It’s Super Tuesday, and it’s the biggest day of the 2016 primary season. Twelve states will vote on seven candidates; two democrats and five republicans. See inside for a Q&A from the presidents of the College Democrats and College Republicans. The stakes are too high to stay home.
Choose wisely and wear your sticker proudly.
EARN YOUR STICKER Volume 131 Issue 32
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Illustration by Katrina Roberts • The Daily Beacon
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
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The Daily Beacon • Tuesday, March 1, 2016
THE DAILY BEACON STAFF
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Ecology majors battle hippie stereotypes for science Heiler Meek
Staff Writer Ecology and Evolutionary Biology majors have certain stereotypes around them: tree huggers. The phrase conjures up images of granola-crunching, dreadlock-wearing, herbloving hippies. If you are an EEB major yourself, you have probably been the object of this stereotype at some point or another. “One of the EEB undergraduates who worked in our research lab last semester was saying how a lot of her friends — when she told them what she majored in — imagined her just walking around the woods all day, listening to birds sing, looking at flower functioning,” Alix Pfennigwerth, a third-year Master’s student in EEB, said. Pfennigworth said that this stereotype, which lacks dimension, is not representative of EEB majors. Pfennigworth said that this could possibly be attributed to the incorrect perception held by some that EEB is a”soft science” and “somehow not as scientific as (fields like) physics, chemistry, or BCMB.” For those involved with it personally, the perception that ecology and evolutionary biology are unimportant to science is an inaccurate one. “Nothing in biology makes sense without evolutionary biology,” Susan Kalisz, the Head of UT’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, said. Charles Kwit, a professor in both the EEB and Wildlife and Fisheries Departments, said that EEB’s usefulness lies in “connecting evolution to world issues.” UT EEB professor and former interim Department Head Randy Small connected the importance of EEB to to understanding the Earth’s current transformations. “As the world changes, organisms are having to either adapt or die. There’s really strong natural selection now.The world has always changed, but it’s changing at a much faster rate now than it used to,” Small said. “Ecology is all about interactions. (It’s about) how species interact with each other; how species interact with the physical world in which they live. Humans are the species that is most altering the planet. Understanding how we’re altering the planet and being able to predict what the consequences are of those alterations has really important implications for what (could happen) to the world.” If you are in the process of fulfilling your 300 and 400 level class requirements for the EEB major, you may also wonder why your classes are relatively small and contain more of the same people, as compared to friends in other science related majors. According to a data figure provided by Kalisz, the EEB major contained an average of 15.4 percent of the students concentrated
Beautiful flowers blooming in the UT green house. Taylor Gash • The Daily Beacon in biology from the Fall 2007 semester to the Spring 2013 semester. The remaining 84.6 percent of those biology students were enrolled in the majors of either Microbiology or BCMB. “There definitely are more BCMB and Microbiology majors than there are EEB majors. One of the things that a lot of people don’t get is that there is the Biology major, and then there are three concentrations (BCMB, Microbiology, and EEB),” said Small. Pfennigwerth said this phenomenon could be partly rooted in the fact that the political environment of the U.S. contains stigma against evolution. “There’s still a significant portion of the population that doesn’t want to (accept) the scientific evidence for (things like) climate change and evolution,” Pfennigwerth said. Small said that a lot of biology majors are pre-professional, which is probably another cause of EEB’s comparatively small enrollment at UT. “There’s at least a perception among those people that it’s better to major in Microbiology or Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, that those majors are better for getting into medical school, vet school, or whatever it is they are trying to do,” Small said. Jess Welch said that this is not the case. “You can be an EEB major and still be premed,” Welch said, referring to a table created by EEB professor Brian O’Meara. The table showed how a student can fulfill pre-medical
requirements as an EEB major in four years. “You can do both. Honestly, in my opinion, taking EEB classes — going outside and being a tree-hugger — is a more fun route to go into pre-med,” Welch said. “I think you gain more quantitative skills that you really need as a doctor, if that’s going to be your final career goal,” Kalisz said. Kalisz said that having a relatively diverse biology major such as EEB could give medical school hopefuls an advantage in the application process. Welch said that this is because an EEB major would enter from a “different background of thinking” than bachelor’s graduates of majors like microbiology and BCMB. Small said that there may be another positive effect of EEB course requirements for pre-medical students. “They recently put more of an evolutionary emphasis on the MCAT,” Small said. “I think they’ve realized that they want people (in medical schools) that are more conceptual, and not just regurgitating facts.” Pfennigworth said that a lot of agencies, like the U.S. Forest Service, really want to hire graduates who have “an understanding of any kind of ecology” and especially value students “having an actual ecology degree.” Kalisz said that EEB majors can look forward to seven new professors in Fall 2016, which translates to more research opportunities and course offerings.
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Tuesday, March 1, 2016 • The Daily Beacon
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Marco Rubio visits Knoxville ahead of primaries Heiler Meek
Staff Writer Republican Senator and presidential candidate Marco Rubio spoke at a rally held in Alcoa Monday morning as a part of a four state trip the day before Super Tuesday. Rubio was introduced by his Tennessee campaign chairman Zach Wamp, Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander, and Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam. All three Republican politicians compared Rubio to the late former president Ronald Reagan on the basis of his policies. UT student Michael Hensley, chairman of Rubio’s campaign for Grainger County, Tennessee, agreed with these lines of comparison. “Marco Rubio will rebuild our military and construct a foreign policy strategy based on Reagan’s philosophy of peace through strength,” Hensley said. “He is a proud son of the Reagan Revolution and is ready to assume the mantle of leadership.” Rubio ascended a makeshift stage to the tune of hundreds of people chanting his name. “We are all here today because we are all Americans,” Rubio began his speech. “And we are here because we are fighting for the conser-
vative movement.” The senator talked of his plans to defend American rights provided by the First and Second Amendments. He also asserted that government power “belongs at the state level, not in Washington” and promised to improve and protect America’s free enterprise system. “(It is) the only economic model in the history of the world where you can make the poor richer without making the rich poorer,” Rubio said. Rubio went on to outline plans to defeat ISIS, improve veteran health care, “side with Israel” in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict and repeal Obamacare. “What is at stake here is our identity as a country and as a people,” Rubio said. The Republican candidate also said that he has received emails from supporters saying “thank you for standing up to the bullying (from Donald Trump).” “I want you to understand, I’m doing this for you,” Rubio said. Chants of “Dump Trump!” erupted from the crowd in response. “I think (Rubio) appeals to (people) of the middle class, like me,” Ashley Smith, a rally attendee said. “And I don’t think Trump can reach across the table and unite people (like the
Lecture Highlights Global Impact of TVA Molly Brinkley Contributor
East Tennessee has made a larger footprint in history than you might think. Tore Olsson, assistant professor in the Department of History, will discuss “How East Tennessee Transformed the World: TVA’s Global Career after WWII” at 6 p.m. today at The Grill at Highlands Row. “There’s a sense that the South is kind of a disconnected, secluded and excluded place from global occurrences, and I think that’s completely wrong, and the TVA is an important way to show that,” Olsson said of TVA’s widespread impact. Founded in 1933 as part of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “New Deal,” the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) addressed rural poverty in the South. By building hydroelectric dams, the TVA generated electricity and made the rivers more navigable. “It’s a huge local institution, headquartered in Knoxville,” Olsson said. “I’m going to talk about how the TVA was globalized, which many people here are not familiar with.” Olsson explained that people from countries such as Mexico, India, Afghanistan, Colombia, and many others came to Knoxville to learn
more about the TVA in order to imitate its success. “So there are huge concrete dams all over the world modeled after the ones found right here on the Tennessee River,” Olsson said. Olsson will also examine the negative consequences of the TVA in his lecture. “It generated a lot of economic growth, but a lot of people were displaced by it,” he said. “Environmentally, many of these dams are huge disasters.” Olsson’s lecture is part of an initiative by the Humanities Center called “Conversations and Cocktails,” hosted the first or second Tuesday of the month. Community members eat dinner and hear lectures on a variety of topics from UT faculty members. “It’s an important outreach program,” Thomas Heffernan, director of the Humanities Center, said. “We want to give to the wider public what you have access to as a student.” As the TVA is a corporation with a globally recognized impact, it is important for community members to learn about its impact, according to Olsson. “It will push people to think about East Tennessee as something other than a world apart, and how incredibly interconnected we are.” Dinner reservations are required to attend, and seating is limited.
GOP nominee) needs to.” Luke Elliot, a UT freshman and East Tennessee student representative for Rubio’s campaign said he feels Rubio is “the most electable candidate” in the presidential race and will greatly help the Millennial generation. “Millennials are the largest generation in the country, and we’re really going to need a president that can bring jobs to the United States and spark economic growth,” Elliot said. “We need somebody (like Rubio) who is going to get the country back to prosperity.” An MTSU poll released early this month showed Rubio leading with less than six percent of likely Republican voters in Tennessee, well behind the nearly 33 percent lead held by frontrunner Donald Trump. The Republican primary elections begin in Tennessee Marco Rubio, Florida Senator (R) and presidential Tuesday, March 1. UT students candidate, at Monday morning’s rally in Louisville, have the option to vote inside Tennessee. the Howard Baker Center. • Courtesy of Michael Hensley
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The Daily Beacon • Tuesday, March 1, 2016
UT political organization leaders speak on elections Tanner Hancock News Editor
It’s Super Tuesday, and Tennesseans are set to show up in record numbers to choose their respective political candidate. Neither UT’s College Republican or College Democrat chapters have endorsed a particular candidate, yet both have been active in organizing their respective party members leading up to the election. To find out where the campus stands politically, The Daily Beacon sat down with both chapter’s presidents to get a feel for super Tuesday from UT’s point of view. Mitch Thompson, senior President of College Democrats How would you describe the national state of the Democratic party?
Q
Mitch Thompson: “The state’s looking like it’s pretty much going to Hillary (Clinton), most polls I’ve seen show that Hillary’s got a decent lead in the state. I know that the state directors for the Bernie (Sanders) campaign are really trying to turn out the collegiate vote, in Knoxville, in Chattanooga and other places, to kind of be the deciding factor in the election that might swing the state back to Bernie.” Do you think that strategy will work? “I think that the lead Hillary has is probably going to hold. We registered about 550 students this last semester on campus, and I think a lot of them are going to show up and vote. I’ve seen the early precinct numbers from campus and The Fort, and Democrats heavily outnumber Republicans in the polls, on campus at least 3-1. In the Fort it’s almost 8-1 (Democrats to Republicans). I think those are going to continue into election day as well, but I don’t think those numbers are going to be high enough to win the election for Bernie, just because I think college kids don’t vote as much as any other electorate. Traditionally, Tennessee is a Republican dominated state. Is that frustrating from a Democratic point of view? “I think with the current system that we have it’s really easy for Democrats to use the excuse that ‘well, Tennessee’s going to vote for Republican so why bother showing up ...’ I think that can kind of disenfranchise a lot of Democrats in the area, and I think it’s causing lower turnout
... I think part of it is the feeling that the vote doesn’t really matter because whatever Democrat is elected is not going to win the state of Tennessee. The problem is, when people think like that, we lose county commission races, we lose school board races, we lose these elections, and at the same time we have the DNC giving less power in the convention process ... It’s kind of a system that feeds upon itself where Democrats in Tennessee don’t feel like their vote matters and then they’re voting less.” How are you addressing that? “So it’s a problem that we’re fighting and we’re combating, and it’s really going to rely heavily on voter outreach and also voter registration. It’s reaching out to people on a local level and telling them why it’s important that they go out and vote, not only for president but also for their local elections as well.’ Weston Bell, senior President of College Republicans How would you describe the national state of the Republican party? Weston Bell: “On the campus, we see a lot of people who are really involved, but the majority of students don’t seem to really care that much. On the Democratic side you have the Students for Bernie that is a really active organization, and that’s awesome, we need people who are that active, regardless of their political viewpoint. But we don’t really see that, especially with Trump as the front-runner. Trump doesn’t have any student support that I know of, as far as on an organized level.
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If not for Trump, who are college Republicans mainly supporting? “We had our debate two weeks ago, and we tried to contact student reps for all the candidates. Kasich and Carson don’t really have a student presence on campus, but (Mark) Rubio and (Ted) Cruz both have a ton of supporters on campus, so it’s a suppo lot of o organized events, grass roots root stuff, so that’s kind of what wh we’re seeing on the ccollege republican level as far as organizations.” The MTSU poll has Donald Trump and Hillary
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Trump doesn’t have any student support that I know of, as far as on an organized level..” Weston Bell, senior President of College Republicans
Clinton leading heavily in Tennessee? Will College Republicans support Donald Trump if he wins the nomination? “We really just don’t know. We’re going to have to play it by ear and see what happens. But for a lot of Republicans, they may vote for Trump, but there’s definitely not going to be activists on his behalf. You’re going to see a lot of Republican students kind of die out (actively) and not be involved in his campaign.” What does it mean to be a Republican right now in light of Trump’s success? “Trump is highlighting issues that may have been overlooked before, and whether that’s a good or a bad thing I think is up to voters. If this is something people wanna look at, vote for Trump. But I don’t see a lot of students getting behind him.” Stereotypically, college students are thought to lean to the left. How does that affect your organization? “I would disagree with part of that, in that I believe that the majority of students on college campuses are liberal, but I would say the majority of people that actually vote are conservative ... There is a big liberal voice on campus, most of them don’t vote, so the conservatives may not be as loud, but they tend to vote.
ARTS&CULTURE
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Tuesday, March 1, 2016 • The Daily Beacon
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Actors, filmmakers call for social, cultural change at 88th Oscars Megan Patterson
Arts & Culture Editor Sunday night’s Oscars made for an uncomfortable four hours. But not because of celebrity faux-paus or the typical occurrences that cause a buzz post-award shows. The stir caused by 2016’s Oscars could best be summed up by my roommate’s comment at midnight that “a revolution is coming.” This revolution appears to be taking many forms, but the common thread between them is that people will no longer be silent, whether they are discussing climate change, race or rape. Chris Rock opened the show after a montage of 2015 films by stating the obvious — he “saw at least 15 black people in that montage.” In that opening statement, Rock set the tone for a night that would revolve around the segregation of Hollywood and would attack the very institution being celebrated on stage. During the next ten minutes, Rock went into a dialogue intent on answering a single question: is Hollywood racist? His answer was direct, blunt and left the primarily white audience not knowing whether to laugh or nod their heads solemnly. “Ya damn right Hollywood is racist,” Rock said. “Hollywood is sorority racist … but things are changing.” Rock’s comedic bits throughout the night refused to let the notion of race leave viewers minds, whether he welcomed back the audience saying “now we’re black,” or played a spoof video replacing the best picture nominee casts with black comedians. However, Rock wasn’t the only one making statements on race. During his Best Director acceptance speech, Alejandro González Iñárritu referenced a line from his movie The Revenant said by Hugh Glass to his mixed race son. “They don’t listen to you,” Inarritu paraphrased. “They only see the color of your skin.” The director went on to express his hope that one day the color of one’s skin might be as irrelevant as the length of one’s hair.
Other winners used their acceptance speeches as platforms for more than ‘thank you’s’ as well. Leonardo DiCaprio used his long awaited acceptance as a chance to advocate climate change awareness. “Let’s not take this planet for granted,” DiCaprio said. “I don’t take tonight for granted.” Meanwhile, Sam Smith used his time in the spotlight to celebrate his sexuality. Smith said he had been told no openly gay man had ever won an Oscar, so he accepted his proudly, dedicating his award to the LGBTQ+ community. When “Spotlight,” a film portraying a news team’s investigative reporting on the Catholic Church’s molestation scandal, concluded the show winning Best Picture, the film team addressed Pope Francis telling him it’s time to “protect the children and restore the faith.” Even the winner for Best Documentary Short Subject had something to say. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy said that her film “A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness” was proof of what can happen when determined women get together. She went on to share that the Pakastani Prime Minister plans to change the country’s law on honor killing as a result of Obaid-Chinoy’s film. But perhaps the most powerful statements of the night came from advocates outside of Hollywood’s inner circle. Vice President Joe Biden took the stage after a commercial break and was greeted with a standing ovation by the audience before he even spoke. However, what he ended up saying was definitely ovation worthy. Biden took a stand to ask viewers to visit ItsOnUs.org and take the pledge to support victims of sexual assault. “We must and we can change the culture so that no abused woman or man, like the survivors you will see tonight, can ever feel they have to ask themselves, ‘What did I do?’ They did nothing wrong,” he said. Biden’s compelling appeal led into his introduction of Lady Gaga, performing her Oscar nominated song about sexual assault, “Til It Happens To You.” Gaga concluded her emotional performance
I turned on the TV to watch an awards show, and I witnessed a revolution. History was made Sunday night not with the trophies, but in the moments in between .”
by bringing a crowd of sexual assault victims on stage, standing in unison with their forearms bearing positive statements of self-worth. After her final note, Gaga and the survivors on stage raised their linked hands to another standing ovation in the theatre. In the midst of this much social activism, it was easy to forget that an awards show was occurring. For me, those uncomfortable four hours were a welcome surprise. The fact that a supposedly carefree, celebratory night couldn’t
Megan Patterson, Arts and Culture Editor
escape topics of social upheaval speaks volumes about the weight these issues carry in our nation right now. I turned on the TV to watch an awards show, and I witnessed a revolution. History was made Sunday night not with trophies, but in the moments in between. The climate. Sexual assault. Race. Get used to hearing those words, because people won’t stay silent any longer.
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Country radio, old people, farts Adam Weatherell Dreaming of Dolly
I hope that one day, 15 years down the road, when I have established myself as a world-class pop/booty star, someone finds the litterings of these columns on The Daily Beacon internet and I am banned from Country Western radio until my eventual drug-fueled passing at a nursing home on stilts in the remnants of flooded Florida. I say this for a myriad of reasons, but mostly because this past weekend I had the honor and privilege of seeing establishment candidate and embattled former first lady, Hillary Clinton, in Nashville. And I’ve got to say, I can’t believe our generations are so far separated from one another. I’d like to hope that this weekly slosh of words that I spew out of my (butt) and into the DB’s sixth page are just like me: tardy, irreverent and political inclined. I think that’s natural. I think that wrestling with the mental dissonance of an education centered in American exceptionalism while coming of age in the Bush Presidency. 9/11 was awful, but instead of finding and perusing the terrorists, he just, oh idk, violated international norms and the sanctity of the UN to just, like, invade a brown people country and disrupt an entire region. He also tried to give Angela Merkel a back-rub and totally thought the Patriot Act
was a GREAT IDEA. What the hell? This isn’t the America that gives boxes of food to starving Africans, always with the upward inflection on af-RI-Ceh(?). So of course I am going to make fart jokes alongside political reflections because the infantile nature of teaching how great we are while actually sucking so much is inherently childish. Disbarring the Dixie Chicks from country radio because they didn’t like Bush is childish. Appealing to KKK supporters is childish. I chose to be outlandish and irreverent not because I want to alienate myself from my precursor generations, but because I find it difficult to continue to show reverence towards an electorate who was like, yeah okay, it’s totally cool to disproportionally criminalize drugs along racial lines. Maybe the internet’s introduction has made data more available since the 90s, but even then it’s a moot point because it never got its inventor into the White House. Think about that. Al Gore invented the interned, won the popular vote and didn’t get into the White House. Donald Trump trademarked a haircut, won three primaries and if history proves itself to be repeated, then is well on his way to the GOP nomination. At this point, I feel like I am just waiting for all
Athletes are people not heroes Jarrod Nelson Socialized
There must have been a point a long, long time ago (like the 1950s) where we decided, as a country, to teach our dumb kids bad history. I’m not really sure why, but that’s the way it is. We teach our kids that Christopher Columbus found the Indians, and they had a big nice party. We teach them that we won the Revolution through gusto and the great god Washington. Going back to the Native American thing, they just sort of disappear after Squanto teaches white people what corn is, and then when a kid asks what happened to all of them, he’s told another lie about “migration.” Because of this, we develop a hero complex about people when we’re young. The Founding Fathers are deified to the point where “pantheon” seems like an accurate noun. We never hear about their flaws, their mistakes and the inherent fact that they are people too and that most people do some pretty terrible things in their lives. Studying history reveals this quickly. The great men and women you are told about when you’re younger turn out to have a skeleton or two or three million in their closets when you take a closer look at them. Alexander didn’t spread Greek culture because he thought Greek culture was just the bee’s knees. Thomas Jefferson was an unrepentant racist and slave owner. We never get over this hero worship though. It’s taken out of history class and applied to our
entire lives. Our parents. Our significant others. Our celebrities. Okay, so here’s where my Twitter account’s going to take a hit. The university’s been in the news quite a bit recently. Not only are we under assault from the State Legislature from around 80 different fronts simply because they seem to not like the controversial concepts of “education” and “efficiency,” but the university’s also being sued for allegedly creating a hostile sexual environment around its athletics. Butch Jones might have called a player a “traitor” for helping out a victim of a sexual assault. Oh, and Peyton Manning probably embarked on a massive smear campaign to ruin a woman’s life that would make Richard Nixon blush and then howl, because Nixon seems like the kind of guy who howled. It’s not the best time for our image. I think we can all agree on that. What doesn’t help our image, and actually is worse than merely a PR problem, are the legions of fans on social media and in everyday life who refuse to believe any of the accused parties could have done anything wrong, and who go beyond a personally held belief and make it a belief that everyone needs to know about. And agree with. Otherwise you’re not a true fan. Well, I’m not a true fan of sexist insults slung at women who voice their fears about sexual assaults
the old racist white people to die so we can have the country based on science/data. It’s as if the only way for a political revolution to occur is to have the older generation die. So, forgive me if I come off a little too loud or am a little too brusque at the dinner table. I’ve recently been made/become aware of the fact that the American dream is a lie, the Oscars only promote white people and 16,000 children die a day of malnourishment. At this point, I can’t foresee a future where I would have to professionally apologize for anything I’ve said, because I personally believe it with such a sense of conviction that I would literally shoot my friend and have him/her/zher apologize to me for standing in the way. Screw country radio. I can’t wait for these old people to die. Fart jokes for life. And V-O-L-S GO VOLS GO Adam Weatherell is a junior in political science and Africana studies. He can be reached at aweath10@vols.utk.edu.
on campus. I’m not a fan of men who go on Twitter and personally attack a woman who did good work for this university and then had her career destroyed because Peyton Manning was famous and couldn’t honor legal settlements. I’m not a fan of people who think that accusing people of sleeping with black men is somehow an insult, which is apparently what Archie Manning thinks. What I am a fan of is this university. I have been a Vol my whole life. I grew up in the Kiffin and Dooley years, which forged a bond of misery like no other. I’m tied to these teams, to these players. But I also recognize that they’re not heroes. They’re people. And the only way to make these teams and this university great is to hold its people accountable for the mistakes they make. No settlements have been reached, no court cases called yet and no witnesses on the stand. This is all preliminary. But that’s exactly why we need to just take a step back and let the facts play out for a little, instead of running our name through the mud more and more with childish, insulting and degrading reactions. After all, if these people really are heroes, then they should be able to fend for themselves. Jarrod Nelson is a sophomore in public relations and can be reached at jnelso47@vols.utk.edu.
Columns of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.
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Tuesday, March 1, 2016 • The Daily Beacon
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The importance of keeping an open mind Franco: Hey Erica, have you heard of Erin Brockovich? Erica: More like Erin Brocko-badass-bitch!
Franco D’Aprile
Erica Davis
Two Treehuggers with an Ax
If you’re reading this column, we can assume that you have an opinion about environmentalism. Maybe you’re all about it, perhaps you’re not completely convinced or it’s even possible that you think it’s a scam. While we support everyone’s right to their opinion, we also think there’s a right and wrong way to communicate what you think and prove the points you’re trying to make. Contrary to popular belief, most environmentalists are interested in hearing what those from the other side have to say. Not only because it helps them develop their own ideas, but because it keeps them informed on possible misconceptions that people may have. And we never know, maybe we have the facts wrong on something. The Issues Committee at UT presented the campus community with an opportunity to hear from an individual on the other side recently; Ann McElhinney graced UT with her presence on Thursday at an event titled “The Dangers of Environmentalism.” Erica attended with a posse of fellow student environmentalists and was entirely open-minded about what this critic had to say. At first, McElhinney made some interesting (if incredibly misguided and ill-informed) anecdotal points through storytelling, but the evening soon went off course. She yelled at a student “I hate you” and “You are idiotic,” simply because he raised his hand to indicate he was a fan of mosquito nets. She then ridiculed an individual with a hearing impairment after her screaming caused him extreme discomfort. This was absolutely not an effective way to prove her point that all homes should be sprayed with DDT twice a year ... wait, what??? She was outright disrespectful in addition to insulting our intelligence as college students. None of her “facts” were substantiated with sources or data, and the graphs she presented were exaggerated, misleading and arguably just false in some cases. She grouped all environmentalists into one large category, saying all environmentalists were rich, rude, anti-human, antiAmerican and liars. This generalization is truly offensive. People on the other side only see environmentalism as Greenpeace, the Sierra Club and Erin Brockovich, but it’s so much more than that. The true power lies in the grassroots movements across the world: Native American opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline, Vandana Shiva and her fellow ecofeminists in India, the Appalachian citizens living in coal fields who organize against mountaintop removal mining operations. These are the true environmentalists. People who give their time, energy, resources and whole hearts to a cause that is important to them and their communities, who recognize the intersectionality that is a crucial part of organizing, who don’t seek rewards or recognition and who love the Earth and all its people, that is what environmentalism actually looks like. It is common to find people with such misconceptions about environmentalism. We are finding out about new interactions between humans and the environment all the time. It is, after all, a field that has experienced
a recent renaissance. This, combined with the fact that much of the information that environmentalists rely on is rather new research, leaves the general public having to continuously play catch-up. However, and this is a big however, just because information is new or unexpected doesn’t mean it’s wrong. It’s normal for people to react to environmental ideas negatively. A lot of the time people are told the way they live is harmful to the planet we call home. Some take that as an insult. But we should all try to keep an ear open, and consider where the information is coming from. Communication is important. The environmentalist that yells their ideas in people’s faces and hurts others in their pursuit of saving the planet is just as wrong as the person that yells, ridicules, lies and cheats to make money while hurting the planet or drawing attention to the point they’re making. We encourage you, by all means, to formulate your own opinion, but always keep an open mind and a mind committed to learning accurate information — and please just have some decency.
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Contrary to popular belief, most environmentalists are interested in hearing what those from the other side have to say. Not only because it helps them develop their own ideas, but because it keeps them informed on possible misconceptions that people may have. And we never know, maybe we have the facts wrong on something.”
It’s officially the first day of March and Spring Break is just nine school days away. So, ditch your winter coat and jam out to these sunny classics:
“Walking on Sunshine” Katrina & The Waves
“Beautiful Day” U2
“Brighter Than The Sun” Colbie Caillat
“Soak Up The Sun” Sheryl Crow
“Here Comes the Sun” The Beatles
“I Can See Clearly Now” Johnny Nash
“Island in the Sun” Weezer
“Anna Sun” Walk the Moon
“House of the Rising Sun” The Animals Franco D’Aprile is a senior in political science and sustainability, and Erica Davis is a senior in environmental sociology. They can be reached at fradapr@vols. utk.edu and spz839@vols.utk.edu.
“Sunshine of Your Love” Cream
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ARTS&CULTURE
The Daily Beacon • Tuesday, March 1, 2016
NEW MUSIC MONDAYS
The 1975 - “I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It�
Anticipation: 4/5. I have been listening to the 1975 since the release of their self-titled album in 2013, and have been a fan since I heard “Girls� and the opening bars of “Chocolate.� During: 4.5/5. Overall, the album makes it impossible to sit still. Even the slower-paced, introspective tracks had me swaying while also contemplating the greater realities of life and personal relationships. After: 4.5/5. I’m anxiously waiting for Spotify to add the entire album and for another 1975 U.S. tour. Tracks like “Love Me,� “UGH!� and “The Sound� were all released before the album was released in its entirety, so we’ve had a taste of their new album for quite some time. Those tracks set up the perfect preview for what the rest of the album is like. The single “Love Me� is relatable and appropriate for our generation and modern culture. It addresses our inherent need to be liked or “liked� on the Internet, and brings a funky-jam sound that gets you on your feet. “A Change of Heart� has a soft melody that gets you in all of the feel-y places, but is also catchy and gets stuck in your head. “If I Believe You� is a slower, more personal song. It is thought-provoking as well as emotional. The transition between this track and the instrumental one that follows is seamless. Not only does it feels like the same song, but it successfully manages to not feel too drawn out. This is truly an art, because most artists struggle with keeping their listeners engaged during instrumental tunes. “Please Be Naked� is appropriately titled for its lack of lyrics. This instrumental interlude is perfectly placed at the near-middle of the album. It flows so naturally with the rest of the tracks that I didn’t even realize that I had listened to a four minute instrumental track until the lyrics picked up again in the next song. The album had the perfect mix of mellow, introspective tunes and upbeat, energetic jams. The 1975 greatly exceeded my expectations and I can’t wait to see what they do next.
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Santigold - “99 Cents� Anticipation: 3.5/5. Santigold has released some unbelievable music. Even though they are my favorite band, I’m always slightly skeptical of crossover genres so I’m not really sure what to expect. During: 4/5. There is a lot happening in these tracks. It keeps me on my toes because I don’t know what’s going to happen next. Sometimes this can be more effective. After: 4/5. It was exactly what I expected of Santigold, and I was pleasantly surprised at the flow of the album with all of the different musical inspiration that she drew from. The opening track, “Can’t Get Enough of Myself� (featuring B.C.) is a great introduction to Santigold’s musical story. It’s lively and upbeat, and it sets the tone for the rest of the album as a high-spirited piece of music. “Banshee� follows the lively pattern of the album. It’s catchy and makes you want to get on your feet. You can’t listen to this track and not get it stuck in your head. “Chasing Shadows� transitions nicely to a slower pace, yet still maintains an upbeat tone. This would be a good song to put in the middle of a live set, because it’s exciting but it doesn’t take too much energy. It’s a good song to revive your energy. “All I Got� sounds slightly reminiscent of Tegan and Sara at some points, but is still undeniably Santigold. This track in particular makes me feel like I know a little bit about what actually inspires her. Santigold’s vocals are awesome and her effortless incorporation of completely different genres to create her unique sound is unbelievable. It’s the kind of album you can listen to whether you’re at a pregame or you’re studying. Mixing hip-hop, indie and pop sounds with her other artistic inspiration created something beautiful that I didn’t want to stop listening to. -Ana Tantaris, Contributor
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PUZZLES&GAMES
Tuesday, March 1, 2016 • The Daily Beacon
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Get Fuzzy • Darby Conley
NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD • Will Shortz ACROSS 39 N.Y.C. subway overseer Hearty har-hars 40 As you like it, in a “Keep ___ the recipe D.L.” (“Don’t tell 42 Forest animal anyone”) 43 See 35-Across 9 Jockey’s attire 45 Paul who sang 14 Slightly “Eso Beso” 15 Marathon 46 German refusal runner’s stat 47 Leader who said 16 Burger King or “Once all struggle Costco is grasped, 17 “Little” Dickens miracles are girl possible” 18 Subject of 49 DVD alternative the 2013 51 Snafu documentary “Blackfish” 57 No longer anonymous, in 19 Temporary skin brief decorator 58 High jinks 20 Results of some unexciting at-bats 62 “Dead serious!” 64 Compton’s state, 23 Rock band that to hip-hoppers gets fans charged up? 65 The duck in “Peter and the 24 Micromanager, Wolf” say 66 It’s just below 26 “Well, aren’t you C level something!” 67 Country between 29 Celebratory cry Sudan and Niger 30 Natural radiation? 68 ___ pants 31 Pond dweller that (earth-toned can regenerate apparel) its eyes 69 Really put one’s 35 With 43-Across, foot down singer of the lyric 70 ___ ’n Honey formed by the (granola bar first parts of 20-, option) 24-, 40-, 51- and 58-Across 71 Didn’t just guess L E F T A L S O A B C S I R I S N O K I A T O O L M A S K E D B A L L T O N E A S H A R E S T A I N E D S T R E S S A L L E Y S M A T E S K A R M A A V I D T H E N B A F O E M I C C H E W T O Y U V A A S K H E R E S Y O N E S D I N E R N A N N Y S H R I N E S A F E T Y L E O N A R D N E W B O B E A V E V E L V E T R O P E E V E R E M A I L O N U S P E S O O W L S W E S T 1 5
dadoodlydude • Adam Hatch
Cartoons of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.
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SPORTS
The Daily Beacon • Tuesday, March 1, 2016
MEN’S BASKETBALL
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Freshmen lead Vols to Nashville for Vandy rematch Taylor White
Asst. Sports Editor Before most games, especially games against teams that Tennessee played earlier in the season, Rick Barnes and his basketball team will sit down and watch film on their opponent. For Tennessee’s Tuesday night matchup with Vanderbilt (TV: SEC Network 7 p.m.), Barnes doesn’t really see a point. “I was talking to our coaches this morning about the game,” Barnes said. “And I don’t think there is much I can show him from our game here that we did well. There’s nothing we could show that we could take advantage of something, because they just had their way with us from the very beginning.” The Commodores beat Tennessee in Knoxville 88-74, and the game wasn’t nearly as close as the final score indicates. Five Vanderbilt players scored in double figures and the Dores hit 13 total 3’s in the game. Vanderbilt then lost four of its next eight games, seemingly eliminating itself from NCAA Tournament contention after blowing a 17 point lead in a loss to Mississippi State. The past two weeks have given the Commodores new life. The Dores come into the game on a three game winning streak, including a win over Florida and an upset over No. 16 Kentucky on Saturday. “It looks like they’re playing obviously the best basketball in the league right now,” Barnes said. “It looks like too that they’ve kind of cut back their bench. I think they’re playing four or five guys over 30 minutes per game right now. They’ve obviously gotten themselves in a pretty good rotation.” What makes this Vanderbilt team so dangerous is the way it spreads the ball so evenly amongst the players on the floor. Any player can score at any given time, as shown by the fact that five different players are averaging at least nine points per game. NBA Lottery projection Damian Jones has been the key for the Dores during this winning streak, averaging 19 points and 10 rebounds over the stretch. His play opens the floor for his teammates, as opponents have to spend most of their time trying to limit the 7-foot center. One of the more unique buildings in the country, the Vanderbilt University Memorial Gymnasium offers a different kind of challenge than teams are used to. It is the only gym in the in the nation
I don’t think there is much I can show him from our game here that we did well. There’s nothing we could show that we could take advantage of something, because they just had their way with us from the very beginning.” Rick Barnes, Men’s Basketball Coach
where the benches are on the baseline under the baskets, rather than on the sidelines. That, combined with the difficult home-court advantage Memorial provides, can make life difficult for opposing teams. “It’s going to be a hostile environment,” guard Armani Moore said. “But as long as we just stay poised and don’t speed ourselves up, we’ll be fine.” With two of Tennessee’s top three scorers unlikely to play in Nashville on Tuesday, Tennessee is once again turning to its freshmen for production. All three of the Vols’ eligible freshmen, Admiral Schofield, Shembari Phillips and Kyle Alexander, started in Saturday’s loss to Arkansas. Barnes wants to see those freshmen build on that experience, and take the next step going forward. “I think the next step for them is understanding that you have to keep pushing forward, you have to keep going,” Barnes said. “Even if you think you’re there, you have to keep going. That’s typical of a young guy. He starts to get a success and starts feeling good about himself. He doesn’t prepare himself for the game.”
Men’s basketball coach, Rick Barnes, instructs plays to the Vols. • File Photo
SPORTS
Tuesday, March 1, 2016 • The Daily Beacon
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SOFTBALL
Vols win 16th straight home-opener in 3-1 over Dayton David Bradford Staff Writer
Ralph Weekly was happy that the Volunteer softball team’s home opener was played under a clear blue sky rather than harsh, wintery conditions. He was even happier that the squad treated the fans with a victory and extended the program’s home-opening winning streak to 16. Tennessee’s 3-1 victory over the Dayton Flyers wasn’t the team’s most impressive offensive showing, but thanks to ace Erin Gabriel and an explosive third inning, the Vols picked up their 11th win of the season. The game was quickly established as a pitching duel between Gawbriel and Dayton’s Manda Cash. In 5.1 innings, Gabriel allowed three hits and one earned run, collecting her seventh win of the season. It wasn’t always easy for the senior. In the first inning, the Tennessee defense committed two errors, bringing its total up to 25 in just 16 games this season and leaving runners on first and third with two outs. Gabriel was unscathed and forced a ground out to end the inning. The Vols faced two similar situations later in the contests. In the second inning, the Flyers again had a runner on third with two outs, but
Gabriel forced yet another ground out to keep the game tied at zero. The sixth inning was a potential disaster for Tennessee. After allowing a home run, Gabriel hit back-to-back batters. She was then pulled and replaced by Rainey Gaffin. A Dayton runner again advanced to third base on a mishandled pitch, but Gaffin shook off the mistake and struck out the next two batters. Both teams finished with three hits, but it was the triple during the bottom of the third by freshmen Brooke Vines that left the biggest mark on this game. “My plan for going up to bat was see the ball down and look middle-out and just make solid contact,” Vines said. The line drive drove in two runs and continued the Vols season-long success in the third inning. Tennessee has outscored their opponents 29-8 in the third. “Everyone has faced the pitcher,” Vines said of the team’s success in the third. “We know what adjustments we need to make.” Vines would score the third run of the inning after Meghan Gregg reached base safely on an error. The Vols home opener was originally scheduled for Feb. 25, but was delayed due to cold weather and a potential snow shower. As a
Vols celebrate their home opener with a 3-1 win over Dayton • File Photo result, Tennessee had to immediately turnaround after a grueling road trip to Tuscaloosa and play with just a few hours of sleep. “It’s hard to put yourself in the mind of an 18-year-old whose got tests coming up,” Weekly said. “One of the things about college athletes in all of our sports and its really key … you’re playing Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and you’re off one day … and then you’re back at it.”
Gabriel wasn’t the only pitcher who put together a dominant performance. Gaffin came in and put an abrupt end Dayton’s comeback bid, recording her third save of the season. “This team doesn’t fall apart and it’s all about pitching,” Weekly said. “The pitcher is like the quarterback … the name of the game is fast pitch. It’s not fast run or fast hit.”
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SPORTS
The Daily Beacon • Tuesday, March 1, 2016
NFL combine should not be ultimate measuring stick
Lucas Hunter Beyond the Hill
Right now the top tier football players from the NCAA are being analyzed from head to toe, mathematically, physically and mentally, to prepare for a career in the NFL. At the NFL Combine, NFL prospects have their wingspans and hand sizes evaluated, sprint through 40-yard dashes and shuttle drills, and endure interviews both interesting and mundane. Athletes walk amongst themselves, ranging from the tiniest, speediest receivers from the west coast to the miniature Atlasmolded linemen from the south. The NFL Combine is a chance for the unheralded to prove their worth and a chance for the blue chip athletes of the NFL world to … fall short of expectations? The two furthest ends of this spectrum are All-Americans — the competitors who are a half-step faster — and those who risk not even getting picked in the 220+ pick draft. And unfortunately for those in the top 1%, the combine will do nothing but bring them down. Historically, there’s plenty of evidence of players whose tangibles at the combine were so impressive that they skyrocketed their stock into more money and better situations. For example, Dontari Poe’s incredible physical specs launched him up to the eleventh overall pick of the 2012 draft.
However, there’s equal if not more evidence of players who spent their final college season playing superb ball only to have the combine plummet them off the top of the board. Think of Minnesota’s Teddy Bridgewater, who was the favorite to be a top pick in the 2014 NFL Draft for many months preceding the actual event. Then, Bridgewater experienced the circus of the pre-draft season. Bridgewater underperformed at his pro-day, unlike former number one pick JaMarcus Russell whose proday which was described as breathtaking and impressive leading up to the 2007 NFL Draft. Bridgewater’s hands measured smaller than fellow first-rounder Johnny Manziel’s, who went ten picks earlier to the Browns, and Blake Bortles who went third overall to the Jaguars. Bridgewater suffered from falling stock at the draft, and after months of holding one of the top two spots with eventual top pick Jadeveon Clowney, fell all the way to pick no. 32. This happened despite years of tapes that showed him playing at an exceptional level at Louisville. This happened all because of his average performance on an empty field with no other players and because his hands were a quarter inch too small. There is a similar case this year between
Ohio State’s Joey Bosa and Oregon’s DeForest Buckner, who had an excellent senior season in his own right. Bosa has been the consensus best defender in college football for two seasons, but Buckner is built like a descendant of Goliath. Bosa awed crowds as the best player on a national championship team with how effortlessly he pummeled the 6’5” 300lb player tasked with staying in between him and the quarterback. Buckner is a 6’7” human colossus with hands like radio dishes whose measurable statistics place him among the most imposing in a land of athletic behemoths. Bosa has been eating BIG 10 linemen without regard for portion control for two years, and has nothing left to prove. Unfortunately, it looks like he might be the next Bridgewater. The NFL Combine is entertaining and the measurements recorded from it are useful for the hair-splitting portion of analytics, but the combine should be used to reaffirm what happens on the field, not the other way around. Lucas Hunter is a sophomore in journalism & electronic media and can be reached at lhunter9@vols.utk.edu.
“Pull Quote”