October 22, 2019 by The University Star

VOLLEYBALL EXTENDS WIN STREAK

SEE PAGE 2

SEE PAGE 7

STUDENT GOVERNMENT DIVERSITY WEEK ADVOCATES FOR CAMPUS INCLUSIVITY

SEE PAGE 3 A PEEK AT THE ARTISTS OF ACL

www.UniversityStar.com

TUESDAY OCTOBER 22, 2019 VOLUME 109 ISSUE 11

DEFENDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE 1911

WHO IS GOD THE MOTHER? By Chase Rogers Assistant News Editor

Editor's note: over the course of two weeks, Assistant News Editor Chase Rogers made several attempts to reach World Mission Society's student organization, Elohim Bible Study Club, but received no response each time. Texas State students reported being approached on campus by World Mission Society Church of God members, informally known as "God the Mother," amid baseless rumors the group is a front for a sex trafficking ring. The nationwide claims of sex trafficking by WMS are unfounded and appear to have circulated solely in online social

media posts—not by law enforcement or any governing authority. The claims originated nearly two years ago on social media and have been debunked, but that has not stopped allegations from circulating on college campuses nationwide. WMS provided a statement concerning false social media posts early 2018 when rumors began spreading online. "Recently, we were made aware of a social media post in which someone appears to accuse the church and its members of being linked to a ring of sex/ human trafficking," WMS's statement read. "Nothing could be further from the truth. We are a church of Christian love and denounce any such activities

wherever they may be carried out. This is not only unfair but has endangered innocent people who are simply trying to worship God as their conscience moves them." University Police Department Captain Patrick Cochran said the department has performed extensive background checks on the organization using the Austin Regional Intelligence Center. The database is recognized by the Department of Homeland Security and consists of 17 public safety agencies in Hays, Travis and Williamson counties with aims of combating crime and terrorism. "We did a whole work-up on the group this year to make sure we were clear because you cannot really tell

sometimes with social media," Cochran said. "We went through our intelligence center, ARIC, and asked them to check this group out. So far we have yet to find anything coming close to claims of sex trafficking." WHO ARE THEY? A religious movement beginning in South Korea in 1964, WMS has been compared closely to traditional Christianity with the key difference being the belief in "God the Mother." WMS distinguishes itself from other religious groups by emphasizing 2,500 instances of plurality in the Bible in reference to God. WMS members infer there is a God made in a female image, SEE ORGANIZATION PAGE 2

CONSERVATION STUDENT

Student found unresponsive, later declared dead By Jakob Rodriguez Editor-in-Chief

Discovery Center hosts second annual Monarch Fest By Bayley Bogus Managing Editor For the second year in a row, the San Marcos Discovery Center hosted the Monarch Fest and native plant sale Oct. 19. The event took place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and was located at 430 Riverside Drive, to celebrate and spread awareness on the importance of the Monarch butterfly. Conrad Chappell, San Marcos Discovery Center specialist, said the focus of the fest this year was the environment and ensuring attendees understand monarch safety. "Our top priority here is spreading awareness to how precarious monarchs are," Chappell said. "There are so many things we can do that are not difficult to make the world a better place." San Marcos city staff, as well as 15 local organizations, hosted exhibits at the festival, including Bobcat Buzz, Hill Country Native Plant Society of Texas and Austin Bat Refuge. Booths were set up around the outside of the center with representatives of each group working to educate attendees on how to protect habitats of migrating monarchs and other species. Travis Wayne Scott, agriculture business and management junior, was one of several Bobcat Buzz members in attendance. Scott said how imperative it is to understand the importance of pollinators on people's lives and the environment. "We want to help people learn more about bees and pollinators in general," Scott said. "The Discovery Center emailed us to exhibit here, and we had a table last year as well. We wanted to come back to contribute." Bobcat Buzz is a Texas State beekeeping club. The organization has several hives and gardens throughout campus members maintain. Additionally, the

A sign directs visitors to a native plant sell happening in the Discovery Center's greenhouse Oct. 19 at the Monarch Fest. PHOTO BY BAYLEY BOGUS

club hosts educational bee-related activities at its meetings at 6 p.m. every other Wednesday. In addition, the Monarch Fest was coupled with a native plant sale, allowing participants to peruse various native plants and become inspired to create their own butterfly garden. In purchasing pollinator-friendly greenery, people can positively contribute to the species' health, as native plants provide nectar for monarchs. The Native Plant Society of Texas-Hill Country Chapter comes to the Discovery Center twice a year, once in the fall and then spring. NPSOT is heavily involved in monarch conservation through various initiates like Bring Back the Monarchs to Texas and I-35 Waystation program. Tanya Davison, vice president of communications for the chapter, said how much she enjoys bringing the booth to the center because of the people she gets to interact with. "(The Discovery Center) is our favorite place to bring our booth because the people we see here that come by are ready to do their gardening," Davison said. "The people we talk to are not just walking around, they want to know what plants are going to work where they live. Those specifics are what we specialize in and we love giving out information." NPSOT is a nonprofit organization

run by volunteers. The Hill Country Chapter has been around for four years and meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second Monday of each month at EmilyAnn Gardens in the Burdine Johnson Theater, located at 1101 FM 2325 in Wimberley. There were roughly 100 people who attended the fest, coming and going throughout the seven hours the event took place. Carolyn Gonzales is a San Marcos local who attended and appreciates the conservation efforts the city has undergone. "I love this event and always try to come to things like this," Gonzales said. "I appreciate what San Marcos does for conservation in educating its citizens." Central Texas is in the heart of a flyway for several migrating species of birds and insects, including the monarch butterfly. Chappell said while educating attendees and spreading awareness, he wants people to feel empowered long after leaving the event. "The most important thing to take away is empowerment," Chappell said. "What we want most in hosting conservation events is to have people feel connected to the ecosystem around them. It only takes little steps along the way to protect our environment." The second annual Monarch Fest and native plant sale featured a variety of activities for kids and adults alike. The event was free and open to the public. If visitors went to all 15 booths and completed an exhibitor passport given to them upon arrival, they were entered in a drawing with prizes including a Monarch Garden Consultation and $60 worth of plants. For more information on the San Marcos Discovery Center and its activities, visit its website: http://sanmarcostx.gov/161/ Activities Bobcat Buzz is active on Instagram @ txstbees

University Police and Emergency Medical Services found a student unresponsive in a dorm on the San Marcos campus. The student was later pronounced dead Sunday evening. Records obtained by The University Star indicate the death was originally reported to the UPD at approximately 5:38 p.m. via a 911 call. UPD officers and EMS officials were dispatched to Laurel Hall at 600 N. LBJ Dr. at 5:40 p.m. that evening. The Texas State official Twitter account released the following information at approximately 9:36 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20. “We are sad to inform the university community that today a TXST student was found unresponsive in a residence hall at our San Marcos campus & later pronounced dead,” the social media post read. “There is no evidence of foul play & there is no danger to the community. The student’s family has been notified.” The student is believed to have died by suicide, according to university officials familiar with the investigation. The call was completed by UPD at 11:58 p.m. and was classified as a death on campus with the subclass of "unattended death." UPD is currently investigating this incident and has labeled it an open and active case. In case of a medical or mental health life-threatening emergency, call 911. Mental health resources like the 24-Hour Crisis Hotline (1-877466-0660) or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273TALK) (8255) are available to the university community. Additionally, students on the San Marcos campus are advised to utilize the Avail Crisis Hotline (1-877-4660660) and students on the Round Rock campus are advised to utilize the Bluebonnet Trails Crisis Hotline (1800-841-1255). Additional resources for students can be found by visiting the Counseling Center website: https://www. counseling.txstate.edu/.

The University Star

2 | Tuesday, October 22, 2019

NEWS

Sonia Garcia News Editor starnews@txstate.edu

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"God the Mother," working in tandem with a more conventional male image of God. The WMS website describes its objective as "carrying out missionary work and volunteer services with the goal of preaching the good news of salvation and happiness to all people." The organization has received accolades for its charitable work. WMS was awarded The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service in 2016, the highest award given to local volunteer groups across the U.K. to recognize outstanding work done in their own communities. According to its website, WMS has 3 million members in 175 countries and about 7,500 churches throughout the world. WHY ARE THEY HERE? WMS has brick-and-mortar churches in San Antonio, Austin and Houston. Given Texas States' close proximity to these locations, members travel to campus to proselytize and recruit. According to Captain Cochran, WMS typically appears on campus during fall semesters. He believes the organization does this to recruit students at the university. "Last year at the beginning of the fall semester, I remember we got several reports of (WMS members) on campus," Cochran said. "They seem to really spike around the beginning of the semester. During this time, we have a whole new group of people on campus." WHAT ARE THEY DOING? Students have reported being approached by WMS members on campus at night, typically as a pair dressed in nice clothing. Madison Campbell, exercise and sports science freshman, said she was approached at the UAC arch while walking home from a meeting on

campus. "I think it was 8:30 or 9 p.m. when (the WMS member) talked to me," Campbell said. "She pulled out her phone and started talking about 'God the Mother.' She asked me questions like 'have you heard of this' and 'what are your thoughts on that' and I didn't know what to think—I just wanted to go home because it was late." Campbell said she did not give her real name to the member when asked. "She was very smiley and friendly but I did not give her my real name because I felt really uncomfortable," Campbell said. "I kept thinking, 'I'm in college and this is a chance to experience something new.' At the same time, mentally, I was thinking 'hey, this doesn't feel right. I don't want to be here right now.'" After returning to her dorm and attending class the next day, Campbell described a second encounter with the group and said she started to see posts on social media about WMS. "I saw rumors pop up on social media and the Wildfire app," Campbell said. "I was getting lunch the next day and a woman came up to me saying she did not want to scare me but there are these people talking about 'God the Mother' and suggested I go inside. I thought, 'wow, at least it is not just me'" Campbell said the couple was nicely dressed and the man looked middleaged. They approached students and talked to them for about five minutes before leaving. The Wildfire app is a crowdsourced application delivering safety notifications when emergency situations occur near the user. "God the Mother" is discussed frequently on the app, with users warning others about the groups' presence on campus. One user posted on Wildfire Sept. 17, stating, "I've always heard rumors about this 'God the Mother' human trafficking scheme going around

college campuses 'recruiting,' but never believed them until now." The user then said how they had been stopped by two members of WMS. The post concluded with, "don't know the truth, but nonetheless, be safe out there." IS WMS ALLOWED ON CAMPUS? According to UPD records acquired by The University Star, peace officers have made contact with WMS members on several occasions. The officers ensured the WMS members they are allowed to be on campus but reminded the group they are restricted from entering university facilities. Texas State Student Involvement has been contacted concerning WMS members on campus as well. Per UPD records obtained by The University Star, a representative from Student Involvement, Assistant Director Kimberly Duncan-Ashley, cited WMS as permitted on campus. Duncan-Ashley said Texas State's status as a public institution allows the majority of groups to form a student organization contingent on the fulfillment of certain requirements. "We are a public institution, so as long as organizations reach the minimum requirements they can be considered a registered organization at Texas State," Duncan-Ashley said. "Groups must have an adviser, three individuals— essentially three officers—that can speak on behalf of the organization, a constitution and must attend risk management training." WHAT CAN YOU DO IF YOU DO NOT FEEL SAFE ON CAMPUS? Texas State has incorporated several initiatives to help students feel safer, including the Bobcat Bobbies, Safe Ride program and Rave Guardian application.

DIVERSITY

Student Government diversity week advocates for campus inclusivity By Sarah Martinez News Reporter Student Government is hosting its first-ever Diversity Week, celebrating values and differences in the Texas State student body. Scheduled for Oct. 25-Nov. 2, the week includes programs and events advancing cultural and diversity awareness. Diversity Week: Living in Our Truth is the first program Student Government has hosted to honor differences on campus. According to the Student Government website, Diversity Week educates students on the importance of cross-culturalism and inclusion. Each event and program acknowledges ethnicity, race, age, sexual orientation, ability, religion, country of origin and veteran status as well as different points of view and backgrounds. Kick-off events for Oct. 25 include performances from an array of students. Throughout the week, there will be showcases and projects dedicated to educational learning and remembrance of other cultures like the 1619 project and Black History in America. Las Cafeteras, Afro-Mexican music and storytelling group, will be performing Monday, Oct. 28. Activities meant for students to meet and socialize include Drag Karaoke with Kristi Waters, who is specifically speaking to the LGBTQ+ community. The event is meant to allow members to feel open in embracing their identities. According to the Texas State Brand Guidelines, 53% of Texas State students are minorities, comprising 45% white, 37% Hispanic, 11% African-American

and 5% other. According to the Office of Institutional Research, there has been a significant rise in the overall Hispanic enrollment from fall 2013 to fall 2018, with numbers jumping from 30.09% to 37.06%. The African-American enrollment rate has risen as well, from 7.93% to 11.18%. The minority student enrollment has increased overall. Student Government President Corey Benbow said he was inspired to coordinate Diversity Week after speaking with an international student during his presidential campaign last semester. “After being elected, (I implemented) a director of programming and said we should do a cultural mixer,” Benbow said. “Then I said, 'why don't we just turn it into a week of celebrations instead?'” Benbow said his focus for Student Government is bringing the university community together. “I am most certainly focused on how we can best draw in diversity that exists in this university and bring in inclusion, uniqueness and perspectives of individuals,” Benbow said. According to Student Government Vice President Tucker Thompson, the program raises awareness of the various different perspectives of individuals on campus. After his and Benbow’s administration, they hope Diversity Week will continue annually. “We would love for this to be continued after our administration is over because it is something incredibly fun for students to go to and something I think is very valuable, especially to our

Joshua Clarke (left) stands beside President Corey Benbow (front) and Vice President Tucker Thompson (right) as he answers members questions pertaining to his role as Justice of the Supreme Court. PHOTO BY REBECCA HARRELL

university and population,” Thompson said. Maya Hicks, political science freshman, said the program is a great form of approaching students about the significance of differences each individual has and how to communicate effectively with the student body. “(Diversity Week) is what students are going to remember and continuously think about, even after the week is over,” Hicks said. “I think this is something we can carry with us even after college because of the importance it holds.” To view more information about Student Government Diversity Week: Living in Our Truth and its events, visit the website: https://studentgovernment. dos.txstate.edu/diversity-week.html.

"I AM MOST CERTAINLY FOCUSED ON HOW WE CAN BEST DRAW IN DIVERSITY THAT EXISTS IN THIS UNIVERSITY AND BRING IN INCLUSION, UNIQUENESS AND PERSPECTIVES OF INDIVIDUALS" - COREY BENBOW, STUDENT GOVERNMENT PRESIDENT

The University Star

Tuesday, October 22, 2019 | 3

LIFE & ARTS

Laura Figi Life & Arts Editor starlifeandarts@txstate.edu

MUSIC

A peek at the artists of ACL 2020. Conley has worked with producers like Dave Cobb and John Prine, and said she is grateful for the opportunities her Austin City Limits hosted more team provides. than 140 artists on nine stages over “They’ve fought for me,” Conley said. two weekends in its 17th annual music “They’ve done a really good job putting festival. me where I need to be.” Artists from all over the globe came to the Live Music Capital of the world VANESSA ZAMORA to showcase their talents. Performers Vanessa Zamora began her singing showed as much diversity in their career by uploading videos of herself nationalities as they did genres of music. to YouTube. She received positive responses, which gave her the confidence ALESIA LANI to begin performing and eventually Alesia Kay Buchanan, stage name make the stage at ACL. Alesia Lani, moved to Austin from “It was the biggest fear I conquered,” Springfield, Missouri, at four years old. Zamora said. The R&B artist attended McNeil High Zamora was born in Tijuana, Mexico, School, where she sang in the choir. just south of the California border. Buchanan said the choir instructor was She said the city has American and so impressed with some of the students’ traditional Mexican influences, which talent they formed an R&B choir. greatly shaped her worldly perspective. “I had a really dope music teacher,” Growing up in a city influenced by two Buchanan said. “I feel like I really grew major countries, she said she realized into myself, even more, being in high how the world is connected. school.” “The world is big,” Zamora said. “You Buchanan performed weekend one on just live on this planet at the end of the the T-Mobile stage, as well as an ACL day.” Late Night Show at Stubb’s BBQ. She Playing ACL was the first time debuted two new songs “IDFWU” and Zamora brought her psychedelic pop “Big Shot” during the festival. sound to a festival of that scale. She said “If (the band and I) feel like we are her experience at ACL is only a slice of enjoying ourselves and having fun her life she gets to enjoy, but ultimately, playing (music), I feel like the fans will she is grateful for the opportunity to always feed on that,” Buchanan said. perform. Buchanan has hit career milestones: “This pays it all off,” Zamora said. “It’s The City of Austin declared Nov. 19 something that really motivates me to “Alesia Lani Day” and selected Buchanan keep going.” for Project ATX 6, where six local artists are put on an international tour. The LEY LINE singer celebrated her birthday over ACL Based out of Austin, Texas, the folkweekend and said she is appreciative of inspired band consists of four women all the checkpoints in her career. bringing unique harmonious vocals to “(ACL) is my gift,” Buchanan said. support the spiritual messages in their “Being here is like a trophy.” music. Emilie Basez and Kate Robberson met SAVANNAH CONLEY sisters Madeleine and Lydia Froncek Born and raised in Nashville, at a music festival in Colorado during Tennessee, to two professional musicians, 2013. The band recorded its first album Savannah Conley said she was instantly in 2016 and has been touring ever since. expected to follow the footsteps of her Madeleine said each member brings a parents. Like most kids, Conley was taste of their own music and spirituality reluctant to follow her parents’ path to the band’s sound. because she saw firsthand the hard life “The root of the band is the desire to of being a musician. Conley said she sing in harmony and to express your attended college for two years to become story and vulnerability,” Madeleine said. a teacher as a means of rebellion but The group has traveled to different eventually realized no other career was parts of the world and collectively better suited for her. speaks French, Spanish, Portuguese “I couldn’t run from it for very long,” and English, which are all incorporated Conley said. into their music. Robberson said their As a child, Conley was influenced experiences discovering new people and by the abundance of country music in cultures has inspired the band’s music. Nashville. As she got older, artists like However, the band finds inspiration in Jack White and Kings of Leon moved the music community of Austin as well. to town and brought with them a new “We’re really lucky to be in a town music scene. Conley said she credits her that’s so saturated with music so that we style of music to the variety of sounds can go out and see people really making she heard growing up. and living their art,” Robberson said. “I got to experience all kinds of music, Ley Line is releasing a new album which influenced everything,” Conley 2020, which will be its first vinyl release. said. Additionally, the group is releasing a C o n l e y visual album in which some songs will has been accompany the women's experiences playing music performing in and exploring Brazil professionally during their three-month tour. The for three years. album will feature new single, “Oxum,” She released which is an homage to fresh water. Basez her first EP, said bringing the awareness to the issue “ T w e n t y - in the song is something with which she Twenty,” March feels deeply connected. 2018 and hopes “The first place I feel empowered is to release more my own voice and my own actions and music early my own prayers,” Basez said. “If that can become more collective, it takes me to trusting the work we’re doing is worth it.” By Kyle Chitwood Life and Arts Reporter

HIPPIE SABOTAGE Brothers Kevin and Jeff Saurer began making beats as background music to skateboard videos they created as teenagers. The two later began producing beats for rap artists but people enjoyed them so much they began releasing and performing their different sounds. Jeff said mixing beats as a music performance was uncommon when they first started but helped bring the scene to the mainstream. “We created that sh*t,” Jeff said. Despite being brothers, the two have always worked cohesively. Kevin said the brotherly band allows them to

Ley Line performs its set Oct. 13 at the Austin City Limits Music Festival. PHOTO BY KYLE CHITWOOD

Rebelution performs its set on the American Express stage Oct. 13 at the Austin City Limits Music Festival. PHOTO BY KYLE CHITWOOD

Zamora and her band bring her Tijuana-based sounds to the stage Oct. 13 at the Austin City Limits Music Festival. PHOTO BY KYLE CHITWOOD

be more honest creatively. They said they are grateful for the opportunities they have had as artists. “We started this art project a long time ago and we’re just happy we get the opportunity to continue to do it year after year,” Kevin said. The duo has played in North and South America and said they feel love from audiences in each country. The two said playing at ACL has been a big steppingstone for developing their Texas fan base. Their favorite moment from the festival was having their parents feed Chipotle burritos to the crowd weekend one. “Coming from California, the love Texas has shown us just blows our minds,” Kevin said. REBELUTION The Grammy-nominated California reggae-rock band formed while taking classes at Santa Barbara City College in 2004. What originally began as a cover band now has six full-length albums with the latest, “Free Rein,” released June 2018. Lead singer Eric Rachmany said Rebelution aims to make positive music that is relatable to people. “Our music is there to inspire and

motivate people,” Rachmany said. “I want to encourage them to feel good about themselves.” Rachmany is beginning an acoustic tour featuring Rebelution guitarist Kyle Ahearn where 100% of the proceeds will be dedicated to the Last Prisoner Project. The nonprofit organization is committed to the expungement of prisoners convicted of nonviolent cannabis offenses. Rebelution has its own line of cannabis products, so Rachmany said it is odd they profit off something another is still imprisoned for. “We don’t think anyone should be in jail or prison for any sort of possession or anything related to cannabis,” Rachmany said. Rebelution performed on the American Express stage both weekends of ACL 2019, which was the band’s third time playing the festival. Rachmany said he appreciates the organization of the festival and how ACL crowds are like those at Rebelution concerts: a diverse mix of young and old. “(ACL) is one of my favorite festivals,” Rachmany said. “Austin has always been really good.”

The University Star

4 | Tuesday, October 22, 2019

OPINIONS

Jordan Drake Opinions Editor staropinion@txstate.edu

Opinions expressed in The University Star are not necessarily those of Texas State University’s administration, Board of Regents, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, or Student Publications Board.

Letters to the editor

The University Star welcomes letters from our readers. Letters must be 500 words or fewer to be considered for publication. Please include your full name, mailing address, major and academic year designation, phone number and e-mail address when submitting a letter. Submissions that do not include this information cannot be published. This information is seen only by the editors and is not used for any commercial purpose. Letters become the property of The Star and may be republished in any format. The letter may be edited for length and clarity. You will be contacted if your letter is a candidate for publication. We will not run letters that are potentially libelous, discriminatory, obscene, threatening or promotional in nature. To make a submission, email stareditor@txstate.edu.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Our groundwater conservation district can, and must, protect all of you By Jim Blackburn In 2015, the Texas Legislature gave the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District additional territory and responsibility for regulating groundwater withdrawal from the Trinity Aquifer in a portion of Hays County. It is important to know the District protects Barton Springs, which, during drought, is sustained by Trinity Aquifer groundwater. The Trinity Edwards Springs Protection Association (TESPA) and the Hays County community are concerned about how the District is interpreting this new responsibility of managing the Trinity Aquifer. Based on recent decision-making, it appears the District is more concerned with avoiding a legal fight with permit applicants than with actually regulating groundwater production. This should worry the citizens of Austin, Hays County and Hill Country. Those of us living west of IH-35 share an intrinsic connection through the karst limestone lying below us. The porous substrate welcomes the rain, stores it and slowly gives it back through seeps and springs that are the very heart and soul of the Hill Country. Excessive groundwater withdrawals are threatening these seeps and springs; we are in grave danger of losing them. An obscene, illogical groundwater permit application to pump almost a billion gallons of groundwater a year from the Trinity Aquifer near Driftwood is currently being pursued by a private company, Electro Purification (EP). TESPA, Hays County and a number of private landowners are fighting it with all our might.

EP’s intention is to sell this groundwater to the Goforth Special Utility District in eastern Hays County. Our expert has testified that after pumping this volume of water for seven years, the drawdown at Jacob’s Well, 5.5-miles away, will be approximately 140 feet. It is a well-established fact Jacob’s Well will stop flowing after only a few feet of drawdown. Jacob’s Well is the source water for Cypress Creek, which runs through downtown Wimberley and into the Blanco River. It is a centerpiece of Hays County recreation investment and economy. Equally alarming, EP will impact hundreds of landowners’ household wells. After seven years of pumping at the full permit volume, wells will be drawn down as far as five miles away from the EP well field. The drawdown varies in the Cow Creek formation of the Trinity Aquifer from 360 feet at one mile away (about 76% of a well’s water column) to 140 feet at five miles away (about 30% of the water column). This is unacceptable and just wrong. No single landowner should be able to harm neighbors and kill springs in this way. No reasonable interpretation of property rights allows this to happen. The damage will be felt from Wimberley to Dripping Springs and to the outskirts of Kyle and San Marcos— an area of more than 78 square miles. One applicant should not be given the right to drain the aquifer we all share. This could be the result of BSEACD’s proposed action, which is to issue EP’s full permit with some safeguards. However, an alternative does exist. District

staff has determined if pumping were permitted at 250,000 gallons per day (rather than 2.5 million gallons per day), negative impacts would not occur. TESPA’s key question is this: “Why must a permit be issued for the full amount requested when we know it will cause disastrous impacts?” The point here is vitally important. The District must protect all of us. It is not their job to please a private applicant but to regulate groundwater; they have the legal authority to do so. We understand Texas groundwater law is complicated. Both the applicant and the adjacent landowners have property rights in the groundwater. The District’s regulatory responsibility requires fairness and balance, not capitulation. As we see it now, the District is capitulating and acting in opposition to the community it is obligated to protect. The Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District is on the verge of making decisions setting a dangerous precedent for how groundwater will be managed in Hays County. These decisions will not only impact Jacob’s Well, Cypress Creek, the Blanco River and Barton Springs, but everyone’s groundwater rights. We want the District to use its authority to regulate in a way protecting all of us who depend on the aquifer— and to protect the groundwater, not the groundwater district. In this, we all will benefit. Jim Blackburn of Houston and Wimberley, Texas, is board chair of TESPA, Professor in the Practice of Environmental Law at Rice University and Rice Faculty Scholar at the Baker Institute.

ASTROLOGY

Astrology is a scam By Laura Nunez Opinion Columnist Astrology is a fabricated ideology created to reassure humanity of their feelings and actions. Horoscopes have managed to stay relevant for thousands of years because society thrives off justifying an imaginary language translated by people with too much time on their hands. The world of astrology has consumed college students to a concerning degree and individuals should become aware they are infatuated with a fantasy. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines astrology as, “the study of the supposed influences of the stars and planets on people's lives and behavior.” Even the kid's version of the definition does not make enough sense to be real and believed by millions. Astrology, not to be confused with astronomy, was created by the Babylonians over 2,400 years ago and started with the belief celestial bodies could predict natural events and seasons. However, astrology expands its purpose to this day. People rely on astrology to predict critical elements of their lives including their strengths, weaknesses, relationships and careers. Astrology has been rejected by the scientific community since the beginning and that should be enough of a reason to accept astrology as a scam. However, the world continues to crave and feed off the false affirmations and predictions received from the thought process. Scientific testing has not been able to verify any of the information projected through astrology. Horoscopes are pseudoscience—false knowledge—and have no explanatory power for describing

the universe. Wake up America, lies are being told. The main reason astrology has stayed relevant in society for countless years is simple: humans are narcissistic and selfabsorbed by nature. Astrology feeds off individuals' weaknesses and uncovers the irreversible disease infecting the universe: the need for validation. People crave talking about themselves and their energy. Astrology makes it easy.

College students have become captivated by the farce of astrology with 58% of 18-24 year old believing in astrology

is scientific. Students are an easy target for things helping them understand life. During a period of growth and knowledge, adopting a system predicting the general theme of life or moods for the day is not deeply questioned by students. Understandably, the idea of the universe foreshadowing the pathway to life and validating silly dreams is comforting, but not realistic. In fact, this ideal is not real at all.

Un f o r t u n a t e l y, it is impossible to escape the influence of astrology in this generation. The casual way of human

conversation has now been taken hostage by questions of zodiac signs, moons and planets. The act of adding friends on Snapchat and Instagram has escalated to connecting with friends on Co-Star, an astrological app providing daily updates on zodiac sign charts and predictions. Co-Star ingeniously managed to bring astrology to Millennials through quirky push notifications and minimalist aesthetics. The app launched in late 2017 and has been highly successful. Reports show the app's revenue at over $5 million in April 2019. Business and astrology mixed to manipulate society with completely made-up ideals, require only two things: caressing egos on a daily basis and doing it in a cute, visually appealing manner. Astrology claims to be the study of zodiac signs and star alignment language. However, no one questions where the information comes from or why looking at a personal horoscope can make complete sense, but so can reading a description for another sign. Horoscopes are supposed to be the foretelling of a person’s life and the natural world based on the relative positions of stars and planets. The problem is horoscopes are so general they could relate to absolutely anyone, discrediting the whole system. People should feel encouraged to believe in anything that soothes or comforts the soul, but astrology is not the entity to look toward. It is a joke and believers are the punchline. College students and society need to understand astrology carries nothing of value or truth. Individuals tend to believe in enough nonsense; do not add astrology to the list. –Laura nunez is an advertising junior

The University Star

Tuesday, October 22, 2019 | 5

OPINIONS

Jordan Drake Opinions Editor staropinion@txstate.edu

SOCIETY

The double standard of feminism By Elisabeth Harper Opinion Columnist

For a society striving for equal opportunity and freedom to act as one pleases, common values have fallen into the pit of unequivocal standards. The general characteristics of male and female behavior are no longer held on the same platform and terms like “hyper-masculinity” are blacklisted while feminism seems to be on an exponential growth curve. However, masculinity and femininity are two sides of the same coin. If feminism does not have a tipping point, masculinity cannot have one either. The female sex has been stifled beneath an overbearing sentiment of male superiority for a large portion of American history but there is such a thing as overcorrection. When the feminism movement started, it was based on equal opportunity. Candy-apple-red fingernails folded away in firm fists rose as the most admirable Rosie Riveters cheered on the inalienable rights of women. Fast forward and the feminist movement has made well-deserved headway from suffrage, to breaking through female objectification, to equal job opportunities. Now in 2019, the movement has reached its fourth wave and has grown curious since its original drift; the

tides have turned. Men are the ones facing suppression. Regardless of gender identity notions, it is indisputable how individuals born with XX or XY chromosomes have certain biological trends indicative of their future mannerisms. Glands are secreting hormones like estrogen and testosterone that predispose the body to act a certain kind of way. Scientific knowledge is not an opinion—this is science. These predispositions are still beneath the veil of voluntary and meditated action, but it is a biological tendency—like many other things—the 21st-century advocates tolerance for. Unless hypocrisy in the philosophical perspective is something suddenly admirable, it does not make sense to cherry-pick how and where logic is applied. If something is out of someone's control, like sexual preference, people cannot help certain behaviors. A study titled "Testosterone and Aggressive Behavior in Man" found, though at varying levels, testosterone manifested itself through a number of coined “hypermasculine” characteristics. Physical and verbal aggressiveness, dominance behaviors and competitiveness were included. The study stated, “testosterone plays a significant role in the arousal of these behavioral manifestations.” Jonathan Gottschall, English professor at Washington

& Jefferson College in Pennsylvania, released a book in 2015 titled “The Professor in the Cage: Why Men Fight and Why We Like to Watch.” His last line in the book remarks, “if this sounds insane, if it sounds like I am captive to a barbaric version of masculinity, I plead guilty. My only defense is I am not alone. As we’ll soon see, this barbaric masculinity is typical of our species, not just our culture.” Unless society is content to trade a football tackle for a hug or to stop letting women go braless, people are going to have to accept some members of the male sex are biologically built to be more aggressive, sexually inclined and competitive than the female sex. However, this is not a means to dismiss rape or excessive public violence. Such concepts are universally inappropriate and therefore cannot be used as an argument against hyper-masculinity; they are not exclusive. However, let men scuffle if they please. Let them be assertive. Current attitudes are too often formatted in a way resembling an unevenly spread peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It is not sensible to apply to one side what is not applied to the other. If there is one thing women have learned from feminist activism, it is how to make a proper sandwich. –Elisabeth Harper is a wildlife biology sophomore

CULTURE

Cancel culture is toxic By Delilah Alvarado Opinion Columnist Thanks to social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, regular everyday people have greater opportunities than ever to share their opinions. Opinion leaders can be anyone now and in recent years, gained the power to “cancel” someone for saying or doing anything deemed "controversial." According to Urban Dictionary, cancel culture is when a person is stripped of their status due to accusations, whether or not they have merit. Not only can cancel culture affect celebrities, but students and staff as well. If there is any situation brought to attention on social media, individuals involved can be called out online and brought to a negative light. This calling-out process provides unnecessary observation to people who might not have wanted attention in the first place. A hostile online environment ensues, creating bigger effects than expected. Earlier this year, the Texas State Student Government decided to bar a conservative group on campus, Turning Point USA. The leader of the group posted a video that went viral depicting protesting students, who were thought to be liberal, as harmful people. The video quickly spread, gaining attention from thousands of people, including Gov. Greg Abbott. Because of the video, students' faces were now glued to all feeds about Texas State and student politics. Republican and conservative students painted the

image students were violent on campus. Due to cancel culture, comedians and speakers may struggle to find a campus to perform. During a segment of Vice news, bookers for college campuses mentioned if students do not like or agree with one thing a performer says, they can tell the entertainer to change their set. The bookers make these calls to preserve the campus image and protect students. However, if a student does not like one joke or deems it "inappropriate," they have the right to not let the performer give a show at all. Cancel culture does not just stick faces to a bad image but makes people feel bad for liking or agreeing with certain things. As the makeup industry exploded in the past few years, so have beauty gurus. James Charles and Tati Westbrook were recently involved in a scandal, causing both people to lose the support of fans. Twitter and Youtube became a battleground for supporters to pick a side and threaten each other. The beauty influencers lost subscribers and revenue for their beauty products. On Twitter, whoever’s side someone took, there was a clash about who was right or wrong. Another issue associated with cancel culture is the fact there is no room to understand all sides of a story. In late September 2019, a Twitter user with a huge following was accused of being underage while soliciting nude photos. Viewers of the clash were quick to bash the woman and bully her online instead of confirming the facts. Cancel culture does not work out and is not as innocent as people might

ILLUSTRATION BY JADEN EDISON

think. This can be seen with celebrities like Kayne West or Dave Chappelle who expressed opinions that went against mainstream culture. In several cases, "canceling" someone or something is purposed to highlight bad things someone with power or influence may have said or done. According to Vice, cancel culture is a way for marginalized people or groups to assert their values in pop culture. What comes out of this ideal can be more harmful than beneficial. Students can

suffer from a bad online presence and damaged reputations. It is important to remember if someone likes a James Charles palette, it does not mean they are a bad person and should be canceled for it. People need to be mindful and cautious of what is said online because there can be multiple sides to a story. Oftentimes, a narrative can spread too quickly for anyone to discern. –Delilah Alvarado is a journalism senior

The University Star

4 | Tuesday, October 22, 2019

10/15 ANSWERS

The University Star

Tuesday, October 22, 2019 | 7

SPORTS

Claire Partain Sports Editor starsports@txstate.edu

VOLLEYBALL

Volleyball extends win streak By Cade Andrews Sports Reporter The Texas State volleyball team finished the weekend with two wins against Sun Belt Conference opponents, beating Troy on Friday and South Alabama on Saturday to close out their four-match home stretch. Texas State's record improved to 16-7 overall and 8-1 in conference play as they upped their win streak to six consecutive matches. The Bobcats defeated South Alabama 3-1 (25-7, 22-25, 25-20, 25-18) Saturday night to extend their winning streak to six. This win marked Texas State's 20th consecutive conference victory at Strahan Arena. The Bobcats lost the first point of the match but quickly bounced back with a 14-0 run to dominate the first set. South Alabama came back swinging, managing to close out the second set after the Bobcats tied it up at 17. The third set was back in the 'Cats' favor in the third set and they took the 2-1 advantage with a 25-20 win. In a lastditch effort, the Jaguars tied it up 8-8 in the fourth set, but the Bobcats took care of business, scoring five of the next six points to get ahead and eventually win the match. In her eighth of twelve saves that

night, senior defensive specialist Micah Dinwiddie recorded 13 digs, surpassing Sierra Smith (1,646; 2012-15) as the new all-time dig leader at Texas State. Now standing at 1,652 career digs, the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year led the team in digs for the fourth time this season following the game. To close out the team's defensive performance, junior libero Brooke Johnson had two aces and finished the match with 10 digs. Head Coach Karen Chisum said she was proud of Dinwiddie and her effort in the past four years as a leading player. "I'm excited for Micah," Chisum said. "She's been instrumental for us for four years. She is a leader out there on the court." Sophomore outside hitter Janell Fitzgerald led the Bobcats with a season-high 18 kills on a .455 hitting percentage. Senior outside Cheyenne Huskey also had 17 kills as well as 10 digs for a back-to-back doubledouble. As the playmaker of the game, sophomore Emily DeWalt nearly had a double-double herself with a gamepacing 49 assists and nine digs. The game came after a 3-0 sweep against Troy Friday night. (37-35, 2516, 25-13). Despite an unprecedented 37-35 first set, the 'Cats pulled off their fifth sweep in a row in front of a crowd

PICK 'EM

of over 1,000 Bobcat fans. The first set of the game represented persistence on the Bobcat side as they came from behind to win the set, Chisum said. "I told the kids at the end of the first set was pure guts, character, and belief in the team because we were not supposed to win that set," Chisum said. "I was proud of them and although we did not start strong, the more we played, the stronger we got." The 72 points between the two teams was a record-setting set at home. Texas State last saw a 70-plus point set back in Nov. 2009, when they topped UT Arlington 41-39 in Arlington, Texas. Huskey recorded 18 kills and 11 digs, Junior Brooke Johnson, (12), celebrates with hitting a match-high .552 as she turned her teammates after the set winning point Oct. in her seventh double-double of the 19 at Strahan Arena. year. Freshman outside Lauren Teske PHOTO BY KATE CONNORS added seven kills, while junior middle Tyeranee Scott and Fitzgerald pitched in six kills each. DeWalt put in 38 assists Texas State will play the next four and three blocks. matches on the road starting with the The sweep was a reward from a Carolinas when they face undefeated long and promising week of practices, Coastal Carolina in Conway, S.C. on DeWalt said. Friday and Appalachian State in Boone, "We had good practices all week," N.C on Sunday. DeWalt said. "That helped us prepare Stay updated on everything Texas for a faster paced game tonight. We State volleyball by following the team on weren't blocking very well in the first set Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. but we picked it up in the second and third sets."

SOCCER

Editor's note: The University Star sports and editorial staff, as well as a guest picker each week, predict the outcomes for the coming week of the college football schedule. This week goes as follows: Texas State @ Arkansas State 7:01 P.M Oct. 26 at Centennial Bank Stadium, Jomesboro, AR. Wisconsin @ Ohio State 12:00 P.M. Oct 26 at Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH. Auburn @ LSU 2:30 P.M. Oct. 26 at Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA.

JAKOB R. RODRIGUEZ (17-7)

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Arkansas State Ohio State LSU

CLAIRE PARTAIN (17-7)

SPORTS EDITOR Arkansas State Ohio State LSU

COLTON MCWILLIAMS (16-8)

Goalkeeper Heather Martin, (2), kicks a soccer ball into play Oct. 6 against Appalachian State at the Bobcat Soccer Complex. PHOTO BY JADEN EDISON

Soccer secures a win, takes a loss over the weekend

SPORTS REPORTER By Caleb Howell Sports Reporter

Texas State Wisconsin LSU

ANDREW ZIMMEL (16-8)

SPORTS REPORTER Arkansas State Ohio State LSU

GUEST PICKER: SONIA GARCIA, News Editor, The University Star Guest picker record: last set by Bella Lopes, engagement editor ofThe University Star (14-10) Arkansas State Ohio State LSU Last Week's scores: 37-20 Louisiana-Lafayette | 28-21 Penn State | 45-21 SMU

The Texas State soccer team finished their two-game road trip with both a win and a loss this weekend, beating Coastal Carolina 2-0 on Friday and falling to Georgia State 1-0 on Sunday. The Bobcats are now 8-6-2 on the season and have a winning 4-3-1 record in conference despite a sluggish start. On Sunday, Texas State ultimately fell to the Georgia State Panthers in a tight 1-0 match, marking their first loss in five games. The Bobcats recorded only six shots as a team with one on goal and five corner kicks. Despite Georgia State committing 14 fouls to Texas Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eight, the Bobcats were not able to capitalize on the Panthers' penalties and suffered their first scoreless match since their breakout 5-0 victory against the University of Louisiana-Monroe on Oct. 4. On Friday, the Texas State soccer team earned their fourth shutout in a row, defeating the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers 2-0. The Bobcats boosted their record to 8-5-2 on the season and 4-2-1 in Sun Belt Conference play as they tallied nine goals in the past four matches. The victory marked a four-game win

streak for the Bobcats for the first time since their 4-0 start to the season. Senior forward Kaylee Davis opened strong with the first shot and score for the Bobcats in only the second minute of the match, utilizing an assist off of the foot of sophomore forward Hannah Solano to put the score at an early 1-0 lead. The second goal of the game for the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Cats came in the second half of play by junior defender and midfielder Jessica Pikoff, who helped close out the match with a 2-0 win in the 71st minute of play. Davis led the Bobcats offensively, shooting seven of the team's 12 shots and continuing their recent pattern of fast-paced play. Freshman goalkeeper Heather Martin continued to showcase her ability to protect the goal with six saves, allowing zero goals for the fourth match in a row. Martin sits at 17 saves in the past three matches. The victory over Coastal Carolina marked a dominating 7-1 all-time record against the Chanticleers. The rollercoaster season continues for the Bobcats, who now sit at fourth in Sun Belt Conference standings. Texas State will wrap up the regular season as they bring it back home to take on Troy on Friday and Georgia Southern on Sunday at Bobcat Soccer Complex.

The University Star

8 | Tuesday, October 22, 2019

SPORTS

Claire Partain Sports Editor starsports@txstate.edu

COMMUNITY

BMX legend Mat Hoffman headlines local Wheelz and Reelz fest By Aidan Bea Sports Reporter Legendary BMX pioneer Mat Hoffman was a key speaker at the Wheelz and Reelz event at the San Marcos Skate Park on Saturday afternoon. Wheelz & Reelz is part of the annual Lost River Film Festival which celebrates Central Texas filmmakers and films made in the San Marcos area. The festival was four days long and included film screenings, musical performances, catered meals and film workshops. Hoffman, who is primarily known for revolutionizing BMX with his deathdefying tricks and his signature so-called “big ramp” stunts, headlined the event with a documentary showing, a Q&A Hoffman said he was excited to see the turnout from the younger generation of bikers. “It was session and a skate demonstration. rad. There’s kids here who weren’t even alive when this movie came out,” Hoffman said. “I felt The event first featured a screening pretty stoked to be able to share my story with them.” of the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary PHOTO BY AIDAN BEA “The Birth of Big Air” at the nearby San Marcos Public Library, followed by an open Q&A. The documentary covered Hoffman’s rise to fame and his neverending quest to beat the competition and to beat himself. After the showing, the event shifted to the nearby skate park, where Hoffman and riders of all ages had a carefree skate session. The crowd was a mix of older riders and skaters who came up at the same time as Hoffman as well as younger people following in the footsteps of Hoffman and his peers. Hoffman said he was happy to see a new generation show up to the event. “It was rad. There’s kids here who At one point, Hoffman himself hopped years he still brings his bike everywhere. weren’t even alive when this movie came on his bike and rode around with all of “It’s kind of like an extension of my out,” Hoffman said. “I felt pretty stoked the attendees. body,” Hoffman said. “I feel much more to be able to share my story with them.” Hoffman said that even after all these comfortable if I have my bike by me. It’s

"THERE'S KIDS HERE WHO WEREN'T EVEN ALIVE WHEN THIS MOVIE CAME OUT. I FELT PRETTY STOKED TO BE ABLE TO SHARE MY STORY WITH THEM."

- MAT HOFFMAN, HEADLINER AT WHEELZ & REELZ FEST

kind of the best therapist.” Hoffman was invited to San Marcos by his lifelong friend and fellow BMX rider Steve “Steve-O” Ornelas who is also the host of the Wheelz & Reelz. Ornelas and Hoffman have been friends since 1985 when they met at a BMX competition in San Antonio. Ornelas said he has known that Hoffman was exceptional ever since the first time he saw Hoffman ride. “It was my first contest ever and I entered the 14-15 intermediate,” Ornelas said. “I had heard of Mat Hoffman a little bit, just because he was doing unreal stuff already. He entered the 1415 expert. So when I saw him ride, man, I knew something special was about to happen.” Ornelas has been putting together this event for three years and said he is passionate about Wheelz and Reelz and how it has grown. “I’ve been doing this by myself forever,” Ornelas said. “I would always intertwine art, live music, BMX and skate. This is the first time I’ve had it at the skatepark because I have my own portable ramp. I usually take it to a smaller venue but this time I wanted a larger venue so I wouldn’t have to haul the ramps at all.” The event included live music as well as an appearance from eccentric sports teams such as the the local roller derby team and unicycle football team. Free beer was provided by local restaurant and brewery AquaBrew and free refreshments were distributed by Topo Chico. Go to https://www.lostriverfilmfest.org/ for more information about Wheelz & Reelz and the Lost River Film Festival.

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