2-19-18 by University Daily Kansan

THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904

SPORTS

INSIDE Former Student Senate vice president could be the first openly gay state legislator p. 2

Udoka Azubuike stepped up in a big way against West Virginia on Saturday The University Daily Kansan

vol. 136 // iss. 12 Mon., Feb. 19, 2018

How a business owner turned her “mess” into a vintage story p. 9

SEE AZUBUIKE • PAGE 11

MSG’s fight for legitimacy In the midst of further conflicts between Multicultural Student Government and Student Senate, the Kansan traces MSG’s tumultuous evolution from Rock Chalk Invisible Hawk to funding faceoffs

SAVANNA SMITH @savsmith20 “I had to be convinced a long time ago that this University did not love me.” Trinity Carpenter, a School of Social Welfare graduate student and founding member of Multicultural Student Government said her undergraduate experience at the University was not what she envisioned and it launched her into action. Carpenter said she watched a professor stand up in front of the class and share her story of growth, that until the age of 22 she thought all black people smelled like bleach because the only black people she knew had been in the cleaning industry. Carpenter said another professor asked her how she could ever be a professional in her field if she didn’t believe in the status quo, something Carpenter said she believes means inequalities and oppression. “I was told that as long as you do the work, you’ll be fine,” Carpenter said. “My journey at this University never should have been this difficult … I very quickly became disenchanted and I vocalized that and then I became involved.” Carpenter was the first chair of MSG when it wasfunded by Student Senate. The organization has gone through many changes from its conception to its formation as a legitimized Senate subsidiary and now its future is unclear. “All I can hope at this point is that the blood, sweat and tears and outright failures of people who put activism into Multicultural Student Government is a place that continues to benefit marginalized students,” Carpenter said.

PAST

MSG’s journey in the public eye began nearly two years ago when Rock Chalk Invisible Hawk members Jameelah Jones and Kat Rainey, who have since graduat-

Bettina Bugatto/KANSAN Vice President of Multicultural Student Government Anthonio Humphrey speaks at a Senate meeting on Wednesday to discuss the decision to take power away from MSG. ed, began advocating for the creation of the independent student government during a Senate fee review, which occurs every year and decides how to allocate the money brought in by student fees to different University organizations. In March 2016, MSG was next in line to make history as the first University multicultural student government to receive funding from the institution. After the fee review bill was passed, leaders waited for approval from University administration. Anger and confusion replaced celebration when then-Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little’s vetoed the fee for MSG, which at the time was asking for $2 per student every semester. A year later, Trinity Carpenter took the lead and returned to Senate to advocate for the fee. Carpenter said MSG was necessary because of the dominance of white Greek life that Senate allowed, she said, by the coalition system. Historically, she said, Greek life has dominated the system in which can-

didates run as a collective, resembling a party system. She said Senate lacked representation of multicultural groups and a separate autonomous group was necessary to be the voice of marginalized students.

“I’m not comfortable putting student dollars in their hands for the coming fiscal year.” Mady Womack student body president

This time, history was made. MSG was granted a piece of the Student Senate Activity Fee which gave them half of what was originally asked for in 2016. The decision to include this in the budget was approved by the Board of Regents. “At the end of the day, we’re trying to come up with an innovative solution so that all students are represented when you’re allocat-

Collin Biery/KANSAN Graduate student and founding member of MSG Trinity Carpenter speaks about the creation of MSG, what she wanted the organization to achieve and what it means to her.

ing our student fee,” Carpenter said. In the final days of former President Stephon Alcorn’s tenure, Alcorn and Carpenter signed a Memorandum of Agreement, which defines a budget for MSG and requires cultural competency for peer educators and collaboration with Senate. MSG became a subsidiary of Senate and was passed on to Student Body President Mady Womack and Carpenter.

PRESENT

MSG rose up out of the desire for a voice at the University, and is now faced with re-establishing its role representing marginalized students. Last Tuesday, Senate sent a press release that said it would no longer be funding MSG. After being granted the funding not even a year ago, the newly legitimized group functioned for one semester before funding was pulled. “I’m not comfortable putting student dollars in their hands for the coming fiscal year,” Student Body President Mady Womack said. She made the decision early last week to dissolve the Memorandum of Agreement that placed MSG under Senate purview. The MOA was dissolved due to multiple violations including misuse of funds and lack of collaboration with the Multicultural Affairs Committee. Womack said MSG President Anthonio Humphrey told MA at the end of last semester that MSG was no longer willing to collaborate on events. “I think we got caught in a confusing spot of trying to elevate MSG in certain aspects, but then we weren’t sure what to take to MA,” Womack said, “so I think this is a good opportunity to do the work that should have been done.” Rusha Bajpai, director of diversity and inclusion for Senate, said this was con-

cerning because MSG expressed that there wasn’t room for multicultural students in Senate while in a room of students with marginalized identities who were a part of Senate. “We understand the purpose is to improve representation of students with marginalized identities as well as networking with different communities, but how does that fit in to different entities that are already doing similar work?” Bajpai said. “It’s great that the work is being done, but we need to find a way to centralize the work.” However Humphrey said he did not feel as if he was included in discussions about Senate’s decision and disagrees that there were any clear violations of the MOA, as he believes it is vague and poorly written. The MOA lists no grounds for dissolvement. Though there is internal conflict with MSG after the removal of its president, Chiquita Jackson, and chief of staff, Andrew Davis, Carpenter called it “growing pains,” and said it’s normal for groups to go through changes like MSG has in the last few weeks. Carpenter said people should also give credit to the many strides MSG has made for itself and marginalized students. “I’ve had senators come up to me and say ‘No, Trinity, remember how it was before MSG existed? It was worse for a multicultural student senator. We have more power, we have the ability to be more vocal, and we have more support than we ever had in the past,’” Carpenter said. “I feel like MSG was much needed for this university.” She said MSG, being the first of its kind in the nation as a University funded multicultural government, is a value statement in itself. Womack agreed with Carpenter that MSG was started with good intentions, as she was a proponent for the

funding bill to pass when it came up last year. “What this all really comes down to is that Senate’s representation is probably not where it should be when it comes to a diverse representation that can work on these issues,” Womack said. “Senate has a way to go when it comes to representation.” However, she said, “hindsight is 20/20” and MSG’s role was unclear from the beginning. She said there was confusion about what MSG’s role was in collaboration with the Multicultural Affairs Committee, as both groups are set up to serve the marginalized community. Bajpai said MA has grown significantly over the years and now has approximately 20 to 30 members, which is larger than the voting body of MSG was during the removal of the MSG president two weeks ago.

FUTURE

The future of both Multicultural Student Government and the Multicultural Affairs Committee are up for discussion in the following weeks. Leaders of both groups will work to find a solution for the marginalized students they represent. Humphrey said he is willing to move forward with the possibility of negotiating a new contract and collaborating with Senate but he said the group has no plan B if talks are unsuccessful. “Realistically, this is something of importance on this campus so it needs to be preserved any way possible,” Humphrey said. As for MA, Womack said going forward Senate will be elevating the committee and discussing just what that might look like. Earlier this month in funding discussions, she said Senate would allocate $5,000 for committee programing. However, she said she doesn’t want to be the one to dictate how MA can best represent marginalized students. Since Womack had been in favor of MSG’s creation in the past, she said the events of the last few weeks, including executive removals and the violations of the MOA made her think about MSG’s and multicultural students’ place in Senate. “I think that is what really made me think about what is the bigger picture for marginalized students on our campus and how does this work?” Womack said. As for now, MSG will still be able to participate in Senate as a student organization and the groups will continue to meet to discuss the best way to move forward. In these discussions, MSG’s original mission will be ever present. “This is bigger than any of us,” Carpenter said. “There is a better way ... There is a more inclusive way.”

news

Monday, February 19, 2018

staff NEWS MANAGEMENT

Editor-in-chief Chandler Boese

Managing editor Erin Brock

Digital operations editor Brady Maguire

Social media editor Nathan Mize

Associate social media editor Emily Juszczyk ADVERTISING MANAGEMENT

Business manager Baylee Parsons

Sales manager Cooper Scott SECTION EDITORS

News editor Emily Wellborn

Associate news editor Katie Bernard

Sports editor Shaun Goodwin

Associate sports editor Michael Swain

Arts & culture editor Josh McQuade

Associate arts & culture editor Rachel Gaylor

Opinion editor Danya Issawi

Visuals editor & design chief Gracie Williams

Photo editor Missy Minear

Copy chiefs Gabby Cinnamon Emma Green ADVISERS

Chief financial officer Jon Schlitt

Editorial adviser Gerri Berendzen The University Daily Kansan is the student newspaper of the University of Kansas. The first copy is paid through the student activity fee. Additional copies of The Kansan are 50 cents. Subscriptions can be purchased at the Kansan business office, 2051A Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS., 66045. The University Daily Kansan (ISSN 0746-4967) is published on Mondays and Thursdays during the academic year except fall break, spring break and exams. It is published weekly during the summer session excluding holidays. Annual subscriptions by mail are $250 plus tax. Send address changes to The University Daily Kansan, 2051A Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue.

KANSAN MEDIA PARTNERS Check out KUJH-TV on MidCo of Kansas Channel 31 in Lawrence for more on what you’ve read in today’s Kansan and other news. Also see KUJH’s website at tv.ku.edu. KJHK is the student voice in radio. Whether it’s rock ‘n’ roll or reggae, sports or special events, KJHK 90.7 is for you.

2000 Dole Human Development Center 1000 Sunnyside Avenue Lawrence, Kansas, 66045

editor@kansan.com www.kansan.com Newsroom: (785) 864-4552 Advertising: (785) 864-4358

K A N S A N .C O M / N E W S

From Senate to statehouse

Former Student Senate vice president and current KU employee Brandon Woodard sets his sights on the Kansas House RYAN LISTON @RyanListonUDK A University graduate and KU Endowment employee is running for the 30th District of the Kansas House of Representatives as a Democrat. If he wins, he would be the first openly gay member of the Kansas Legislature. Brandon Woodard graduated in December 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in business. He currently works at KU Endowment as a fundraiser for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. On Monday, Woodard announced his campaign for the 30th District, which includes portions of Olathe and Lenexa. “I am running because I’ve lived in Kansas my entire life,” Woodard said. “I grew up here. I went to school here, and I’ve worked and paid taxes here for 10 years. And after I graduated college, I chose to stay in Kansas when my friends were moving across the country.” Woodard said becoming the first gay member of the Kansas Legislature would show that the state is moving in the right direction. “I think that it would signal change and progress in Kansas,” Woodard said. “I believe that LGBT people deserve representation in the Statehouse, but, moreover, I think we need a new generation of leadership in Topeka.” As a student at the University, Woodard was involved in a number of student groups, most notably

Contributed photo Brandon Woodard is a 2013 graduate running for the 30th District of the Kansas House of Representatives and if elected, could become the first openly gay member of the Kansas legislature. serving as Student Senate vice president. In that role, Woodard said he learned how to bring opposing interests together to collaborate. “You have to be able to listen to different opinions,” Woodard said. “You have to learn to hear people both that agree with you and disagree with you, and kind of use that to inform your decision, knowing that you’re not always going to make everyone happy.” In 2012, while still vice president, Woodard was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. Woodard said his campaign wanted to be transparent about the issue and how he handled it. “It really motivated me to utilize the platform of Student Senate to focus on that issue,” Woodard said. “At that time, Uber wasn’t around in Lawrence. Safe-

Bus and SafeRide often had times where you were sitting on hold for 45 minutes to an hour to wait on a SafeRide. Taxis, you were looking at the same thing.” After the incident, Student Senate implemented a program called Responsible Refreshments by partnering with bars and restaurants to provide free non-alcoholic drinks and snacks to people who identified themselves as the designated driver. Woodard said this program was inspired by his experience. Woodard said his campaign will focus on tax reform, investing in public education and providing affordable healthcare. Specifically, Woodard wants to eliminate the sales tax on food, increase funding for public education and expand Medicaid. “For college students,

should I be elected — look, I would be one vote out of 125 in Kansas, but on these core issues where it comes to investing in our state’s future, I hope that I can be a leader when I’m there, and be one more vote closer to what we need to accomplish some of these bigger, bold goals,” Woodard said. In the Democratic primary, Woodard will face Matthew Calcara, who is also openly gay, according to the Kansas City Star. Incumbent Rep. Randy Powell, a Republican, has filed for reelection and is currently running unopposed. Woodard’s campaign manager, Dave Miranda, has nearly eight years of experience running campaigns in Illinois, Virginia, Iowa, North Carolina and Kansas. He has run nine campaigns, some with multiple candidates, and won each of them. He

said winning will require knocking on doors, making phone calls and connecting with voters. “I don’t know that there’s anything too crazy,” Miranda said. “In my experience, winning political campaigns is not rocket science. It’s about having a good message. Whatever message you’re running on needs to be something that is in line with the voters of your district.” Woodard said the district is ready to be flipped from Republican to Democrat, pointing to recent election results as evidence. “The district voted for Hillary Clinton,” Woodard said. “The district voted for Greg Orman. The district voted for Paul Davis. So it’s ripe to elect a Democrat. We just have to have someone that’s willing to step up, raise the money and put in the work that it will take to outwork and outperform Randy Powell, should he be the nominee for the Republicans.” If elected, Woodard said bipartisan work will be imperative to improving the state. “I’m running because we need more consensus-building, coalition-building people that are willing to go to Topeka, that are willing to work with the people of their own party, but as well as both flavors of the other side of the aisle,” Woodard said. “Which I think we need more of in Kansas to be able to accomplish some of the big issues that we’re facing.”

— Edited by Alexandra Martinez

Coalition criticizes Senate’s lost ‘potential’ HANNAH THURMAN @hthurmanUDK The Pine Room of the Kansas Union slowly filled Friday afternoon with a growing buzz of excitement, from which stemmed a new coalition called Jayhawkers. It is the third coalition to join the race for next year’s Student Senate leadership. The few students who stood at the front of the room to speak and address potential platforms all had the same opinion: Things need to change in Senate. Nick Latimer, a senior from Topeka, was the first to speak on how he wants to see Student Senate keep up with promises and change things on campus. “It has the potential to do so many awesome things on campus,” Latimer said. “They used to be able to do great things on campus.” As examples, Latimer referred to the Big Event, the campus bus system and the recreational center, all previous Senate initiatives. Later in the meeting, Latimer was acclimated as elections commission liaison. He said he will keep an “open line of communication” with the elections commissioner and the assistant elections commissioner to make sure that the

Katie Bernard/KANSAN Junior Anna Buhlinger speaks at the Jayhawkers coalition launch about her hopes for the 2018 election cycle. process is “fair and equitable” and follows the election rules. Junior Anna Buhlinger, who also spoke to the crowd about change in Senate, said she understands how hard it can be to make things happen. She worked for the city of Lawrence her sophomore year, when she first started to see and work with Senate, but realized that it doesn’t always build great relationships, she said. “I see so much potential

for what we can do here,” Buhlinger said. “But the problem is that Student Senate isn’t accessible to all students. You kind of have to be part of this mold; you have to be part of this clique.” Buhlinger said her focus is to break that mold. “I want everyone that’s involved with this to feel free to make your ideas heard,” she told the crowd. “I want ideas. I want to forever be changing what we

want to do to fit what students need and want. Nothing is set in stone. We want everyone to be involved as possible so that we are approachable.” Buhlinger said that she and others have ideas that will help student health and wellness, to prepare students for jobs after graduation and to develop better relationships between students and those who work at the University. She told the Kansan af-

ter the event that she has already met with specific University groups or people to make sure that her ideas can happen, and that it won’t be another incident that happened after last year’s platform regarding Uber transportation failed to become a reality. “I’m really excited to get this thing started,” Buhlinger told the crowd, “and to start something that could make such a big change on campus.”

NE WS

K ANSAN.COM

Professional cuddling comes to Lawrence KALLI JO SMITH @kallijosmith

Sitting in her cozy loft apartment in downtown Lawrence, wearing pajama pants and an oversized purple T-shirt that read “Cuddlist,” Robin Stine recalled why she made the decision to become a certified professional Cuddlist. “I was feeling touch deprived, disconnected, lonely, and I thought if I’m feeling this way then maybe I need to seek out this service,” Stine said. “That was really just the beginning of the why. That was just like the first pebble of the avalanche because there is so much more to this service than simply platonic touching.” The profession is not well-known in the Midwest as Stine is currently the only certified Cuddlist in Kansas, according to Cuddlist, an organization aimed at providing therapeutic type cuddling sessions to help people struggling with loneliness, depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Professional cuddling, Stine said, is a relationship based on mutual agreement. The practice aims at helping individuals who are feeling touch deprived, lonely and need someone to be around or talk to. Stine said in her practice, a person can schedule a session and decide whether or not cuddling is in their best interest. Originally from the Kansas City area, Stine said

she never felt skeptical about the new practice, but with her master’s degree in counseling psychology, Stine said she was more curious about how it could help her and others with touch deprivation and feeling lonely. “This movement can be related to the Me Too movement because being a part of the Cuddlist profession allows others to get in touch with themselves and their bodies,” Stine said. “Now everything is so sexualized and in our culture it’s not OK to touch people.” Stine’s biggest concern in her profession right now, however, is dealing with people who are at risk of loneliness. Stine’s concern stemmed from a recent article by the New York Times which cited a survey done by the American College Health Association. In the survey of 28,000 students, more than 60 percent said they had previously experienced loneliness. “Touch is a basic human need that we need for survival and for our physical and mental health,” Stine said. “This is an outlet for people to get their touch needs met in other ways.” Since living in Lawrence, Stine said only graduate students from the University have had sessions with her. Not only does cuddling help others feel less lonely, Stine said the physiological effects are a great benefit from the practice. According to Stine,

“I was feeling touch deprived, disconnected, lonely, and I thought if I’m feeling this way then maybe I need to seek out this service ”

Robin Stine Cuddlist

Miranda Anaya/KANSAN Robin Stine is a certified professional cuddler through Cuddlist. She has been certified since September 2017. cuddling raises oxytocin, neurotransmitters and increases your immune system health. “Those are purely physiological benefits you get when you cuddle with someone,” Stine said. “Whether it’s a Cuddlist or your partner or a friend that you have who is cuddle friendly, you’re going to get those benefits, and you can actually get those benefits to last up to four days.” Stine stressed the fact that cuddling is not meant to fix people, like a therapist would try to do. Instead, cuddling is meant to give people a chance to experience a human connection with someone. Director of the Edwards Campus’ Psychology Program Alexander Williams didn’t personally know anyone in the new profession but was aware of its existence. As for the practice, Williams said he thought it was possible for someone

to enjoy paying another person to cuddle with them, but was still skeptical about the profession. “My problem with people who charge others money to cuddle is when they claim that paying money to cuddle is therapeutic. In psychology, when we say a treatment is therapeutic, we mean we have scientific evidence from randomized clinical trials, just like in medicine, showing that the treatment helps with a mental health problem,” Williams said. Williams said currently there’s no scientific evidence that paying someone to cuddle another person is therapeutic for any mental health problem. Stine challenged Williams’ claim with a response from Dr. Daniel Yadegar, head of the Cuddlist scientific advisory board. “There is something transcendent about cuddling, as it has the power to take energy from the outer

world, human touch and intimacy, and influence our inner world, down to the molecular level,” Yadegar said in an email. “Cuddling can improve immunity, enhance mood, and serve as an energetic elixir for all patients, especially those with chronic medical conditions. I recommend everyone get their daily dose!” In order to become a certified Cuddlist, Stine went through online training over the course of several months and participated in practice sessions. As part of her final exam, Stine said she was required to tape a session, where her mentor and head of education reviewed the mock session and decided whether or not to give her the green light. Currently, Stine holds sessions in her apartment loft in Lawrence and charges a flat rate of $80 per hour for a session. In order to come in contact with Stine, she said people can request a meet-

ing or session with her for questions or to figure out what’s going to fit their needs best. “First time sessions are typically only about one hour,” Stine said. “As I progress with a client, if they want to have [a session] depends on what they’re looking for and what they’re wanting to do.” Stine said coming into the profession has been eye opening for her and thinks the professional cuddling will be more popular in the Midwest within the next five years. “I think people are nervous they’re going to cross some sort of boundary in this process but it’s really kind of an organic process,” Stine said. “But Lawrence is a great place because they’re so open out here. I’d say in the next five years they’ll be an explosion of professional Cuddlists.”

Lawrence confident in ‘welcoming city’ status KALLI JO SMITH @kallijosmith After the Justice Department made threats to “freeze federal funding for ‘sanctuary’ jurisdictions,” according to The Washington Post, city commissioner Matthew Herbert said as far as policy goes, Lawrence has and will remain a “welcoming city.” However, Herbert said there is no logistical difference between Lawrence calling itself a welcoming city than being an actual sanctuary city. “We just don’t go by that title so we can avoid any commutative fines from the federal government,” Herbert said. He said when a city declares itself a sanctuary city, essentially that means when an individual is stopped by police, his or her immigration status will not be checked. “This is true, but ultimately in the course of a felony investigation, the police department does have that ability to check an immigration status, so it’s not as though it’s an impossibility,” Herbert said. In Lawrence, at traffic stops or when individu-

Graphic by Gracie Wiliams/KANSAN Source: The Center for Immigration Studies als come forward to report crimes, Herbert said that immigration status isn’t a main priority for the Lawrence Police Department. “In Lawrence that’s been the case — we’ve never had our police officers checking immigration status,” Herbert said. “We leave that to immigration authorities and federal authorities.” Officer Andrew Fennelly of the LPD, reaffirmed this statement from Herbert,

saying this was a general practice for LPD officers, except in felony investigations. “This is not a new practice for our agency, and the welcoming proclamation has not necessitated any change in our common procedures,” Fennelly said. In March 2017, the city of Lawrence proclaimed itself a welcoming city instead of becoming a sanctuary city to avoid action

being taken against them by the federal government. Despite testimonies from community members urging the city to become a sanctuary city, Herbert said claiming Lawrence a sanctuary city would have no positive outcome. If declared a sanctuary city, Lawrence could lose $42.7 million in federal and state funding, according to a previous Kansan article. Herbert said in the end,

the city couldn’t take that risk. Porter Arneill, director of communications and creative resources for the city, said Lawrence was a welcoming city even before the proclamation. “Lawrence has long been a welcoming city and the proclamation last March reaffirmed that,” Arneill said. “And, with rhetoric and actions at a national level, using the term ‘sanctuary city’

carried the potential of adversely affecting the city’s intentions to be an actively inclusive community.” Herbert shared the same views. “What was done in the past was actually just in name only; the actual practice associated with being a quote ‘welcoming city’ or even a sanctuary city has been practiced in Lawrence years before that,” Herbert said. “So policy wise, nothing actually has changed, so I suppose it’s not working any differently than it has in the community before.” Herbert said he thinks it’s important for Lawrence to remain a welcoming city because cities who are not welcoming or a sanctuary city are less likely to have immigrants contact police when they’re in trouble or are a victim. “You’re seeing a lot of crimes go unreported because people are essentially hiding out from communicating with the police,” Herbert said. “In a welcoming city, an individual would not have to worry about that from the local police department.”

— Edited by Margo Johnson

opinion Monday, February 19, 2018

Text your Free For All submissions to (785) 289-8351

Khaliq: Stop gun violence now

FFA of the Day: if i don’t receive at least 15 emails a day from ku, is my tuition even worth it...? I just read the story about the football coach who died saving his students. I am forever done taking into account gun’s rights advocates arguments. I like to drink just enough coffee to feel my stomach lining dissolving “any sport where someone has knives on their shoes is my favorite.” if i die in a school shooting politicize the s--- out of me thank you When people ask me what it’s like in Kansas, I just let them know a literal dog tried to run for governor and that’s all they need to know. I just walked by someone playing catch with their dog in front of AFH. it’s the best thing I’ve experienced all week I’m less bummed by my flat tire than the fact I’m going to have to deal with condescending men all day The real KU experience is someone accidentally sitting in your lap on the bus because they lose their balance Why isn’t there an apartments website for people who are OK living in a s---hole?

AROOG KHALIQ @aroog_twt I try to avoid two things: writing columns in first person and political nihilism. After the school shooting that occurred Wednesday in Parkland, Florida, killed 17 students and teachers, it is hard to avoid either thing. As of the time of the Parkland shooting, several school shootings of varying threat levels had occurred in U.S. schools since the year began, not even two whole months in. The question that bubbles up after every tragedy, the question that rattled the American consciousness to its core after Sandy Hook, is “What now?” Where does America go from here? How many more children must die before we declare the right to life more sacrosanct than the right of the NRA to pour millions of dollars into the pockets of politicians? The questions abound, and every answer is a different knife, twisting and propagating a new agony. How can we be strong when we watch the heart-wrenching breakdowns of parents who beg for change on the news? How can we be strong when we see numbers like $7,740,521 — the amount that the NRA has donated to Senator John McCain,

an avid member of the “thoughts and prayers” brigade? How can we be strong when we learn the FBI received a tip about the shooter one month prior to this miscarriage of justice, and disregarded it? How can we be strong when innocent black civilians are murdered by the police, yet the shooter killed 17 people and was apprehended alive? How can we be strong when we know that the shooter’s digital footprint was clogged with animal cruelty, images of his gun “arsenal,” and white supremacist rhetoric? After a 1996 shooting in Port Arthur, Tasmania, where a man armed with a semiautomatic weapon murdered 35 people, Australia enacted sweeping gun reform. Rapid-fire weapons were banned, and the country initiated a buy-back program. Two decades later, researchers found that the reform was effective: No mass shootings have occurred in the country since. In Japan, where most guns are illegal, yearly gun-related deaths rarely go over 10 people, despite the country’s population of 127 million people. Those who argue that such reforms are impossible to enact in the U.S. are willfully blind to these ex-

“I’m sad about that bagel not being in my mouth”

I just found out that Ingredient on Mass is closing and I feel like I’m going through a serious breakup. My friends just sent me a Snapchat of one of them putting a condom over their head, so it’s nice to see four years of college education being put to good use. “Imagine training super hard for years and years to be in the Olympics and then your event is literally just you lying down.”

amples: Cultural norms can and have been shifted when it comes to gun violence and ownership. This fluidity is innate and is reflected in Americans’ beliefs. A 2017 survey found that 88 percent of all respondents, and 77 percent of gun owners, favored background checks on all gun purchases. So what is the hold up? The majority of Americans think gun violence is an atrocity, and something should be done to eliminate its horrific spread. Whether that is barring certain groups from buying guns, creating a national weapons database or merely imposing stricter background checks, the American people want change, even if it is not as dramatic (and arguably not as effective) as banning guns. The major roadblock, then, exists in two forms: the NRA’s $54 million level spending in federal races is not going anywhere and neither is America’s inability to call gun violence an act of terrorism. Lobbying

can be a benign force, but it is wielded with the most finesse by those who seek to protect corporate interests. The influence of the NRA is what evokes political nihilism in the hearts of many Americans — popular desire melts away in the face of big money. What will we do, then? How do we confront the coincidences that pop up with mass shootings? The problem, we are told, is not that the perpetrators are frequently domestic abusers, and frequently white men, but that they are “mentally ill.” Yet, mental illness is not a factor on every pundit’s lips when the perpetrator is not a white man, and this presentation of mentally ill people as inherently violent is false: mass shootings by people with mental illness make up merely 1 percent of all yearly gun-related killings. Furthering stigma by pretending the issue is innate violence within the mentally ill is a scapegoating tactic; the real issue lies in the American inability

to confront the ties between white extremism, a history of domestic abuse and mass shootings, because the face of this violence is one we are taught not to fear. In these times, I am reminded of Alexander Pope’s oft-quoted line, “Hope springs eternal in the human breast.” It is easy (and tempting) to lie down and let the hopelessness of politics drown you, but change is never easy nor painless. The American people must unite in the face of this tragedy, and demand this change. Dead children are not the price we must pay for gun manufacturers to make a profit, and that is not a partisan ideal; it is a human one. And so I ask this of you, my friends: remain hopeful, remain vigilant and lend grieving families more than your thoughts and prayers.

Aroog Khaliq is a freshman from Overland Park studying English and psychology.

Associated Press Two people mourn for the 17 victims of the Parkland, Florida, shooting.

Nabi: The American dream is not accessible

Mornings can go f--themselves

Lmao that it was 65 degrees yesterday morning and then snowing that night

K A N S A N .C O M /O P I N I O N

YUSRA NABI @ynabi27 The American dream: a national ethos promising individuals equal opportunity to pursue their personal vision and claim the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. However reassuring it may seem, this definition is just a false illusion that we advertise to the world and to Americans here at home. While this approach might be quite cynical, and there are some success stories out there, it is evident that not everyone receives the equal opportunity that our founding fathers promised us.

A prime example of this is a Bangladeshi-born immigrant, Syed Ahmed Jamal. Last week, Jamal was on his way to take his daughter to school in Lawrence when officials from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement stopped him. Before he could say anything to his family, he was handcuffed and taken away by ICE for detainment. I couldn’t help but wonder what his 12-year-old daughter had felt at the moment her father was taken. I realized that it could have been me. My mother also immigrated from Bangladesh when I was 12 years old and she very recently obtained citizenship. And even though I was fortunate enough to go

how to submit a letter to the editor

LETTER GUIDELINES: Send letters to editor@kansan.com. Write LETTER TO THE EDITOR in the email subject line. Length: 300 words

The submission should include the author’s name, year, major and hometown. Find our full letter to the editor policy online at kansan.com/letters.

through the process without anyone facing deportation, I am not any more or less deserving to be a U.S. citizen than Jamal. But the system had failed him, like it fails millions of others. Jamal entered the U.S. legally and has lived here for 30 years — longer than he had lived in his birth country, Bangladesh. He first came to the U.S. on an F1 student visa and graduated from the University. He later obtained an H-1B work visa and worked at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. In 2011, Jamal was given a voluntary departure order because he overstayed his term. At the time, the Obama Administration had made changes to the system and allowed Homeland Security to prioritize deportation of those with criminal offenses. Since Jamal had nothing on his criminal record, he stayed and obtained a temporary work permit and has since been working as a chemistry instructor at Park University. The changes made by the Obama Administration still

exist. So ICE agents simply ignored them when they recently detained Jamal, who has clearly been a victim of a broken immigration system that picks and chooses for when to enforce the law. Since President Donald Trump took office, there has been a 37 percent increase in ICE removal resulting from arrest. The administration does not distinguish between low or high priority, criminals or non-criminals. Jamal’s arrest is a perfect example of how ICE agents have been randomly targeting non-citizens living peacefully. Even though the system has failed Jamal, the local people did not. The support that Jamal received from the Lawrence community is heartening. People filled Massachusetts Street last week and chanted “Free Syed Jamal,” among other pro-immigration calls. Nearly 99,749 people have signed a petition on Change.org urging authorities to free Jamal. His case has made national news and received so much attention

Baylee Parsons Business Manager bparsons@kansan.com

because people decided to come together to fight to provide justice. Just like their European counterparts, immigrants from all over the globe come here for the same reason everyone else came to the U.S. The idea that any hard-working individual who is willing to abide by the law and contribute to society will taste the American dream is extremely deceptive. Immigrants have to overcome a multitude of barriers in order to be appreciated, even though their contribution is no less than a natural-born citizen. Jamal is one of the many victims of a biased and prejudicial immigration system that prohibits people from being truly “American” based on their race, ethnicity and religion. It is essential to use this opportunity to stand together and continue to fight until the American dream is achievable and accessible to everyone.

Yusra Nabi is a junior from Olathe studying political science and journalism.

editorial board

Members of the Kansan Editorial Board are Chandler Boese, Erin Brock, Danya Issawi and Baylee Parsons.

Search > Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Settle

Let us help you ďŹ nd your new apartment!

Study here. Work anywhere.

3 # 14 # 15 Top 16 #

Apply now! washburnlaw.edu (785) 670-1060

in the nation for Government Law A top public interest law school preLaw Magazine 2018

in the nation for Business, Banking, and Corporate Law preLaw Magazine 2017

in the nation for Legal Writing U.S. News & World Report 2018 Edition

in the nation for Trial Advocacy (A- rating) preLaw Magazine 2018

arts & culture Monday, February 19, 2018

K A N S A N .C O M /A R T S A N D C U LT U R E

Vintage shop’s eclectic ‘junk’ sets it apart

Ian Dominguez/KANSAN Junk -n- Disorderly is a charming, rustic antique shop in North Lawrence which offers an array of decorative and nostalgic memorabilia.

NICOLE ASBURY @nicoleasbury

Fourteen months ago, business owner Laura Sloan packed up all of her “junk” and started an entirely new business venture. The result became Junk –n– Disorderly, a vintage shop located on Maple Street in North Lawrence. “It’s entirely my mess,” owner Laura Sloan said. Sloan was a middle school special education teacher, before she retired about six years ago to take care of her grandchildren. Once they’d grown up, Sloan contemplated what she could do next. “I thought, ‘Oh, I have to do something different with my life now,’” Sloan said. “I just didn’t think I wanted to go back to education, and for years my mom and I would make jokes about how I have to have my own little antique store. I thought, ‘You know, I’ve got all this space right here. Why don’t I just do it?’” Junk –n– Disorderly

sells a variety of items, primarily all vintage. Sloan uses auctions, garage sales and estate sales to locate different merchandise. Then, she goes through the research process, which usually ends up being a Google search or visiting specific sites for help. Other times, Sloan’s customers come in with more information about a specific item on sale. “The item will have a question mark on it or something, and the customer will be like, ‘Oh,

this is a carpet puller from the 1880s,’ and I’ll be like, ‘Oh, really? Show me how it works,’” Sloan said. “Part of it is that I’m a retired educator, so I like to learn the history of stuff.” It took two months for Sloan to put the shop together. Throughout the process of setting up, Sloan had to attend various auctions and sales

to increase her amount of products, as well as go through a research process to find an accurate price for each item that would be sold. “It’s a really hard business. I think that’s the hardest part. Everyone thinks they can do it and it’s one of those things where I think it takes a lot more work than people re-

alize to resale,” Sloan said. Jacey Drollinger is an antique shop owner from Iowa, who frequently visits the shop as she claims to find better things in Kansas. “What I love about people like Laura is that she fills a void for me as a shop owner,” Drollinger said. “I can’t travel as much anymore due to shop hours

and traveling for shows. So when I want to find something, she usually has it. It saves me time, and I enjoy helping like-minded businesses out by buying from them.” Junk –n– Disorderly is open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The shop is located at 819 Maple St. in Lawrence.

“I just didn’t think I wanted to go back to education, and for years my mom and I would make jokes about how I have to have my own little antique store.” Laura Sloan owner

Missy Minear/KANSAN Junk -n- Disorderly is owned and operated by Laura Sloan and her family, and decorated by her grandchildren.

horoscopes ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19) Take care of personal matters. Something you try or propose falls flat. Don’t rebel from authority without good reason. Wait for developments.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20) It’s okay to stay quiet and rest, despite social opportunities. Finish up a job. Slow down to get done faster. Keep your batteries charged.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20) Together, you can win satisfying results. Coordinate your actions with your team. Discuss possible directions to narrow options and choose. Others share an important view. CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22) Watch for career opportunities. Make sure what you’re building is solid before stepping out. Don’t strain the budget. Use practical resources.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22) Travel and discovery beckon. Consider philosophy, metaphysics and mysteries. Business keeps you busy. Find a way to mix it with exploration and fun.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22) You’re on the same page with your partner. Take advantage to make financial decisions and review accounts. Synchronize your efforts for maximum efficiency.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21) Discuss your passions and focus your work towards what you love. Love is the bottom line this month. Focus on growing the fun factor.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18) Take advantage of a surge in creativity and brilliant ideas. Take part in a fascinating conversation and collaborate with your talented network. Connect and share.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22) Review and update financial paperwork and communications. Wait for better travel conditions to go out. Pay bills and manage accounts first.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21) Maintain health and fitness practices. Work with a partner or coach who can see your blind spots. Listen and make adjustments.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19) Fill your home with love. Realize a renovation you’ve long dreamed about. Beautify your surroundings. Invite a special guest for something delicious.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20) Profitable ideas abound. Study the most interesting ones. Sift data for golden opportunities. You’re learning valuable skills... keep an open mind.

K ANSAN.COM

ARTS & CULTURE

PUZZLES WE DELIVER (785)-856-5252

Crossword

ORDER ONLINE

MINSKYS.COM

Cryptoquip

Sudoku

FIND THE ANSWERS AND OTHER GREAT CONTENT AT

K A N SA N .CO M

SPORTS

K ANSAN.COM

Missy Minear/KANSAN Sophomore center Udoka Azubuike jumps for a block against West Virginia on Saturday, Feb. 17. The Jayhawks defeated the Mountaineers 77-69.

Azubuike's energy seals KU victory MICHAEL SWAIN @mswain97

With 8.5 seconds to play on Saturday night, Kansas coach Bill Self took sophomore center Udoka Azubuike out of the game. As Azubuike walked to the bench, the 16,300 people packed into Allen Fieldhouse rose to their feet to show their appreciation for the sophomore’s performance. When Kansas needed him most, Azubuike rose to the occasion during Kansas'

77-69 victory over West Virginia. “If I was a referee and I had him next to me, I would have raised his arm up saying that he was the champion tonight,” Self said. “I thought he was great, that was a big boy game for him.” When the game began, it took Azubuike 6 minutes 48 seconds to make his first impact but, after that, the big man could not be stopped. From stealing post entry passes to blocking shots

to scoring a game-high 21 points to even making seven free-throws, there was not a facet of the game Azubuike did not affect. There was one moment, though, that solidified that this would be Azubuike’s game. With 4:08 left in the first half, Azubuike stepped up to the free-throw line about to take his first attempt of the game from the line — and drained it. With a little shooter’s touch, the second free throw rolled in. Azubuike went 7-for-10

from the line, the most he has made in a game in his Kansas career. “7-for-10? He went crazy,” senior guard Devonte’ Graham laughed after the game. “He looked like me.” Regardless of whoever West Virginia coach Bob Huggins threw at Azubuike defensively, Azubuike was able to adjust. With big-bodied Sagaba Konate in, Azubuike used his finesse and touch around the rim to score on him. In other cases, Kansas would draw Konate out, al-

lowing Azubuike to catch lobs in space. With a longer Logan Routt guarding him, Azubuike would use his size to seal Routt. The most impressive and refreshing aspect of Azubuike’s performance was his overall energy on the defensive end. It was eerily similar to that of Kansas great Cole Aldrich, who was in attendance for his jersey retirement. The energy Azubuike brought led him to do something he had never done as

a Jayhawk — record multiple steals (2) and blocked shots (3) in the same game. “I just had to do whatever to help my team win. Today, it’s a big game playing against West Virginia,” Azubuike said. “They play up-tempo and have high intensity. You got to match that intensity; if not, they will blow you out." Kansas and Azubuike especially will look for redemption against Oklahoma on Monday at 8 p.m. inside Allen Fieldhouse.

Impressive bullpen wins series for Kansas JACK JOHNSON @JohnyJ_15

Following Kansas' 10-5 loss to Murray State on Saturday, the Jayhawks faced a series-deciding game on Sunday afternoon against the Racers. An explosive start from the Jayhawks followed by solid pitching allowed Kansas to win 4-1 their first series of the new season. Kansas sophomore pitcher Ryan Zeferjahn was electric out of the gate, striking out four hitters in his first two innings of work. The offense took no time to give the hardthrowing righty some support, piecing together three runs in bottom half of the first. “Settling down after seeing those runs up there was really easy for me,” Zeferjahn said following his first game of the season. Senior first baseman Luke Bakula got the start over Owen Taylor and capitalized, driving in two of the three runs in the first inning with a blistering single to center in his first at-bat on the season. The surge by the Kansasforced Murray State coach Kevin Moulder to

resort to his bullpen after just one inning of work from his sophomore starting pitcher Luke Brown, where he surrendered three earned runs on three hits. A key moment came in the top of third when Kansas redshirt sophomore outfielder Brendt Citta and second baseman freshman James Cosentino combined to make a perfect relay and cut down Murray State’s Jaron Robinson at the plate to keep the Racers scoreless. Zeferjahn struggled with command as he walked one and hit four batters. However, he finished with eight strikeouts and only surrendered one unearned run on two hits. “I think it was better than it has been,” Zeferjahn said on his command. “ I hit a few guys early on, but it really didn’t affect me.” Both offenses then became stagnant, aside from a couple of singles sprinkled between innings, but it was still a game where both bullpens were asked to stretch their arms a bit. The two pens surrendered only two runs in a taxing 12 combined innings of work. Mississippi State transfer and former Blue Valley Tiger, redshirt sophomore

Missy Minear/KANSAN Then-freshman pitcher Ryan Zeferjahn throws a pitch in Kansas' first game in a series against Minnesota on March 28, 2017. Kansas lost to Minnesota, 5-2. pitcher Ryan Cyr, shined in his Jayhawk debut. The song “I'm Coming Home” by J. Cole rang throughout the park as he proceeded with his warmup tosses before the sixth inning. He allowed a couple runners to reach, via walks and an error, but didn’t give

up a hit in his impressive two innings of work. It was a debut to remember for the local kid from Leawood. Even with the wind playing a major factor in both the offense and defense, Kansas only committed two errors, with one coming on a blown call at first base by umpire

Timothy Cordill. Sophomore shortstop Benjamin Sems showed off his range and glove, channeling his inner Matt Mclaughlin with spectacular defense that hindered any chances of a Murray State rally. Closer Zack Leban shut the door in the ninth to

propel Kansas to win 4-1 and push the all-time record to 3-2 against Murray State. The Jayhawks (2-1) look to continue their success this week. They are right back at Hoglund Ballpark with a matchup against the Arkansas Pine-Bluff Golden Lions (2-1) on Tuesday. First pitch will be at 1 p.m.

sports

Monday, February 19, 2018

K A N S A N .C O M /S P O R T S

Basketball Gameday Oklahoma at Kansas, Monday, Feb. 19, 8 p.m.

Then-junior guard Devonte’ Graham celebrates after making a three-pointer late in the second half against Oklahoma on Feb. 27, 2017.

Beat Writer Predictions: Shaun Goodwin: Kansas 90-82, Michael Swain: Kansas 83-77

SHAUN GOODWIN & MICHAEL SWAIN @ShaunGoodwinUDK & @mswain97

KANSAS (21-6, 10-4)

OKLAHOMA (16-10, 6-8)

Devonte’ Graham

Trae Young

★★★★★

senior guard

freshman guard

It’s safe to say Graham didn’t have the greatest game against Trae Young last time. Coinciding with Oklahoma’s five-game losing streak, Youngs’ three-point shooting has dropped drastically. While Graham can still provide a good option on offense, if he keeps a tight watch on the faltering Young, it can potentially be the game-changing matchup.

Despite Oklahoma’s free-fall in the Big 12, Young is still dominating the conference – just not from behind the arc. During the Sooner’s five-game losing streak, Young is averaging 7.8 assists per game and 23.6 points per game on 20 shots. Young has not been the same since going 6-for-11 from deep against Baylor and is shooting under 20 percent during this five-game skid.

Udoka Azubuike

Christian James

★★★★★

★★★

sophomore center

junior guard

Azubuike’s struggles at the free-throw line came to the forefront of Jayhawk fans’ attention last time out against Oklahoma. The big man went 1-for-8 from the line. But coming off an incredible game against West Virginia, and having not shot below 57 percent from the line in his last five games, Azubuike may be impossible for the Sooners to stop.

Most of the problems with Oklahoma revolve around getting Young help. Much of that pressure falls on James. James has been playing well as of late and is averaging just under 15 points per game during the five-game conference losing streak. For Oklahoma to knock off Kansas, James will need to help out Young with at least 17 points.

Malik Newman

Brady Manek

★★★★

redshirt sophomore guard The ceiling for Kansas truly is how well Newman performs on the night. Averaging 30.6 minutes per game, he takes up a large amount of time on the floor. When Newman is shooting well, there is no stopping him. If Newman can stay consistent for long stretches, and not just show up in the final three or four minutes, the Jayhawks can really run up the score against Oklahoma.

athletes of the week

Missy Minear/KANSAN

Udoka Azubuike Men’s basketball

Saturday was a night to remember for sophomore center Udoka Azubuike, who scored a Big 12 career-high 21 points including 7-for-10 from the free-throw line. In addition, the Nigerian native also recorded two steals, three blocks and five rebounds as Kansas went on to defeat West Virginia 77-69.

freshman forward

Manek could cause a matchup problem for Kansas. At 6-foot-9, Manek will play the four and will most likely be guarded by 6-foot-5 junior guard Lagerald Vick. Manek is averaging 11.1 points per game in the Big 12. For Oklahoma to get the win, Manek will need to be a menace on the offensive glass and claim multiple second-chance buckets.

Sam Dellinger

Sof tball Sophomore second baseman Sam Dellinger played incredibly well in Kansas’ 12-1 win over UTSA on Friday. Dellinger matched a career-high four hits as the sophomore went 4-for-4 from the plate including two RBIs in the first inning.

NOW TRENDING:

How Jayhawks share, swipe and snap

4 5

2 6

1. Cherry Hill Apartments 2. Fringe Apartments 3. Hawkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pointe 4. Highpointe 5. Meadowbrook Apartments 6. The Reserve

Search > Don’t Settle

Let us help you ﬁnd your new apartment!

NOW LEASING!

1015 Mis

1903 Mass

1734 Ohio

1712 Ohio

A home to fit your needs!