida has a 66% higher gun death rate than California was a bit off, the actual percentage of 57% isn’t much better.

The debate frequently devolved into absurdity. In multiple instances, DeSantis pulled printouts from his jacket. One was a page from a sexually explicit graphic novel, “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe, which he unfoundedly claimed is taught to children in California, in response to a question about parental rights.

Later, he brandished a map plotting “the human feces that

are found on the streets of San Francisco.” As the Sacramento Bee explained, the data was collected from a dated app called SnapCrap between 2011–19 — not exactly a fresh source. Newsom also wasn’t free of laughable moments.

In a question about what he liked about Florida — which he turned into a closing statement — Newsom stated, “we all want to be protected, respected and connected,” a rhyme almost as tacky as the debate’s title.

While Biden and his policies were brought up consistently throughout the debate, with Newsom acting as his proxy and DeSantis making a case against him, what was clearly missing was any discussion of former President Donald Trump.

By this point, it is increasingly apparent that Trump will be the Republican nominee against Biden in 2024, which made the fact that Biden’s policies

were contrasted with DeSantis’ Florida record in this debate seem almost silly.

So, who won the debate?

Post-debate fact checking from trusted sources such as PolitiFact and the New York Times found that both candidates misrepresented each other and the facts at different points in the debate. Following the debate, Fox News proclaimed that DeSantis “absolutely destroyed” Newsom who “embarrassed himself ” by disputing “indisputable facts.” On the other side of the aisle, the Daily Beast declared that “Newsom Demolished DeSantis Using the One Thing Republicans Hate” — facts. This response from the two camps exemplifies what this debate really showed: Americans are living in two different realities.

In his final answer, Newsom spouted another cliché — “it’s not about red versus blue, it’s red, white and blue.” After watching this debate, I didn’t come away with new information about either of the governors, their policies or their potential to be president. All the debate did was highlight the fundamental and insurmountable division between conservative and liberal political ideologies in America. If we can’t agree on which facts to start with, how can we find solutions to the problems we face as a nation?

VIEWPOINT

Liam Chalfonte Staff Writer

A couple of weeks ago, I opened my phone to a message from one of my best friends that made my stomach drop. “The debt collectors called,” she said. Last year, she went through family-related financial difficulty and was unable to pay for her spring semester tuition in full. Suddenly, $6,000 of debt had been dropped into her lap, and there was seemingly nothing she could do about it. Working paycheck to paycheck in food service and having already transferred to community college to keep costs down, she started scrambling to figure out how to stay financially afloat. Later in our conversation, she asked, “Is it selfish to start some sort of GoFundMe for this?”

While it’s easy to see a case like this as an outlier, she is far from alone. Public colleges in

Students are being crushed by tuition debt Massachusetts alone have sent debt collectors after almost 12,000 students who have fallen behind on tuition, even when these students are doing everything in their power to pay. State law mandates that colleges notify students for debt collection once the tuition is 90 days past due. This means that anyone who’s had unexpected financial hardship will have less than three months to put together costly tuition money.

This issue is disturbingly common, especially because the rules are so draconian. Some students can be put through this process despite only owing $100 to their school. And, of course, once the tuition deadline is missed, the late fees and interest start piling up. At Tufts, the late fee is a 1.5% compounded monthly interest. For students who already cannot afford tuition, this amounts to pouring salt in an open wound.

Even more concerning, the options for students who have fallen behind on tuition payments are distressingly few and often put students in an even more financially precarious position. Most online resources have few solutions to point you to other than loans, which are largely private ones that are often harder to pay off. Other solutions aren’t much better. Stilt Inc., a loan service that focuses on providing financial help and advice to immigrants and immigrant students, even recommends asking family and friends, and yes, crowdfunding, as some of the best options for how to escape debt from unpaid tuition. Frankly, it’s pretty clear that a system is broken when one of the best solutions to the issue is to beg strangers for money online.

The consequences of late tuition can be incredibly damaging. Many colleges withhold

transcripts of students who are late on tuition, which can prevent students from graduating. In fact, a report done in 2020 found that 6.6 million students in public colleges and universities were unable to get their transcripts due to late tuition. As scary as that sounds, some colleges take it even further. Here at Tufts, you might see a registration hold or a withdrawal of registration. At Harvard University, you can be dropped from your classes; at Boston University, you can be dropped from classes and “denied access to all University facilities and services.” Brandeis University goes a step further, threatening suspension, dismissal and a refusal to allow your credits to transfer, essentially trapping students in a money pit with little hope of a degree at the end.

Worst of all, when colleges send debt to debt collectors,

they very likely will notify credit bureaus. This debt can hurt your credit score, which can impact your ability to take out loans in the future. This can create a vicious cycle that dooms low-income students’ hopes of financial betterment after college.

It’s understandable that colleges want to ensure they get the money they are charging, but that doesn’t justify the horrifically punitive system in place today. It also doesn’t change the fact that my friend — who had to turn to crowdfunding to maintain her financial situation — must now fend off debt collectors and contend with the issues that this debt brings. Colleges must be more understanding of students whose financial difficulties prevent them from paying. Moreover, the law needs to protect the students who can’t afford another fee, not the colleges who already charge exorbitantly for tuition.

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Opinion

VIEWPOINT

Neoliberalism won’t save us from the far right Ben Choucroun Staff Writer

On Sept. 11, 1973, the U.S. overthrew the democratically elected socialist government of Chile. In its place, fascist military officers led by Augusto Pinochet took power, crushing opposition and infamously throwing political dissidents out of helicopters. The regime also brought in a group of American economists, known as the Chicago Boys, who immediately privatized much of Chile’s economy and created one of the first neoliberal economies in the world. Soon, neoliberal policies were implemented in much of the Western world, most prominently in the U.S. and Britain. Though these policies proved disastrous wherever they were applied, under the austere gaze of former President Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, Britain’s former prime minister, neoliberal globalization soon spread across the world.

Neoliberalism still rules the world today, manifested in more personable yet equally exploitative politicians like U.S. President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron. Yet perhaps the most dangerous element of neoliberalism is not its unfettered submission to international trade organizations, nor its savage reliance on union busting and corporate power, but its

dialectic relationship with far-right policies.

Nowhere is this dynamic more pronounced than in Argentina, where neoliberalism’s failures have led to the election of far-right president Javier Milei.

Neoliberalism in Argentina can trace its roots back to the 1976 U.S.-backed coup that overthrew former Argentina President Isabel Perón and installed a fascist military regime. The U.S.-backed dictatorship was led by former Argentina President Jorge Videla, nicknamed “The Hitler of the Pampa.” In what became known as the Dirty War, the Argentinian government ruthlessly persecuted communists and political dissidents, killing an estimated 30,000 people. Videla’s government reserved a special hatred toward Jews, torturing many to the sound of Adolf Hitler’s speeches in concentration camps adorned with swastikas. All the while, the far-right dictatorship ushered in neoliberal economic policies, privatizing industries and buddying up with multinational loan organizations such as the International Monetary Fund. All of this was done in close cooperation with the Reagan administration.

Though Argentina’s military dictatorship collapsed in 1983, neoliberalism only continued to intensify. Argentina’s government took out massive IMF loans and privatized its Social Security program. These neoliberal

policies caused massive economic crises and inflation. Under the barrel of debttrap diplomacy, wielded by the IMF and the World Bank, Argentina was never able to stabilize its economy, leading to public dissatisfaction with the liberal state of affairs. This dissatisfaction is what propelled Argentina President Javier Milei into office this past month.

Javier Milei’s policies are, of course, completely insane. Milei wants to take a “chainsaw” to public spending and social services.

Milei has defended Argentina’s previous Nazi dictatorship, appointed a so-called former Neo-Nazi as head of the top legal officer in Argentina, publicly supported Israel as it commits genocide, and claims to take advice from a cloned dog. Milei has even assumed the alter-ego of “General AnCap,” referencing the ridiculous and contradictory ideology of anarcho-capitalism.

In order to defeat the far right, we must do more than vote for the neoliberal politicians that give rise to fascists. We must organize against the capitalist, settler-colonial systems that dominate our world. Be that joining an affinity group, a revolutionary party or taking direct action against the state that enforces capitalism, grassroots movements are the only way to stop the far right, not liberal politicians like Biden.

VIEWPOINT

Meme them, don’t meme us: Political satire in America

Gretta Goorno Staff Writer

Originally published Dec. 6.

Though the digital age has certainly changed the style in which American politicians, or their communication directors, relate to younger voters, the practice of satirizing the opponent while bolstering oneself via imagery has always been a fundamental part of American politics.

Freed from colonial rule, the first American citizens bashed King George III through exaggerated depictions. Opponents of Andrew Jackson drew him up as a tyrannical monarch who ruled the nation unjustly.

“King Andrew the First, Born to Command” was a surly insult in a nation recently seceded from Britain. Political prints would continue to grow in popularity in the newly formed U.S. Even by 1870, a large portion of the adult population — more than 20% — was illiterate, so these prints allowed commentators to appeal to a broader audience. Towards the latter half of the 19th century, cartoonist Thomas Nast received widespread fame for his drawings in Harper’s Weekly magazine.

He commented on seven administrations and his cartoons helped sway public opinion in favor of Abraham Lincoln. Political cartoons would become a staple in American politics. From William Howard Taft to Dwight D. Eisenhower to Richard Nixon, no one was safe from the satirist’s pen.

With the invention of the internet, memes have replaced political cartoons as the major medium for such biting and boosting

political commentary. As of 2023, there are approximately 161.7 million Instagram users, 243.58 million Facebook users, 95.6 million X (formerly Twitter) users and 102.3 million TikTok users in the U.S. A recent survey on social media behavior by YPulse details that 75% of 13–36-year-olds share memes, with 55% sending every week and 30% sending them daily. A 2020 Harris Poll concluded that 55% of Americans shared at least one political meme in the previous three months.

More than a third said they share them daily.

This data is dangerous. Memes affect politics. They have been linked to politician-centered frustration and conspiracy theories. They have been correlated with polarization and cynicism. Yet, memes continue to be spread. In an age of efficiency, it is easier to post an infographic or send a meme rather than explain the nuances of complex topics. Quite possibly, our political situation has become so dire that we can do nothing but laugh.

Truth be told, it is unlikely that the fly on former Vice President Mike Pence‘s head swayed any former President Donald Trump voters. Leftist media had a field day though, for the fly toyed with the notion of Pence as a staunch, stiff traditionalist: “The fly was the black spot in the ointment of Mr. Pence’s image,” Vanessa Friedman of the New York Times wrote. The image became an internet hit.

Candidates themselves have increasingly understood the importance of memes.

Heels became the highlight of the Nov. 8 Republican presidential primary debate, as Vivek Ramaswamy critiqued both

VIA JOE BIDEN / FLICKR

The 2020 Presidential Debate is pictured.

THE TUFTS DAILY

Thursday, December 11, 2023

Nikki Haley, Former UN Ambassador and South Carolina Gov., and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over their explicit, or apparent, use of said shoes. Using the meme, Ramaswamy targeted DeSantis, seemingly for being insecure in his height — or masculinity — and thus needing an extra boost. At the same time, he targeted Haley, suggesting she was a frivolous woman obsessed with her heels.

Haley could not be defeated in the meme war; thus, she had to chime back, “I don’t wear them unless [I] can run in them” and “they’re not for a fashion statement, they’re for ammunition.”

Even Trump and President Joe Biden are joining in on the meme action, despite their old age. Trump has been known to appeal to younger audiences by creating simple slogans that can easily be meme-ified: “Crooked Hillary,” “Sleepy Joe,” “Never Surrender” and so on. Naturally, Trump’s campaign website features merchandise of his famous slogans. His team has also given out merchandise with popular phrases, such as “Let’s go Brandon,” the chant meant to implicitly say “F— Biden.” There is even a picture of Trump’s mugshot next to a “Never Surrender” caption — a clear attempt to turn Trump into a victim of the unjust left.

Although Biden is admittedly a lot less effective at energizing young voters, his young media and merchandise directors are picking up the slack. The best-selling shirt right now on the Biden-Harris campaign’s website is a laser-eyed Biden that co-opts “Let’s go Brandon,” creating a new “Dark Brandon” version of President Biden that vanquishes malarkey with ease. The Democratic Party’s official TikTok account recently posted a video in which Biden sips from a Dark Brandon mug.

Though some memes revolve around candidates’ policies, the majority are around character, and they encourage us to make quick personality-based judgements.

Politicians’ personalities play an important role in voter decisions. This is practical; the character of a politician matters. At the end of the day, though, the policies enacted have the most broad and longest-lasting effects.

Rhetoric is one thing; action is another.

Rhetoric alone does not kill millions or detain children or repeal environmental laws. Do not get lost in the meme.

Justin Hong The Budget Line

Thinking of buying the MBTA semester pass?

Don’t bother

T

he last day of class is upon us and only finals remain between us and the sweet escape of winter break.

We did it, Joe! Whether it was your first semester or if you’ve only got one more left, it’s an exciting but hectic time of year.

It’s also time to plan out next semester. I know, it seems early, but, let’s face it, you’re probably not going to get to all those things you want to do over the break.

One thing you can plan for right now is something that comes around at the end of every semester. It’s a perennial question that’s befuddled Tufts students for years: Should you buy the MBTA pass?

For most, it’s a resounding “no.” Even for combined-degree students that must commute to and from the SMFA for class, it’s probably not worth it. The passes offered only work between February and May, leaving students on their own during the first two weeks of the semester.

The LinkPass, which grants users unlimited access to bus, ferry and subway rides, is the one most people would buy and costs $320. This is only an 11% discount from the non-student price but paying for the pass requires an additional 4% credit card processing fee, which brings the grand total to a pricier $332.80.

To break even with the LinkPass, you need to take the subway 139 times. That translates to about 11 times a week between Feb. 1 and the last day of finals. Even if you’re a combined-degree student or have a part-time job that requires you to use the MBTA, you’d likely need to take trips beyond just your commute to break even.

If your schedule requires you to be downtown every weekday, taking 10 subway rides per week, you’d be down over $20 by the end of the semester. Take it just six times a week? Buying the pass will cost you an extra $145.60.

In total, you would need to spend at least $25.60 on MBTA fares per week over the 13 weeks between Feb. 1 and the last day of finals to make the pass worth it.

Even if you stick around after finals, it’s hard to break even. By leaving on the last day of finals, May 10, you forfeit three weeks of your pass. Staying until the month’s end means you’d still have to take the subway nine times a week or spend $20.80 on MBTA fares per week.

No matter what, you’d need to take a lot of bus or train rides. The series of track closures planned over the coming year will only make it harder to take enough rides to break even. There are very few who would be well served by buying the discounted pass. The semester’s logistics combined with the T’s well-documented problems make it a bad idea all around.

Justin is a senior studying American studies. He can be reached at justin.hong@ tufts.edu.

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Thursday, December 11, 2023

SPORTS

9

SPORTS

VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The UEFA Champions League ball is pictured.

Sixteen dreams for European glory Bharat Singh Sports Editor

Alejandro Garnacho might have scored the goal of the season against Everton, but the jitters from Argentina’s magical strike would soon fade on the back of a potentially season-defining draw in Turkey. Before Manchester United’s trip to Istanbul on Nov. 29, qualification for the knockout stage was in their hands. The historic treble-winners started strong, Garnacho riding high from the weekend as he scored the first goal. In the 18th minute, captain Bruno Fernandes doubled the lead. But just as football writers prepared their match reports confirming Man United’s qualification, two costly goalkeeping errors from André Onana gifted Galatasaray a 3–3 draw.

Oliver Fox Sports and Society

A platform for greatness

D

ear valuable Sports and Society consumers, I will be studying abroad in Germany next semester, so with the semester coming to a close, this will be the last Sports and Society column for at least a really long time — potentially ever. However, instead of writing some sappy introspective summation of all we’ve learned, I’m just going to keep things like they usually are and send the column out just like it came into this world: by

With that draw, Group A is wide open. Apart from Bayern Munich, who are locked in first, all teams could qualify for the Round of 16. On the final matchday, United host the undefeated Bavarian giants, while Galatasaray travels to Denmark to face FC Copenhagen. A win for either would book their tickets to the knockouts, but a draw would give Man United a chance if they were to beat Bayern Munich. It’ll be interesting to see Thomas Tuchel’s selection for Bayern, as there’s nothing on the line for his team. On the flip side, Man United must start with a dynamic, attacking lineup, hoping to score early and then protect their lead.

Group B sees Arsenal locked in first, while PSV Eindhoven looks likely to follow in second.

Sevilla, Sergio Ramos’s boyhood club, are rock bottom but will hope to win on the final matchday to boost their chances for Europa League qualification.

In Group C, serial winners Real Madrid are poised to finish first with Napoli, last season’s semi-finalists, sitting in second. Group D is set with Inter Milan and Real Sociedad tied for first with 11 points each. Their midweek clash in Milan will determine who takes the top spot. Like Group D, Group E has its top two secured with Atletico Madrid and Lazio outclassing Feyenoord and Celtic in previous matches. Atletico will be favored to top the group as they host Maurizio Sarri’s Lazio on Wednesday.

When this year’s draw was announced, the group on everyone’s mind was Group F. The

“group of death” dealt four teams all capable of beating each other, with star-studded squads and tournament history to boast of. Kylian Mbappe-inspired PSG, seven-time winners A.C Milan, talent-factory Borussia Dortmund and recently Saudibought Newcastle United have all locked horns over the last few months. Dortmund are first with 10 points and have qualified for the next round. They host second-place PSG who will hope to leapfrog their German rivals Borussia Dortmund, but will have to defeat them with a significant goal margin. If they lose, however, both Newcastle and A.C. Milan have a chance to grab second spot with a win. It’s anybody’s game.

Groups G and H are more straightforward. Manchester

City, defending champions, and R.B Leipzig will be first and second in Group G, while Barcelona should top Group H as they face Antwerp in their final match. The second spot in that group will be decided in what promises to be a fiery encounter between Porto and Shakhtar Donetsk. With a superior goal difference, Porto can qualify with a draw and might set up defensively. Portuguese legend José Macia, AKA “Pepe,” who is also the oldest goalscorer in the competition’s history, will anchor Porto’s defensive line.

The final matchday promises to be a memorable one in this year’s Champions League.

Several underdogs dream of knockout glory as major heavyweights face elimination.

Drama awaits.

overthinking relatively simple concepts.

On Oct. 3, I wrote: “Hindsight is always 20/20, so it’s easy to blame the bad season on the Angels for not trading [Shohei] Ohtani. The season amounting to nothing will feel particularly bad for fans if Ohtani just ends up with the Los Angeles Dodgers and calls it a career.”

And then this very thing happened, to the tune of 10 years and $700 million. I’ll leave any and all baseball analysis to Henry Blickenstaff, my colleague and writer of the Extra Innings column, but I’m here to tell you why Ohtani going to the Dodgers is good for sports.

On paper, this looks like a classic case of the rich getting richer. The team with all the money and the name-brand

players gets the best player of the generation. Everybody knew this was going to happen, and despite some erroneous flight-tracking lunacy saying Ohtani was headed to Toronto, the Dodgers made much more sense.

This kind of thing happens with player movement across professional sports. Most of the time, despite speculation that some wild alternative outcome will shock the world, things usually play out in the most logical way.

Woah, Aaron Judge could go to the San Francisco Giants? Amazing — oh, he just went back to the New York Yankees. Wow, James Harden might actually play for the Philadelphia 76ers? Or maybe he could get traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves … for Karl Anthony-Towns? What a

fun and cool outcome — nope, he just went to the Los Angeles Clippers like everyone thought he would.

Ohtani lives in Los Angeles already, so moving across the street to a way cooler team with a way cooler history and way cooler colors and logos was just a perfect fit. The Dodgers have all the money in the world, so this was perfect.

But beyond all the trading is the part that is important for sports in general: getting the good players on good teams. Unlike the NBA and NFL, the MLB is a local product. Very few games are nationally televised, and I don’t even know how I would go about watching some random Angels game on a Tuesday in June.

As a frequent watcher of Red Sox games (but only a ‘when-

they-play-the-Red-Sox’ watcher of every other team), Ohtani’s greatness went tragically under the radar for everyone other than Angels fans. But, never fear! I’m sure we will all get to see him in the playoffs, right?

Wrong. Ohtani never made the playoffs since his team was wholly unequipped to get there, and herein lies the value of the Dodgers move: they are pretty much always going to make the playoffs with their payroll, so the world will hopefully get to see the greatness of Ohtani in October.

At the end of the day, greatness needs a platform. The Dodgers will give him that.

Oliver Fox is a junior studying history. He can be reached at oliver.fox@tufts.edu.