THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
ARTS & CULTURE
INSIDE MSG passed bylaws allowing it to impeach its president p. 2
KU professor receives backlash for book’s portrayal of Muslims The University Daily Kansan
vol. 136 // iss. 8 Mon., Feb. 5, 2018
Gameday: KU basketball prepares to bounce back against TCU p. 12
SEE AUTHOR • PAGE 9
Protesters with flags flood Mass To counter a planned flag-dragging event, people marched Saturday in a “Defend Our Flag” demonstration
Chihiro Kai/KANSAN Protesters march up and down Massachusetts Street during the Defend Our Flag counter-protest on Saturday. CHIHIRO KAI @ChihiroKai98 Beginning Saturday morning, over 100 counter-protesters marched down Massachusetts Street in an event that led to one arrest. “This is to picket the flag dragging march scheduled for the same time and location. Bring your flags, and fly them proudly. We will not tolerate desecration of the flag that so many of our brothers and sisters have died to defend,” posts the Defend Our Flag Facebook page said. The flag-dragging march, scheduled to take place Saturday, according to Defend Our Flag participants, was posted on Facebook earlier this week before it was taken down Friday. No protesters from Drag the Flag were seen on Massachusetts Street. “We seen the event on Facebook where the guy was dragging the flag down the street,” said Brian War-
ner, a participant in Defend Our Flag. “It didn’t happen. We didn’t make it happen.” He showed Facebook messages he had exchanged with the Drag The Flag page. At the time, the Facebook page indicated the event was scheduled for 11 a.m. in South Park. In response to the planned event, more than 100 counter-protesters showed up on Massachusetts Street. There were Thin Blue Line flags alongside the red and white stripes, and vehicles with Confederate and U.S. flags attached to their sides driving up and down the street. Two men held up a Triple Threat flag, a combination of the Confederate, U.S. and Gadsden flags. One protester wore a Make America Great Again hat, while another wore a long blue flag printed with the Donald Trump campaign slogan. The numbers grew as the protest continued. “This is actually my first assembly I’ve attended, and
some good friends of mine actually put this together,” Cesar Damman from Ottawa said. “But we’re all out here in support of this flag, and everything that it means. A lot of people refer to this as just a piece of cloth, for some it’s hell of a lot more than a piece of cloth, it’s everything they stand for.” “We all showed up this morning to protect our American flag, that’s what it’s all about, man. We’re Americans, Americans all the way, 100 percent,” Warner said. Though the overall protest was peaceful, some offensive language was exchanged between a pedestrian and a protester at 11th and Massachusetts streets near South Park. A Defend Our Flag participant taunted the pedestrian for being “thin-skinned” and then called him a gay slur. The pedestrian then replied with more profanity. No physical violence occurred. At the time, another Defend Our Flag participant spoke
to his fellow marchers, saying, “This is not what we are here for.” One altercation occured after a pedestrian pulled flags off of a Defend Our Flag vehicle, according to protesters. He then ran across the street from the Douglas County Courthouse toward Fuzzy’s Taco Shop when he was stopped by other Defend Our Flag protesters. A beer glass shattered as the pedestrian attempted to run through the group, and he was thrown against the fence near Fuzzy’s. He was surrounded by the protesters before two Lawrence Police Department officers retrieved him from the crowd, tackled him to the ground and handcuffed him. The Lawrence Police Department did not comment on this incident. However, in an incident that may have been unrelated, John Parker, 27, was arrested on one count of criminal damage to proper-
ty, according to Capt. Troy Squire of the Lawrence Police Department and Douglas County Jail booking logs. “We made one arrest downtown in the 1100th block of Massachusetts regarding someone kicking a truck and causing damage,” Squire said. A representative from the Douglas County Jail later said Parker has since been released from custody. According to an email from Officer Drew Fennelly, this was the only arrest made during the protest, but there was one citation issued for “carrying an open container of alcohol.” Early on in the march, the Lawrence Police Department had warned the Defend Our Flag group to avoid threatening language. The march continued to circle up and down Massachusetts Street until after 1 p.m.
Chihiro Kai/KANSAN A “Defend Our Flag” protester and a woman carrying a “We Are One” poster get into a verbal altercation during Saturday’s march.
news
Monday, February 5, 2018
staff NEWS MANAGEMENT
K A N S A N .C O M / N E W S
How MSG removed its president After weeks of tumultuous meetings, MSG passed procedural bylaws giving it the ability to remove its president
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.
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Hannah Edelman/KANSAN Andrew Davis, MSG chief of staff (left), and Anthonio Humphrey, vice president (right), listen to President Chiquita Jackson’s argument against her removal in the MSG General Assembly on Thursday night. SYDNEY HOOVER & SAVANNA SMITH @KansanNews With tensions high and the Multicultural Student Government’s legacy on the line, the MSG General Assembly removed its president, Chiquita Jackson, from office during its meeting on Thursday night. Anthonio Humphrey, formerly vice president, will replace Jackson as president. She was accused of misuse of funds. After voting to pass removal procedures discussed in Tuesday night’s Legislative Committee meeting, the assembly moved forward with a vote. The articles of impeachment, which were passed in the committee, were not voted on Thursday night; therefore, the assembly impeached Jackson with a vote of no confidence. “We’re a government established on resistance, voicing our opinions,”
Humphrey said. “So, if one of us is doing something out of turn, it’s the responsibility of the rest of us to say something.” Jackson declined to comment after her removal. The removal procedure was presented and passed as follows: -- A majority is needed to begin the process of removal -- First side speaks for 10 minutes -- Five minutes for questions from the General Assembly -- Second side speaks for 10 minutes -- Five minutes for questions from the General Assembly -- A vote is then taken and a two-thirds majority is needed to remove the officer. People who speak will not be present during the vote. Interim Legislative Chair Constanza Castro, who chaired the assembly, also allowed for anonymous
testimonies to be given by members. Testimonies were off the record, and executives left the chamber until votes were cast. During the 10 minutes allowed for the side in favor of removing Jackson from office, Humphrey presented a payroll document, which indicated that Jackson was paid an additional $1,250 on top of her president stipend. Executives are paid $1,000 a semester for their positions, based on a contract with Student Senate, Humphrey said during the meeting. Jackson filled both the role of president and treasurer, a vacant role at the time, for the majority of the semester. This was her justification for receiving higher pay. “As an executive, neither of us agreed that you would be paid double for the role of the treasurer,” Humphrey said. “You would just know that if you were president you kind of just have to fill
in that position.” Executives are paid by student fees and endowment money, allocated to MSG by Student Senate. Each student pays $1 in fees for MSG. Additionally, Chief of Staff Andrew Davis received higher pay last semester to compensate his work in the vacant vice president position. In the month of September, according to the document, Davis received an additional $250. There was discussion during the assembly of Davis reimbursing any additional MSG funds he had received. He said he was willing to do so, if the assembly deemed it necessary. This option was not given to Jackson. However, after the meeting, Davis said he would step down if the body believed his actions warranted removal. Regarding the general body’s decision to remove Jackson, he said, “I think this saga is over, and so, it is
a breath of fresh air.” Several times during the assembly, decorum was called as leadership interrupted each other and tensions were high. Former Vice President Sneha Verma said she was disappointed in the lack of protocol at the meeting. “It was a bit of a mess,” Verma said. “It was productive in terms of people got what they wanted, and that’s good, but, yeah, it was rushed, it was messy, and it was not protocol … hopefully this new leadership can change that.” Humphrey said the articles of impeachment will be reintroduced to the general assembly at a later date. “So, moving from here on out … we have to abide by the public’s needs and wants,” Humphrey said. “We need to be focusing on our bylaws, completing our constitution for elections and for the next administration coming through.”
Rise KU launches Student Senate campaign ADAM LANG @superduperadaml At their first meeting coinciding with the first day of the Student Senate campaign cycle, a new group of concerned students looking to improve Student Senate launched their coalition, Rise KU, and laid out their goals for the future. The meeting began with introductions from the three students running the meeting: juniors Zoya Khan and Nellie Kassebaum, and senior Justin Kim. Kassebaum then described several specific goals that the group had in mind. She spoke about the issue of retention when it comes to keeping students at the University. “Students who leave KU or maybe have a difficult time navigating KU don’t have too many reasons for that,” Kassebaum said. “It’s difficult, it’s hard work, but we have to look at why different students are leaving, for what reasons, and what we can do about it in Student Senate especially.” Kassebaum went on
to describe specific areas that needed improvement. She described how students struggling with their mental health needed stronger support and how Counseling and Psychological Services has been “underfunded.” The group wishes to improve SafeRide and the Hawk Route, an accessible path through campus. Kassebaum also described the intention to improve transparency within the Student Senate as well as improve the relation between the Senate and student groups at the University. “I know that we are lucky that we have the ability to set up meetings and go talk to people and that we are in a place of power so that people will listen to us,” Kassebaum said. “We want to spread that voice and give that voice to students and hear what they are having trouble with at KU, why they are thinking of leaving and what can be better here, and what can be better with the administration.” After the goals were laid out, Kim, a senior, initiat-
Bettina Buggato/KANSAN Junior Nellie Kassebaum, a member of Rise KU, speaks to junior Ananda Bhatia during the coalition’s launch event Thursday. ed two votes within the group: one for the group’s official name and the other to elect the group’s Election Commission Liaison. Sophomore Hannah Ehmcke nominated herself for the position, which no one else opposed, and she was acclimated to the position. “One thing that’s really important is to have a clean slate this year,” Khan said during the discussion
of the coalition’s name. “I think a lot of names have been reused and have a lot of history behind them and this bottom line is to give that voice to students and raise that voice. I hope that name represents our mission.” The name was unanimously voted yes, and the group became Rise KU. The meeting then wrapped up with a thank you from the three
speakers and the crowd dispersed. Rise KU’s next meeting is Feb. 15 at 5 p.m. “I’m looking forward to hearing what folks have to say, how it turns out, and what ideas we hear,” Khan said. “We’re creating a body that represents every single person in this room and all those who are not in this room.” —Edited by Chandler Boese
NE WS
K ANSAN.COM
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City moves forward on safety initiatives Increased surveillance and body cameras, which were planned in response to the Oct. 1 shooting, are beginning to roll out
Caitlynn Salazar/KANSAN Since the Oct. 1 shootings in downtown Lawrence that left three dead, Lawrence Police Department has increased foot patrols in the area around bar-closing time. There have not been any permanently assigned officers to the area. TAYLOR ANDERSON @taylor_ando Four months after a deadly shooting on Massachusetts Street that left three dead and two injured, city officials are slowly making progress in their initiative to increase safety in the city. The Kansan previously reported in October that former mayor, Leslie Soden, announced the city commission would be working on solutions to safety concerns in Lawrence in the new year. Soden, now a city commissioner, said city officials are currently discussing the possibility
of installing surveillance cameras downtown. “I don’t think cameras work as a deterrent to crime, but in terms of solving crimes, they’re really important,” Soden said. City Director of Communications and Creative Resources, Porter Arneill, said that the plans for surveillance cameras are still up in the air, as no concrete plans have been set. “At this time, the Lawrence Police Department does not have any initiatives underway for public surveillance cameras,” Arneill said in an email. “The use of cameras will be
“It’s in the infancy phase at this point, but we hope to have some sort of policy and program implemented by the end of 2018, possibly early 2019.” Sgt. Amy Rhoads Lawrence Police Department
discussed at a future date at a City Commission work session to study possibilities and the feasibility of potential future use.” Soden said City Commission plans to discuss the downtown cameras proposal in upcoming meetings and hopes to move forward on
that front. “I do think it’s important that we talk about the issue because I think it would be great in terms of when an incident happens. We need evidence to prosecute the person responsible,” Soden said. “We’ll need that kind of video to work from.” In addition to the po-
tential surveillance cameras, last fall the LPD was allocated funds to buy body cameras for its officers. According to a previous Kansan article, City Commission granted the LPD $462,000 in the 2018 budget for this purchase. “It’s in the infancy phase at this point, but we hope to have some sort of policy and program implemented by the end of 2018, possibly early 2019,” Sgt. Amy Rhoads of the LPD said. “We have started working towards that.” The additional funding will allow the LPD to employ additional personnel to manage the program. “With part of the grant,
we will be looking into hiring an additional IT person to help oversee the body-worn camera project and help with the data collection, policy review and all that type of stuff,” Rhoads said. Both the body-worn camera program and the public surveillance cameras are still in the beginning stages, and Lawrence residents should not expect to see any major changes in the immediate future.
— Edited by Alexandra Martinez
Amid flu outbreak, Watkins gives more shots RYLIE KOESTER @RylieKoester Hannah Lindley, a sophomore from St. Louis, came down with the flu two weeks ago and told herself to “push through” until the weekend, so the illness wouldn’t interfere with her classes. “I’m terrified of shots, so I haven’t got the flu shot in awhile,” Lindley said. Lindley is experiencing the same symptoms many have throughout Kansas and the United States this flu season. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 42 states have seen increased flu activity, including Kansas. The CDC says the flu vaccination was 39 percent effective against all flu viruses last season, and because it is early in the flu season, this is the best estimation for the effectiveness of this year’s vaccine. In order to address
the current flu epidemic, Watkins Health Services, in coordination with the Office of the Provost and Student Affairs, issued an email last week to all University students, faculty and staff encouraging them to get a flu shot. Watkins experienced an increased amount of students and faculty coming in to get a flu vaccination after the email was sent out. Dr. Douglas Dechairo, the director and chief of staff at Watkins Health Services, said Watkins even ran out of flu vaccinations last Friday because of the increased traffic, but more were ordered and have arrived. “We’re still ordering and just trying to keep up with the number of doses that we’re administering,” Dechairo said. According to the CDC, receiving the flu vaccination can reduce complications associated with the flu, such as pneumonia and respiratory
Sarah Wright/KANSAN More and more students are receiving the flu shot from Watkins Health Center this flu season. infections. The length of flu season varies, but it usually peaks between December and February and can last until May, according to the CDC. “We felt that it was
important to send out a communication, not just to students, but to faculty and staff as well, encouraging them if they had not got the flu vaccine, to consider getting it,” Dechairo said.
Dechairo said that if someone thinks they have the flu, they should seek medical attention as soon as symptoms appear so they can be diagnosed and receive treatment. Students, faculty and
staff can receive a flu vaccination at Watkins for $30.
opinion Monday, February 5, 2018
K A N S A N .C O M /O P I N I O N
Text your Free For All submissions to (785) 289-8351
FFA of the Day: DOES A STRAW HAVE ONE HOLE OR TWO HOLES? spilled red wine all over my light blue bedspread last night so i had to chug the rest of the bottle to make myself feel better At java break this lady announced to everyone that her and Caleb are getting a divorce Celitos is like the chuck-e-cheese for college students
Associated Press This image released by Disney and Marvel Studios’ shows Chadwick Boseman in a scene from “Black Panther,” in theaters on Feb. 16, 2018.
Khaliq: All hail diverse movies
“I don’t condone bullying, but he’s got a punchable face” I know your tuitions pay my salary, but this place is so nice when all the students leave. “The only thing getting me through my long drive is my juul.” “My smoothie looks like broccoli cheddar soup. I hate eating healthy.” “Tequila is an art.” yo bartender, can i get a shot of serotonin Don’t mind me, just crying in the Humane Society parking lot i’d literally kill a man for garlic knots CIELITOS IS A MAGICAL PLACE WITHOUT RULES I NEVER WANNA LEAVE why do ppl like smashing pumpkins so much it’s honestly just so disrespectful towards Cinderella like how is she gonna get home now??
AROOG KHALIQ @aroog_twt Surprised headlines abound when diverse films make a strong showing at the box office, but Marvel’s “Black Panther” is special in that its box office projections are enough to cause social media avalanches. The smattering of misguided claims that the film is “reverse-racist” for having a predominantly black cast get lost in the vastly supportive wave of comments that boil down to a sigh of relief from the marginalized. After years of waiting for Marvel to break their solo film mold — focusing on the stories of one white male superhero after
another — ”Black Panther” is a breath of fresh air and a sign of changing attitudes toward diversity in cinema. Superhero film addicts can recall the days when having a white woman as a part of an ensemble cast was considered an acceptable nod to diversity quotas — looking at you, Avengers — but films like “Deadpool,” “Wonder Woman” and “Black Panther” represent strides in diversity. Ensemble casts that reflect more than one token person of color, films with disabled leads, films with female leads, and now, a film with predominantly black actors are a step in the right direction, and their unbelievable box office successes (or
the ease in which i tossed back tequila shots at 5pm last night should scare me
Just saw some guy walking on the side of the road holding two bike tires, no bike in sight, and that’s how I know someone is having a shittier day than I am If the groundhog confirmed global warming do you think people would finally listen?
Recognizing the beauty in the mundanity of marginalized peoples’ existence is important because it brings invigorating reality to the stale representations we are allotted, if we are remembered at all. Upcoming releases such as “Crazy Rich Asians,” “Love,” “Simon” and “A Wrinkle in Time” all factor diversity into their casting with perfection. A story about crazy rich families, a story about teenagers falling into awkward first loves and a classic sci-fi tale could easily be adapted with an all-white cast, and there is no shame in that. Casting white actors when they are necessary for the role is a duty to the script, but Hollywood’s problem has been casting white actors when they are not required, or worse, when they are expressly not needed. Whitewashing roles goes beyond the grossly racist actions of, for example, erasing Asians from Asian roles (see: Scarlett Johansson in “Ghost in the Shell”); it plays into a broader culture in which we view whiteness as the default.
“A Wrinkle in Time” shatters this expectation perfectly, because why shouldn’t Meg Murry be biracial? Why shouldn’t Mrs. Who be Indian, and Mrs. Which be black? A lack of diversity in casting when the roles are utterly ambiguous in regards to race is worse than lazy; it is deliberately exclusionary. Therein lies the trap that numerous films are wrestling free of. Exclusion or warping of stories that are equally as needed in the American imagination as yet another cookie-cutter film about white people reliving the same romantic comedy subplot is as detrimental as it is boring. The box office successes that films like “Get Out,” “Girls Trip,” “Wonder Woman” and “Black Panther” represent should not be surprising: marginalized people are hungry for their stories to be told justly, and a growing section of Hollywood is ready to set up a buffet.
Aroog Khaliq is a freshman from Overland Park studying English and psychology.
Landolt: The wall is still a terrible idea
GUNS. DO. NOT. BELONG. ON. COLLEGE. CAMPUSES.
Can’t wait to cry myself to sleep on Valentine’s Day and then wake up the next morning and buy all the chocolate for 75% off, suckers.
projections, in the case of “Black Panther”) embody this. Marginalized groups no longer hold their breath during every film for tokenistic representations. Now, there is the beauty of seeing oneself as a character with depth that goes beyond a slapdash stereotype. Even reboots of old concepts with diverse casts get eaten up. “Girls Trip” was a funny, feel-good film about a group of friends’ raunchy vacation, but the predominantly black cast elevated the film from a fluffy hour and a half of remixed tropes. The experiences of a black woman as an entrepreneur, a black woman as a gossip columnist, a black woman as a nurse and a black woman as a pencil pusher were unique and interesting and not merely because the script was well done or the acting was phenomenal, but because seeing these women living out different, even commonplace, careers on the silver screen is a new concept in a world where most films about black women depict them as slaves, the help or the sassy sidekick.
MOLLY LANDOLT @mollylandolt On Jan. 20, President Trump gave his first State of the Union address, and he once again mentioned one of his most preposterous promises: building a wall between Mexico and the U.S. In June 2015, Trump stated in his campaign announcement, “I will build a great wall — and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me — and I’ll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words.”
I, quite frankly, thought his comments about the wall, like most of his campaign, were a joke. I hoped his comments were no more than one of his terrible, offhanded, racist and unbacked comments, but unfortunately he was serious. Although he has made no progress in building the wall, he made it clear on Tuesday night that he will go forward with his plan. Building a wall on our southern border will not solve any problems. It will solely create more debt for the U.S. Trump is not afraid to make disgusting and terribly
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racist comments about Mexicans. In his presidential announcement speech, he stated, “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.” But in reality, immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than U.S.-born citizens and pose no immediate threat to our safety and wellbeing. Mexican immigrants should not be in the forefront of lawmakers’ worries. In fact, most immigrants from Mexico come to the U.S. in hopes of a better life and more opportunities. According to the New York Times, there are 11 million illegal immigrants living in the United States, but almost a quarter of them are not hispanic. Approximately 40 percent of our border is
already fenced, and Trump’s wall proposal will still only cover less than half of the border. Even with a wall, illegal immigrants could still find a way to enter the U.S. in through of the border. Additionally, an $18 billion wall will not deter illegal immigrants and will not end illegal activities between the U.S. and Mexico. Trump plans to build the wall over a ten year period, but hopefully his presidency only lasts another three years. So, if construction of the wall begins during his presidency, the wall will not be finished before the end of his term. Depending on his successor’s actions, we could end up with a half constructed wall on our southern border. A wall will actually negatively impact the U.S. Building a wall will harm wildlife, interfering with animal migration and destroying their habitats. The ghastly cost to build the wall should be spent on other improvements like education, healthcare or infrastructure. The
contact us Chandler Boese Editor-in-chief cboese@kansan.com
Baylee Parsons Business Manager bparsons@kansan.com
U.S. is already $20 trillion in debt, and building an $18 billion wall will not solve any of our financial woes. The U.S. was built on immigrants, and President Trump is even married to an immigrant. Trump’s continuous hateful comments deter all immigrants from entering the U.S., even legally. We should be a country full of dreamers united as one. How can this happen if our president does everything in his power to deter immigrants from entering the U.S.? Construction of a wall on our southern border seems totalitarian and post-apocalyptic, a complete waste of resources, and it undermines the principles our country was built upon. Trump should stop trying to make the wall happen. The wall is unnecessary and unproductive and will not deter any illegal activities.
Molly Landolt is a freshman from Labadie, Missouri, studying strategic communications.
editorial board
Members of the Kansan Editorial Board are Chandler Boese, Erin Brock, Danya Issawi and Baylee Parsons.
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arts & culture Monday, February 5, 2018
K A N S A N .C O M /A R T S A N D C U LT U R E
Contributed photo Laura Moriarty, a University professor and novelist, is facing controversy over her recent book, “American Heart.”
Critics: KU author’s novel misses mark Laura Moriarty’s new dystopian book has come under fire recently, with many readers accusing her of misrepresenting Muslims in the text NICOLE ASBURY @nicoleasbury When Laura Moriarty published her latest book, “American Heart,” she expected some controversy. Her latest novel, published last Tuesday, imagines a U.S. in which Muslims are forced to register, and, in some cases, be deported. The narrator of the novel, Sarah-Mary, is an opinionated 15-year-old girl, unconcerned with deportations, as she doesn’t know any Muslims. When a Muslim woman, Sadaf, challenges her beliefs, Sarah-Mary’s mindset begins to change, and she seeks to help Sadaf as much as she can. “Twain said that in ‘Huckleberry Finn’, ‘a sound heart and a deformed conscience come into collision, and conscious suffers a defeat.’ I think that could also be said of what happens to Sarah-Mary,” Moriarty said in an email. “In the beginning, her conscience is deformed by what she’s been taught. She thinks a good American would turn Sadaf in, and she feels guilty for abetting her.” Yet days before the novel was published in print, negative reviews appeared on Goodreads discussing
the content of the novel. “For one thing, there are only two Muslim characters in this whole book, who apparently ‘look so much alike they could be mother and daughter.’ For another, Sadaf is the Muslim equivalent of the Magical Negro trope, in that she never feels like a human being in her own right; she seems to exist solely to educate Sarah-Mary and help her grow,” Emily May, a popular reviewer on the website, said in one of her reviews. Adversely, some of her negative response has come from anti-Muslim individuals, who claim her novel spreads misinformation about the nature of Islam, according to Moriarty.
sonable, or doing the right thing,” Moriarty said. “People have the right to their opinions, and they have the right to express their opinions.” “American Heart” was conceived after Moriarty listened to the political rhetoric surrounding the 2016 election, specific to then-candidate Donald Trump’s comment about “seeing thousands upon thousands of people were cheering as that building was coming down,” in reference to the events that transpired on Sept. 11, 2001. For Moriarty, this rhetoric “made her uneasy,” and in January 2016, she began writing “American Heart.”
“I worry that in the future, books that might be seen as ‘problematic’ —by people with a pretty dogmatic and rigid way of looking at literature — just won’t be published at all.” Laura Moriarty KU professor and author
tainly doesn’t mean being non-Muslim or white. It’s a way of thinking, a philosophy,” Moriarty said. “The novel has a plot that some readers have described as a thriller, but it’s also a book about Americans sticking up for each other and the ideas that, aside from political extremes, I think most of us still believe in: freedom of (and from) religion, tolerance for opposing ideas, the benefit of a diverse population, and the right to create and choose one’s own path.” The controversy over the novel still lingers, with one reviewer asserting that “American Heart is a book that aims to undermine white supremacy and yet ironically ends up clumsily reinforcing it at every page turn.” With so many negative reviews, independent Kirkus Reviews re-evaluated their own stance on the novel. Originally marked as a starred review, Kirkus removed the star. “As a result, we’ve removed the starred review from kirkus.com after determining that, while we believe our reviewer’s opinion is worthy and valid, some of the wording fell short of meeting our standards
for clarity and sensitivity, and we failed to make the thoughtful edits our readers deserve,” Kirkus said in its official statement. For Moriarty, the decision to do so was worrisome. “I worry that in the future, books that might be
seen as ‘problematic’ — by people with a pretty dogmatic and rigid way of looking at literature — just won’t be published at all,” Moriarty said. “The industry is very afraid right now — afraid of angering Twitter, afraid of boycotts, afraid of offending anyone,
“I do think that in today’s climate, if you’re making people angry on both extremes of the political spectrum, it’s probably a sign you’re being rea-
“I wanted to write a novel that celebrates what it really means to be an American, and to have an American heart. It doesn’t mean being born here, and it cer-
ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19) Don’t take action yet. Finish preparations first. Guard time for your health and well-being. There’s plenty of work today and tomorrow. Recharge your batteries.
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20) Stick close to home over the next few days. Organize, sort and clear out clutter. Establish order somewhere chaotic. Clean up a mess.
LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22) There’s profit potential today and tomorrow, although obstacles could seem intimidating. Stick to your budget. Take a creative tack. Revise plans for unforeseen circumstances.
LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22) Settle into your warm cocoon. Silence and peaceful pursuits soothe your spirit through tomorrow. Consider the consequences before taking action.
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21) Work takes priority over the next few days. Put in more time planning before initiating action. Someone important is paying attention. Take extra care.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18) Wait to see what develops. Changes require budget revisions. Focus on strategic objectives and avoid impulsive spending. Join forces with another to get funding.
TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20) Relax and take time for fun, family and romance. Don’t make important decisions now... strengthen bonds with people you love. Listen, share and consider.
CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22) Consider the history. Silence is better than damaging outbursts. If you don’t know what to say keep your peace. Focus on practical priorities despite distractions.
VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22) Slow down to avoid accidents or breakage. Energy surges are predictable for the next two days. Overcommitting can lead to burnout. Listen to your intuition.
SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21) Friendship makes a difference. Offer and receive support. Lend a helping hand to one who needs it. Show up for your team or community.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19) Plan your itinerary for an upcoming trip. Today and tomorrow favor travel, studies and education. Extra effort surpasses old limits. Rules bend. Don’t break them.
PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20) Work out details with your partner before leaping into motion. Communication can save time, money and hassle. Listen, share and support each other.
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Bourgeois Pig offers chill atmosphere
Ian Dominguez/KANSAN The Pig offers an atmospheric locale to socialize and relax. Located on Massachusetts Street, The Pig has been servicing Lawrence for more than 20 years.
EMILY BECKMAN @emilybeckman7 The Bourgeois Pig is open from sunup to sundown, and whether patrons need a glass of wine at 11 a.m. or a cup of coffee at 11 p.m., it has them covered. The coffee shop and bar is open from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m Monday through Sunday. Coffee drinks are offered all day, and alcoholic drinks are offered starting at 9 a.m., per Kansas law. The business is open to patrons of all ages at all times. According to Ryan Pope, owner of The Bourgeois Pig, the main aspects of the business that set it apart from other coffee shops in Lawrence are its vibe and “the fact that we offer more than just coffee.” He said the Bourgeois
Pig strives to provide an atmosphere that’s relaxed during the day and “buzzing and vibrant” at night. The business has been open at 6 E. 9th St. since 1994. Pope and his brother, Rob, purchased it from its original owners 11 years ago, Pope said.
"All walks of life are welcome here." Alycia Earhart barista and bartender at the Bourgeois Pig
Since then, they have remodeled the business and expanded its offerings, he said. The business serves Repetition Coffee, a Lawrence-based coffee
roasting company, owned by Pope and his wife, Amy. It also offers a large, rotating selection of beer, cocktails and wine. University alumna Alycia Earhart is a barista and bartender at the Bourgeois Pig. She has worked there for about four years. Earhart said some people might think the Bourgeois Pig is intimidating, but she said it has a warm and friendly environment. “All walks of life are welcome here,” Earhart said. “We have everything that you would want. If you’re a college kid and you want a 16 ounce quad shot vanilla latte, we got you. If you just need, you know, a big cup of coffee to study with, we got you on that too.”
James Hampton of Wichita is in his second year of law school at the University. He said he likes studying at the Bourgeois Pig, and typically goes
EVENTS & SPECIALS:
during the day when it’s calm and he can get work done. “I just really like the environment,” Hampton said. “I like the people. Every-
Each month, the Bourgeois Pig hosts Final Friday art openings. Art stays on display for the month, and work by Aaron Marable is currently on display. From 5 to 7 p.m. on February 12, the business will host an event with J. Rieger & Co., a distillery in Kansas City, Missouri. “The owners of the company will be here and we’ll be pouring cocktails using their spirits,” Pope said, “so that’ll be fun.” The Bourgeois Pig offers specials every week. Coffee specials rotate on weekdays.
one’s really chill, everyone’s calm [and] everyone’s always friendly. Usually you can strike up the conversation with the person who’s right next to you.”
DRINK SPECIALS:
Monday: Moscow Mules and Horse Feathers are $5 for Industry Day Tuesday: Glasses of wine are $6 Wednesday: Infusions Thursday: Martinis and classic cocktails Weekend: Drink specials rotate
'Big Sonia' seeks to spread message of love over hate KATIE COUNTS @countskatie752 “Larger than life. Stubborn as hell. Rebellious. Prophetic.” That’s how producer Leah Warshawski describes her grandmother, 91-year-old Sonia Warshawski, whom she based her documentary “Big Sonia” on. You can’t tell from looking at her, but the 4’8”, leopard-print wearing, Overland Park business owner survived the Holocaust. Despite her harrowing past, she has become an advocate for healing and love. For the past few years, Sonia has been telling her story at schools and prisons. “Meeting her for five minutes changes people’s lives,” Leah said. Originally, Leah just wanted to tell the story of her grandmother’s business, John’s Tailoring and Alterations. Having owned the shop for over 30 years, Sonia had received an eviction notice when the mall around it started to close. But as they were filming Sonia's everyday life, Leah realized the effect her grandmother had on others.
“We saw the impact that she has on the world and we thought, this warrants a bigger project,” Leah said. “It was about more than the shop.” As a teenager, Sonia was taken by the Nazi’s and placed in three different camps where she experienced terrible atrocities. She even watched her own mother walk to the gas chambers. She was not freed until age 19, but even then, Sonia could not escape trauma. On the day of her liberation, she was shot in the chest. She later recovered and moved to the United States where she married a fellow survivor. Together they opened the tailoring business which is still in operation. “This is the reason I survived,” Sonia said in the film. “You have to speak for them.” From her speeches to everyday conversation, Sonia’s message has impacted many including viewers at a showing at The United Methodist Church of Resurrection in Leawood. Sarah Spencer, a congregation member at the church, saw the film there on Jan. 19. “Keep going even if
Katie Counts/KANSAN Sonia Warshawski speaks with the audience before the film was showed. you’ve had the hardest of times. I’m a teacher and so I try to tell my students that everyday, so to see that and to see a real life example of that is amazing,” said Spencer who teaches at Mahaffie Elementary School in Olathe. Leah says that the mov-
ie has been able to amplify Sonia’s message to a wider audience. Since then the film’s release on Nov. 9, 2016, it has been shown at numerous film festivals, theaters and community screenings, and has picked up a variety of awards.
“Sonia has always wanted to be a movie star,” Leah said. But to the Warshawkis, the film is about much more than being a star or awards won. It’s about making a difference. “We’re just at a really pivotal time right now,
where I think the message of love over hate has never been more needed,” Leah said. “If that’s all people take from the film then we’ve done our job.”
— Edited by Alexandra Martinez
sports
Monday, February 5, 2018
K A N S A N .C O M /S P O R T S
Basketball Gameday TCU at Kansas, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 8 p.m.
Then-junior guard Svi Mykhailiuk brings the ball up the floor against TCU on Feb. 22, 2017. Kansas defeated TCU, 87-68. SHAUN GOODWIN & MICHAEL SWAIN @ShaunGoodwinUDK & @mswain97
Beat Writer Predictions: Shaun Goodwin: Kansas 84-77, Michael Swain: Kansas 78-72
KANSAS (18-5, 7-3)
TCU (16-7, 4-6)
Malik Newman
Vladimir Brodziansky
★★★★★
★★★★
redshirt sophomore guard
senior forward
As conference play has kicked into full-action, Kansas basketball has often been the Malik Newman show. The redshirt sophomore guard has the energy and agility to guard both the perimeter and to try and make stops on TCU’s Vladimir Brodziansky if he tries to get inside. On offense, you can expect Newman to make the game his own at some point.
Senior forward Vladimir Brodziansky is a tricky player to guard. With incredible height and footwork, Brodziansky can get around anyone in the post. Compiled with his size and speed, Brodziansky is terrific at drawing fouls. Against Kansas on Jan. 6, Brodziansky drew multiple fouls leading to him shooting 10 of 10 from the free throw line. The Kansas big men will have to be careful in order to stop Brodziansky.
Svi Mykhailiuk
Desmond Bane
★★★★★
★★★
senior guard
sophomore guard
Described by Kansas coach Bill Self as one of two players on the team who gives their all, Mykhailiuk will put in 110 percent following Kansas’ loss to Oklahoma State. With TCU boasting the worst three-point field goal defense in the conference and Mykhailiuk shooting an impressive 46.6 percent from three, don’t be surprised to hear “Svi for three” several times.
Since the injury to Jaylen Fisher, sophomore Desmond Bane has stepped up in his absence. Bane has scored 12 or more points in the past four games and assisted 15 baskets in that time. With a combination of strength and explosive athleticism, Bane could be a handful for the Kansas guards to keep under wraps.
Mitch Lightfoot
Kenrich Williams
★★★
★★★
sophomore forward
Sophomore forward Mitch Lightfoot is really growing into his own this season. With a team-high 37 blocks, Lightfoot is proving to be a hidden assassin. Recently, Lightfoot has been playing late in games to avoid teams purposely fouling Udoka Azubuike. It’s worth noting that Lightfoot had the potential game-winning block on Jaylen Fisher in the road game earlier this season.
athletes of the week
Missy Minear/KANSAN
Jenny Nusbaum Swimming and diving
Sophomore Jenny Nusbaum had a terrific weekend in Aimes, Iowa. The North Carolina native notched two victories in Kansas’ win over Iowa State. Nusbaum got her first victory Friday in the 1,000-yard freestyle. She followed up her good performance with a win in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 52.35.
senior guard
In his almost three full seasons at TCU, Kenrich Williams has never played well against Kansas. Williams has never scored more than 13 points against the Jayhawks in regular season Big 12 play. In those five games, Williams is averaging only 9.6 points and 8.6 rebounds in 32.4 minutes. For TCU to pick up a win in Allen Fieldhouse, Williams needs to have a performance to remember.
Barden Adams
Track and field Senior Barden Adams has been on a tear as of late. Entering Saturday’s meet, Adams had won four victories in a row. Adams pushed the streak to five with a win in the triple jump. The New Jersey native jumped 18.55 meters to claim the victory.