Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Volume 141, Issue 13 Wednesday, April 27, 2022

utdailybeacon.com @utkdailybeacon

In this week’s issue...

State budget increases HOPE ... 4 Student plans to disrupt Tomi Lahren talk fizzle ... 5 To the Editor: Will UT remain silent in the face of white supremacy? ... 7 Dogwood Arts Festival celebrates 61st year ... 9 Track and field breaks records ... 10

Photo by Alexandra Ashmore / The Daily Beacon

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CAMPUS NEWS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, April 27, 2022

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Earth Week concludes with sustainable festival MACKENZI DAVIS Staff Writer

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On the evening of April 22, the plaza of the Humanities and Social Sciences Building was packed with students honoring Earth Day. The Earth Day Festival was held from 7-10 p.m. for students to come together and enjoy the beautiful day while enjoying music, free food, free plants and a fashion show.

The Office of Sustainability hosted the event with the Environment and Sustainability Committee of the Student Government Association (SGA), led by junior Abbey Lawrence, to conclude their Earth Week celebrations. Throughout the week, the office has hosted events such as the Grab and Go Pot Painting, Dye the Fountain and Slap the Rock, as well as panels for students to get more information on sustainability practices.

The final event of Earth Week involved a celebration of Mother Earth on Earth Day itself.

The festival provided food and community to students, as well as a table for students to grab their own plants to pot. The main attraction and kick-off of the festival was a sustainable fashion show.

Emily Stiles, outreach coordinator at the Office of Sustainability, was excited to give insight into the events of the evening. They talked about the importance of sustainable fashion, how the fashion show included only sustainable pieces from the Free Store and Smokey’s Closet and the importance of celebrating Earth Day at the university.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to get people together and to share this common interest that so many students have. The wonderful thing about environmentalism is that it is in every single different field,” Stiles said. “You have

A student inquires at one of the various booths during the Earth Day Festival at the HSS Plaza on Friday, April 22, 2022. Edward Cruz / The Daily Beacon people that are engineers interested in environmentalism and you also have people who are Haslam business students, and they care about it. It’s so integrated in every single place on campus. I think that’s why it’s important for us to celebrate it.”

Deb Bethel, social impact coordinator for the Office of Sustainability, was passionate about showing students more sustainable practices.

Bethel gave some behind-the-scenes details about the fashion show.

“Everything is thrifted, everything is second hand, nothing is new. In our third category, we have all upcycled outfits, hand-made outfits from things like bedsheets,” Bethel said. “We have a huge array of hand-made stuff. I think that that’s really huge, we don’t all need brand

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new shirts. Everything that we need is already made.”

Bethel was also passionate about getting students to not only celebrate the earth, but also to get them thinking about saving the earth. She emphasized that the celebration is a reminder for students to think about sustainability and implementing these practices more into their daily lives.

“It’s important to remind people that there is something to celebrate. We’re so lucky that we get to live on this big beautiful world,” Bethel said. “At the same time, it’s kind of a reminder to take care of our earth because climate change is happening. I feel like at this point in my mind, this may be a little pessimistic, but it’s a little celebratory and also a reminder to do things like composting.”

The Earth Day Festival was an opportunity for students to gain more knowledge about the environment with their community. The conclusion to the Office of Sustainability and SGA’s Earth Week garnered much attention from the students similarly interested in honoring nature and making sustainable practices more accessible across campus.

(Environmentalism) is so integrated in every single place on campus.

I think that’s why it’s important for us to celebrate it.

The Daily Beacon is published by students at The University of Tennessee on Monday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters.

The o�ces are located at 1345 Circle Park Drive, 11 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 379960314. The newspaper is free on campus and is available via mail subscription for $200/year or $100/semester. It is also available online at: www. utdailybeacon.com

EMILY STILES Outreach Coordinator at O�ce of Sustainability

Students help themselves to free plants during the Earth Day Festival at the HSS Plaza on Friday, April 22, 2022. Edward Cruz / The Daily Beacon

CAMPUS NEWS

Wednesday, April 27, 2022 • The Daily Beacon

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Brenda Lewis Peel, first Black undergraduate to earn degree at UT, dies at 80 PIERCE GENTRY Staff Writer

On April 3, Brenda Lewis Peel, the first Black undergraduate to receive a degree from the University of Tennessee, passed away. She was 80 years old.

“The courage that Brenda Peel showed as a student at the University of Tennessee and her commitment to moving our community and our society forward continues to inspire me,” UT Chancellor Donde Plowman said. “Ms. Peel is the utmost example of what it means to be a Volunteer and it was an incredible gift to get to know her and her family.”

Peel was inspired to transfer to UT from Pennsylvania’s Westminster College in 1961 after hearing a commencement address Martin Luther King Jr. delivered at Knoxville College. She wanted to return home and be with her family during a pivotal point in history: the American Civil Rights Movement.

Throughout her time as a student, Peel frequently involved herself with the Civil Rights Movement in Knoxville, marching with Students for Equal Treatment and advocating for racial justice. She juggled the responsibilities of being a student, an activist and a mother to her newborn son, Joey Michael Peel.

“I will always remember her Southern charm

and her grace in all situations, and it’s the model for how I try and live my life, and how I try and raise my child, and how I want to be a member of my family — to carry my mother’s being, her essence, forward, in some hope that I can be a fraction of what she is,” J. Peel said at a celebration of his mother’s life on April 12.

In the spring of 1964, Brenda graduated with a degree in psychology, making university history.

“She did that and we are proud of her for it.

She has made the history books because of it,” Peel’s nephew William B. Lewis said at Peel’s celebration of life ceremony. “I’m wearing orange today, because she was the first Black in orange.”

Immediately following graduation, Peel worked as a language arts teacher at the local Beardsley Junior High School in Knoxville. Her passion and love for students was clear, and she soon after decided to pursue a graduate degree in counseling from Georgia State University in Atlanta.

After graduating with her masters degree, Peel worked for 27 years as a counselor to middle and high schoolers in the Atlanta area. She retired from education in 2002.

“Her story didn’t stop with the boundaries she broke at UT because her impact continued to live on through students she worked with and the lives she touched throughout her teaching and counseling career,” Chancellor

Plowman said.

In 1994, UT recognized Peel’s dedication to education and innovation, inducting her into the inaugural African American Hall of Fame.

In 2021, the central galleria on the second floor of John C. Hodges Library was dedicated in her name, with a placard immortalizing her place in university history.

Tyvi Small, vice chancellor for Diversity and Engagement, contacted Ms. Peel to inform her of the dedication.

“I was the one who called her to let her know that we’d be naming the galleria after her, and it was such a special moment,” Small said in a statement to the Daily Beacon.

“I am happy that the university was able to honor and celebrate her in that way with the naming of the galleria … and to show her that her university appreciated what she did to help move us along and the impactful role that she played in helping lay the foundation for thousands of other students to follow behind her.”

Though Peel will be remembered by many for her achievements and determination, many more still remember her kindness, her love and her warmth.

Speaking at her mother’s celebration of life, Dana Peel Dudley reminisced on the legacy Peel left behind.

“What I know is this: The minute she met you, you meant something to her. My mom taught me so many things … she taught us to

Brenda Peel portrait taken in her Atlanta home for a UT Volunteer Stories interview on October 26, 2021.

Photo by Steven Bridges / University of Tenessee persevere, to treat others how we wish to be treated and that we’re obligated to help others reach their goals as well. Even with her big achievements by being a pioneer, paving the way for others, being the first Black graduate of UT, the thing that comes up so often for me is the way she loved all of us.”

Peel’s family requests donations to the UTK Black Alumni Association in honor of her legacy paving the way for Black students at UT.

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CAMPUS NEWS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, April 27, 2022

State budget includes HOPE scholarship increase, ‘unprecedented’ campus investments DANIEL DASSOW Campus News Editor

Every year, the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship opens the door for thousands of students in Tennessee to attend college affordably by directing proceeds from the state lottery to public institutions of higher learning.

On April 21, the Tennessee General Assembly passed a $52.8 billion budget for the 20222023 fiscal year which includes around $217 million for UT Knoxville and budget increases across the UT System, including the largest increase in the HOPE Scholarship since the program was founded.

The scholarship will increase to $4,500 per year for full-time eligible freshman and sophomores and $5,700 for juniors and seniors at four-year public universities and colleges. The award is currently valued at $3,500 per year for eligible freshmen and sophomores and $4,500 for juniors and seniors.

UT System President Randy Boyd said the increase would help UT grow further in its educational mission, adding onto an extension of the UT Promise scholarship in the fall semester.

“We are incredibly thankful for Gov. Bill Lee

and our Tennessee General Assembly’s continued leadership in supporting higher education.

These investments will support our mission to serve all Tennesseans and beyond through education, discovery and outreach, and further our ability to address the state’s grand challenges,” Boyd said.

We are seeing unprecedented growth on our campus ... It has never been a better time to be a Volunteer.

DONDE PLOWMAN CHANCELLOR

The budget also includes a 4% salary pool for higher education employees in the state, $83 million to expand facilities for the Haslam College of Business and $500,000 to fund minority engineering scholarships at UT Knoxville and UT Chattanooga.

Gov. Lee announced the particulars of the

budget in his 2022 State of the State Address on Jan. 31, where he highlighted $6 million to support the planned Institute for American Civics at the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy.

The UT System statement on the budget said the institute “will support and enhance statewide efforts to highlight the role American institutions play in resolving conflict, advancing human dignity and making public policy.”

The budget allocates $72 million to fully fund and complete the UT-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute (UT-ORII), a strategic research and work partnership between the university and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

“UT-ORII is now positioned to sustainably bring together world-leading scientists and engineers with students and faculty under one umbrella to provide innovative education, training and workforce development in areas of vital importance to Tennessee and our nation,” the UT System said in a release.

In a statement concerning the budget, Chancellor Donde Plowman expressed gratitude to state and UT leadership for advocating for the “unprecedented investment.” At a time when UT is set to break a record for most firstyear students for the second consecutive year, Plowman touted the university’s growth.

“We are seeing unprecedented growth on

our campus. Our faculty are being recognized for their extraordinary work in their research and their classrooms. With the support of our faculty and staff, our students are getting degrees, opportunities and accolades. It has never been a better time to be a Volunteer. I appreciate each of you and the work you do,” Plowman said.

The budget caused controversy over $500 million in bonds to help pay for a new domed stadium in Nashville for the Tennessee Titans, which was the result of heavy deliberation between the House and the Senate. The rest of the roughly $2 billion budget for the stadium will be covered by the Titans, the NFL and Metro Nashville, according to the Tennessean.

The Senate removed Gov. Lee’s proposed $200 million to relocate schools out of floodplains amid increased concern for environmental disasters in the state. Lawmakers also deleted an item in the governor’s budget that would have made Juneteenth into a state holiday.

More information about the specifics of the budget on UT campuses can be found on the UT System News website. The budget has been sent to Gov. Lee for his signature.

2022 Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement (EURēCA)

26th annual showcase

The Office of Undergraduate Research hosted around 1,000 students to present original research and creative projects in the Student Union Ballroom on April 25, 2022.

Edward Cruz / The Daily Beacon

Sharing a year of work Eleni Golloshi, an undergraduate research assistant in cardiovascular biomechanics, presents at EURēCA on Monday, April 25, 2022.

Edward Cruz / The Daily Beacon

CAMPUS NEWS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, April 27, 2022

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Fox Nation’s Tomi Lahren talk mostly calm, despite plans of student protestors ABBY ANN RAMSEY Staff Writer

On April 21, UT’s chapter of Turning Point USA hosted right-wing political commentator Tomi Lahren in Dabney-Buehler Hall, despite attempts from left-leaning students to hamper the event’s success.

Lahren works for Fox Nation, hosting the shows “Final Thoughts” and “No Interruption.” She gained traction around the time of the 2016 election when people began noticing her controversial videos, like ones criticizing Barack Obama and Beyonce.

In late 2016, she went on Trevor Noah’s “The Daily Show,” firing up the internet with comments comparing the Black Lives Matter movement to the Ku Klux Klan. The New York Times called her “the right’s rising media star.”

A few days after speaking to a crowd of about 50 people at UT, Lahren took to talk about her experience.

“I spoke at University of Tennessee a few days ago and experienced a new leftist ‘tactic,’” the tweet said. “These liberal freaks on campuses are now gorging themselves on watermelon and refried beans in an attempt to barf on conservative speakers. Yes. You read that correctly. Good lord!”

A tactic involving refried beans and watermelon did, indeed, occur on Thursday. Kurt Schelzig, a freshman electrical engineering and philosophy major, told The Daily Beacon after the event that he brought a watermelon and can of beans with him to distract and disrupt.

He was not trying to make himself throw up.

Rather, he said he just wanted to eat the watermelon throughout the event to distract from what Lahren was saying. He said his plan was inspired by comedian Eric Andre who acts ridiculous at far-right events.

The cops took my watermelon outside ... they took my beans.

It made me very uncomfortable.

KURT SCHELZIG Freshman and self-proclaimed anarchist

“These people feed off debatery and engaging with them and asking authentic questions or whatever,” Schelzig said. “I know what I’m talking about on some of these things, but they feed off that. So I was like okay I’m going to come in here and I’m going to try to make it clear to her that she should be uncomfortable on campus.”

Schelzig planned on giving her the can of

beans – just for her to have. Before he could put his plan into action though, his beans and watermelon were confiscated upon entering the room. However, he still attempted to serve as a distraction when he was one of the first ones to speak in the Q&A. “I may disagree with you on some things, but I can appreciate that you may be the most active person I’ve ever seen advocate for white nationalism without ever saying it,” Schelzig said.

Some audience members laughed at his comment, while others shook their heads.

Schelzig continued but asked a question about a comment Lahren made in July comparing flight attendants enforcing airplane mask mandates to Nazis.

“Let me ask this better,” Schelzig said.

“How do you manage to consume so many lead paint chips? Because I usually barf on like the third or fourth bag.”

Lahren remained calm throughout his comments, told him he was making a fool of himself and added that he should see a doctor about the lead chips. That’s when he revealed his distress about the watermelon and beans.

“The cops took my watermelon outside … they took my beans. It made me very uncomfortable,” Schelzig said. “I’m a very pro-second amendment person, I’m a very pro-first amendment person. It seems ridiculous that the cops would take my watermelon.”

As crowd members booed and laughed, Lahren tried to shut down the interaction by telling him he could spend an exorbitant amount of money on a new watermelon due to Biden’s impact on the economy, emphasizing that she appreciated his “zest for performance” and telling him she was going to take questions from serious audience members.

Schelzig, a self-proclaimed anarchist, explained to Lahren his frustration with the gist of what she had said in the 20 minutes before he started talking. One of Lahren’s main points was that conservative students are marginalized on college campuses. He argued that conservative speech and even Ku Klux Klan speech is allowed on campuses, while anarchist and socialist speech is heavily regulated.

After that comment, Lahren quickly stated that she believes in free speech and called on someone else, shutting down the interaction.

What sounds like a dramatic interaction took up only three minutes of the 90-minute event. Outside of that, there was little distraction from people who disagreed with the speaker.

Bailee Paxson, a sophomore sports management major and president of UT’s Turning Point chapter, said outside of this incident, the only other distractions were flyers posted around the lecture hall that said “Hate has no place here. Go home Tomi.”

The flyers were marked with what could have been poorly scribbled hammer and sickle symbols. Leading up to the night, Paxson said they had the other usual problems like people

Tomi Lahren of Fox Nation speaks on the suppression of conservative beliefs on college campuses at Buehler Hall on Thursday, April 21, 2022. Edward Cruz / The Daily Beacon taking down posters across campus within minutes of them being hung.

The lack of backlash at the actual event may come as a surprise to those who noticed that a few weeks ago, Haylee Duncan, a senior psychology major, took to Twitter to virtually protest Lahren’s talk.

Complete with a photo of the EventBrite page featuring Lahren’s picture and a link for reserving tickets, “Since UTK wants to invite her let’s show her some love!! Buy out all the tickets and steal the seats.”

Duncan’s goal was to get as many people as possible to reserve a free seat and then not attend so that Lahren would speak to an empty room. There was just one problem with this plan, however.

Paxson set up the webpage to where it would take over 200,000 reservations to sell out, even though Lahren was set to speak in a lecture hall.

Even though this was not a method that would actually impede upon the attendance at the event, the supporters of Duncan’s plan made themselves pretty clear.

“We definitely did have more Eventbrite tickets bought than people should have, but that is what we expected,” Paxson said. “There were a lot of names that were very clearly fake that we knew not to count.”

Those names? According to replies to Duncan’s tweet, fake buyers went by names like “Hugh Jazz,” “Doodoo Fart” and “Myra Mains.”

Her tweet ended up with 94 retweets, 35 quote tweets and 215 likes. She followed up days before the event, asking people to continue the reservation push. Thursday morning, she told students to show up at the event with tomatoes.

“Don’t throw them … just hold the tomatoes

as a threat,” the tweet said.

Duncan further explained her methods to The Daily Beacon, adding that she was disheartened by how reserving seats did not work the way she planned. She felt that Lahren’s invitation to campus helped to promote ideas that may perpetuate harm of marginalized groups or spread misinformation “I just feel like it’s not even really a political thing at this point,” Duncan said. “She’s just completely spreading misinformation, it doesn’t matter what side you’re coming from.

We claim that we are supposed to be digging deeper into these topics. We’re supposed to be criticizing and becoming students who are able to discern fact from fiction.”

For Paxson though, Lahren does not represent misinformation. Rather, she said the reason they invited Lahren – outside of her engagement to UT baseball alum, JP Arencibia – was because she speaks out against assuming someone’s beliefs on every issue based solely on the party they vote for.

“She’s very big into, we all fit on a spectrum of our beliefs, it’s not like oh, you have to fit in this box because you’re a conservative or you have to believe all this because you’re on the left or you’re a liberal,” Paxson said.

Instead of seeing Lahren as the extremist that Duncan sees, Paxson sees someone who encourages open conversations between Democrats and Republicans. In fact, Lahren is controversial not only with liberals but also with conservatives as she surprises people with her pro-choice views that led to the loss of her job with TheBlaze.

STORY CONTINUED ONLINE Read more at utdailybeacon.com

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CAMPUS NEWS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Rachel Stewart named Truman Scholar for environmental activism OLIVIA HAYES Staff Writer Rachel Stewart, a junior in the Haslam Scholars Program, has been selected as a 2022 Truman Scholar. Stewart is one of 58 students across 53 different universities to receive the prestigious award.

The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation awarded its first scholarship in 1977, a “living memorial” to the nation’s 33rd president.

The scholarship, which provides $30,000 for the graduate school of the scholar’s choice and a gateway to a plethora of career opportunities, is given to college juniors who have an outstanding record of education and public service.

Stewart is UT’s first Truman Scholar since 1997.

Paul Gellert, Stewart’s advisor and director of global studies, commented on Stewart’s achievement.

“I am thrilled that Rachel has been awarded a Truman Scholarship,” Gellert said. “She is highly deserving of this honor.”

Stewart started out as a global studies and political science major. The nuclear engineering department also intrigued her, and she loved how the classes challenged her to think in a different way.

Stewart’s passion lies within environmental, sociological and radioactive issues, digging deep into hazards like nuclear waste, and questions such as who has access to certain elements and how these hazards affect marginalized communities.

With many areas of study on her mind, Stewart found that her original major did not encompass all the aspects she desired, so she designed her own major through the College Scholars Program: environmental justice and radioactive waste management.

It all comes back to the people and to helping.

RACHEL STEWART 2022 Truman Scholar

“Her ambitions to combine study of nuclear engineering (to understand the environmental impacts of mining and energy production), environmental sociology (to understand social structures and processes and their particular relation to environmental issues) and deep area knowledge (including language, history and politics) are impressive,” Gellert said.

Stewart credits both her hometown of Mc-

Rachel Stewart of McMinnville, TN, is the first UT student since 1997 to be awarded the Harry S. Truman Scholarship, an award for U.S. undergraduates pursuing a career in public service leadership. Courtesy of the official Facebook of the Southern Standard Newspaper Minnville, Tennessee, and her time studying abroad in Tajikistan as factors that flourished her interest in environmental justice.

McMinnville, a small, rural town in middle Tennessee, offered her an environment to explore and a green space to grow up in.

“I would go down to the creek by my house and read ‘The Kite Runner.’ I liked learning about Afghanistan through a different lens.

It’s where my interest in central Asia began. I would also read Persian poetry,” Stewart said.

Her high school recycling, “or the lack thereof” as she notes, was another aspect of her hometown that prompted her to think of how things could be made better.

Stewart traveled to Tajikistan after her senior year of high school. There, she learned how to speak Tajiki Persian and saw how all of her fields of interests were related to one another.

“I saw waste management in Dushanbe, non-centralized recycling and non-regulated landfills and waste areas,” Stewart said. “All of these sparked my interest in sociology and culture and how everything relates back to the environment.”

A pillar of her community, Stewart has made an impact within campus life and the Knoxville community. She has worked on compost extensively with the Office of Sustainability, fascinated by a compost facility that she had not been offered in McMinnville.

She has also been a long-time, active member of Students Promoting Environmental Action in Knoxville (SPEAK). She moved from a contributing member to vice president to president, enhancing the compost quality of the club, increasing engagement with the community and bringing an environmental justice lens to the club.

Seeing that SPEAK was the main sustainability club on campus, she wanted to expand and started the Compost Coalition. The Compost Coalition works with the Office of Sustainability to bring awareness and education to composting, such as what composting is, how to interact with it and how to access it.

While she was president of SPEAK, the Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance (OREPA) reached out to Stewart and notified her of UT’s role in the Y-12 National Security Complex.

In 2020, UT made a bid on a management and operations contract with the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, thereby helping to fund development of nuclear weapons.

Stewart saw UT’s involvement with Y-12 as an issue.

“It all goes back to waste,” Stewart said.

“Waste should be useful and should go back into the community. That’s why composting interested me so much.”

Stewart decided to act.

She organized with OREPA, circulated petitions, addressed the board of trustees and worked with the Progressive Student Alliance to attract more people to the campaign. Institutional investing is an issue she wants more people to know about and engage with, especially students.

When asked if she had a mentor in or around campus that has helped her reach her goals, Stewart had a long list.

“My advisors Dr. Gellert and Dr. Ergas in the sociology department, Wayne Mason from the office of sustainability, Ralph Hutchison from OREPA, the Haslam Scholars program,” Stewart said. “I want to name everybody. It takes a village.”

After getting her bachelors degree, Stewart plans on getting a masters degree in health

physics — studying how radiation impacts people and the environment — with a concentration in nonproliferation.

For her career, Stewart wants to work for the Department of Energy (DOE) as a health physicist, bridging the gap between the DOE and having meaningful relationships with communities.

“I want to connect activists and knowledge spaces on a higher level,” Stewart said. “All while prioritizing local voices that are being affected.”

Stewart is currently studying abroad in Kyrgyzstan, studying uranium mines and volunteering in research around waste management.

It was in central Asia where she found out she was a 2022 Truman Scholar.

Stewart had worked on the scholarship application since the fall 2021 semester, submitted her application in February and interviewed as a finalist in March. Mid-April, in the middle of a desert in Uzbekistan, Stewart got a phone call informing her that she was one of the winners of the Truman Scholarship.

The first event the scholarship offers, the Truman Scholars Leadership Week, is only a month away. During this week, the scholars will meet each other and work together all while attending sessions, completing community service projects, presenting policy projects and interacting with public servants. Stewart is excited for the opportunities to come.

“I’m excited to engage with the foundation as a whole, the alumni and my own cohort. I’m excited to learn with them and from them,” Stewart said.

After reading the biographies of the other Truman Scholars, she feels confident about how much other people care about the work.

“It all comes back to the people and to helping,” Stewart said.

Rachel Stewart (left) with her host mother and host sister in Tajikistan, wearing the national Tajik clothing for women, called a “kurta.”

Courtesy of Rachel Stewart

OPINIONS

Wednesday, April 27, 2022 • The Daily Beacon

7

Letter to the Editor: Will UT remain silent in the face of white supremacist ‘education’ legislation?

DAVID BARBER Guest Columnist

Over the past two years, our Tennessee state legislature has passed and our Governor Bill Lee has signed two pieces of white supremacist “education” legislation. Last year, Tennessee enacted anti-“Critical Race Theory” (CRT) legislation effectively barring the teaching of Black history in K-12 schools. This year the state has promoted similar “divisive concepts” legislation for higher education. This year’s legislation effectively bars our public universities from requiring that their students take classes in Black history or in any other “diversity” requirement.

The largest and most important organization of historians in the United States, the American Historical Association (AHA), has condemned both last year’s and this year’s legislation. In the statement it issued last year, the AHA, joined by over 150 other academic associations, named the “clear goal” of this anti-CRT legislation: “to suppress teaching and learning about the role of racism in the history of the United States.”

“To suppress teaching and learning about the role of racism” in American history is to defend racism, is to defend America’s system of white supremacy. This is inarguable.

Our UT System Administration did nothing to oppose last year’s K-12 law and it has done nothing this year to oppose the “divisive concepts” legislation. Worse still, in an unsigned handout addressing this year’s legislation, UT’s Government Relations Office (GRO) not only fails to condemn this racist legislation, it attempts to reassure us of the law’s benign nature and recognizes “academic freedom and First Amendment rights, particularly freedom of speech.”

Of course, the definition that the UT System gives for academic freedom and freedom of speech here is a narrow definition: This law will not affect what individual professors say in their classrooms, hence, Academic Freedom. But even this is not clear. The first part of Section 4 of the bill says: “A student or employee of a public institution of higher education shall not be penalized, discriminated against or receive any adverse treatment due to the student’s or employee’s refusal to support, believe, endorse, embrace, confess, act upon or otherwise assent to one (1) or more divisive concepts.”

In a Senate discussion of the bill on March 21, 2022, Senator Mike Bell, the Senate bill’s principal sponsor, explains that his bill stipulates “that there can’t be any adverse action taken against a student who doesn’t conform or doesn’t believe these divisive concepts ...”

In other words, if a student doesn’t like a grade he gets from me, he can say that he’s gotten the grade because he refused to “conform” to the “divisive concept” I was teaching.

But even before we get to that point we have to recognize that this law has already compromised academic freedom – even before it became a law, even before the bill had been written – our

Tennessee elected officials had already acted decisively to quash any attempts at teaching our public university students anything other than the “unapologetic American exceptionalism” our governor has vowed to provide every Tennessee student.

Academic freedom is more than what is said in the classroom. Academic freedom also involves the ability of teachers and administrators at an institution of higher education to control the school’s curriculum. Last year the University of Memphis (UofM), believing that its students needed more diverse perspectives in their education, offered $3000 grants to as many as 20 faculty members in return for those faculty reworking their courses to emphasize greater diversity in perspectives and sources.

Both Governor and Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn denounced this UofM program as “wasting taxpayer dollars” on a “divisive, radical agenda,” or, in Blackburn’s words, “a woke social justice agenda.” The University of Memphis folded in the face of this pressure and withdrew its offer to faculty. And our new “divisive concept” law now explicitly bars schools from offering the kind of incentives to faculty that UofM had offered.

UT Knoxville, too, has already run up against our new law, even before it passed. At the beginning of the spring 2021 semester UTK’s Division of Diversity and Engagement (DDE) projected partnering “with the campus Critical Race Collective to create a (Critical Race) center to ‘enhance research and scholarship capacity in this area of study and identify current racist policies and practices on campus.’”

When a right-wing website, “The College Fix,” got hold of these publicly available plans, Senator Blackburn denounced the effort as divisive. UT President Randy Boyd responded, saying, “We will review the ideas compiled in the diversity action plans recently highlighted in the media and work to clarify any areas necessary to ensure we are delivering on our commitment to our students, employees and the state.” A few weeks later, at the same moment that Governor Lee was announcing the creation of an American Civics Institute on the UTK campus, an institute that Lee promised would combat “anti-American thought” a UTK spokeswoman was announcing that the DDE plan for a Critical Race Center “is no longer happening.”

At UT Martin (UTM) we’ve also had our first run-in with this law. Although we don’t have a great deal of transparency in this matter, here is the story I have been able to piece together: In spring 2021 a small group of faculty managed to land a proposal for a general education “diversity” requirement in front of the Faculty Senate’s Committee on Instruction (COI). For technical reasons discussion of the proposal in front of the COI, originally slated for the end of spring semester, was delayed until fall 2021.

But, over the summer, the UT Government Relations Office reached out to UTM Chancellor Keith Carver, cautioning him that this diversity requirement might run afoul of legislation that had been pre-filed in Nashville – legislation that would ultimately produce this year’s “divi-

sive concepts” law. While the diversity proposal likely would have failed in our Faculty Senate, in the wake of this warning, the proposal was pulled from Faculty Senate consideration.

In short, while the UT Government Relations Office comforts us with reassurances on the new law’s protections for academic freedom and freedom of speech, our UT System evidently has concluded that the best “defense of freedom of speech” is that we say nothing that might question the wisdom of our elected officials, no matter how vile or racist the laws they make, sign or advocate for are.

Our UT System faculties have largely failed to rise to this present educational crisis in which we find ourselves. A handful of UT faculty have spoken out, true ... beyond that, however, we have heard very little. Not one single Faculty Senate within the UT System has spoken up in protest against these white supremacist laws. Neither has the faculty of a single history, sociology, political science, English or philosophy department on any of our UT campuses condemned these laws.

From what I have seen on my own campus, most of our faculty do not seem terribly concerned

about the enacting of these white supremacist educational laws. In fact, I get the impression that most faculty would rather not think about it. We are, I am sure, fine examples of responsible citizenship, a real inspiration to our students.

Our UT System leadership, our UT President Randy Boyd, my UTM Chancellor Keith Carver, UTK’s Chancellor Donde Plowman and the other UT chancellors, none of them have raised their voices in opposition to the white supremacist agenda being promulgated in our public education system in Tennessee. Not one of them.

STORY CONTINUED ONLINE Read more at utdailybeacon.com David Barber is a professor of history at the University of Tennessee at Martin. He can be reached at dbarber@utm.edu.

Columns and letters 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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OPINIONS & CITY

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, April 27, 2022

OPINION: East Tennessee Maverick: Populism in East Tennessee WALKER KINSLER Columnist

On Jan. 6, 2021, supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol Building.

They beat police officers, attempted to harm duly elected officials and threatened to overturn a fair and democratic election.

If Trump was a more capable autocrat, they may have succeeded.

But, all of these actions are supposedly antithetical to Trump’s preaching of defending the U.S. and staying loyal to its democracy. So why then do people in East Tennessee still support a man who wanted to uproot nearly 250 years of

American ideals just to stay in power?

The answer is populism, the political approach of appealing to common people and uniting them against elites or other threats.

Donald Trump is a brand. He has mastered a vague but highly targeted message and misinformation campaign appealing to nationalism, nostalgia for a mythical near-perfect past and Evangelicalism. He uses broad terms that resonate with conservative beliefs, such as freedom and family values while vilifying an establishment that supposedly wants to take these principles away.

East Tennessee has been a stable republican region since its loyalty to the Union during the Civil War, but this does not explain its attraction towards the modern-day GOP. Trump has constantly spoken about Christian values, playing on the disgust of Evangelicals towards abortion and LGBTQ rights to create rocksolid support in rural communities where church is very important. East Tennessee, being a rural region in the Bible Belt, has routinely cited these theological reasons for being staunchly Trump.

Yet, Trump has consistently shown a lack of real interest towards religion, famously using the Bible as a prop in a photo-op at St. John’s Church during the George Floyd protests. This act was denounced by numerous religious leaders, including the bishop who oversaw the church. Trump’s messaging is so effective, however, that many still see him as the defender of Christian values in

Washington.

Trump also encourages ultra-patriotic displays, leading his supporters to create flags, car decorations and clothes adorned with images of guns, male bravado and even icons of Trump with a Schwarzenegger-like body. His use of the American flag and phrases like “Make America Great Again” reinforces nationalistic tendencies in everyday people who have grown up in conservative regions, such as East Tennessee, that teach near-total American exceptionalism.

This leads to their support of vague policies such as the isolationist America First movement, viewing other countries as untrustworthy, if not below the U.S. Trump also utilizes the fears and angers of ordinary people to create a fanatical devotion to himself. He purposefully uses vague messaging and misinformation depicting the loss of modern American values because of vague evil enemies.

This fear of loss and potential struggles and anger towards those who are supposedly responsible allows Trump to vilify his opponents.

As a result, the polarization of American politics has grown at an alarming rate. Many Trump supporters in East Tennessee now have a genuine disdain and sometimes hatred towards liberals, immigrants and republicans who Trump deems disloyal. They believe these groups are responsible for the loss of the previous “great America” and will continue to endanger their country, such

as the false conspiracy of the stolen 2020 election.

But the great irony is that Trump doesn’t practice what he preaches.

Trump gives big speeches detailing his love for America and his unwavering duty towards defending his country, yet he attacks the free institutions that got him elected and assails the free press.

His attempts to illegally subvert the 2020 election is one of the most traitorous actions any citizen can do. He has willingly eroded the pillars of our democracy, spitting on the Constitution and the graves of all service members who fought for our freedom to vote. When you lose an election in this country, you accept it, move on and try again.

STORY CONTINUED ONLINE Read more at utdailybeacon.com Walker Kinsler is a freshman at UT this year studying political science. He can be reached at wkinsler@vols.utk.edu.

Columns and letters 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.

‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’ Review: Breaking out of my Cage KEENAN THOMAS Senior Staff Writer

Photo courtesy of IMDb With a legacy of acting, the concept of Nicolas Cage playing Nicolas Cage in a movie seems absurd. It could potentially be a career-ender if everything goes wrong. But that’s not the case

here, as Nicolas Cage continues to prove that he’s still one of the most versatile actors in the game.

This is all about “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.” It was written and directed by Tom Gormican, who also worked on the show “Ghosted” and the movie “That Awkward Moment.” Kevin Etten is also credited as a screenwriter.

In a rough spot in his career, Nick Cage struggles to find work and connect to his family. He reluctantly accepts a paid invitation to attend a birthday party for Javi, a billionaire and the biggest fan of Cage. But after he arrives, Cage is contacted by the CIA to infiltrate Javi’s compound and look for the kidnapped daughter of an anti-crime politician, as they believe that Javi is behind it.

“The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” is an entertaining, self-aware film that uses its premise to elevate an otherwise competent film. Along with a phenomenal lead performance, the chemistry between the two main actors is electric.

Obviously, the film stars Nicolas Cage as Nick Cage, along with an additional credit for Nicolas Kim Coppola as Nicky. Cage is absolutely incredible within both of these roles, filling it with youth, intensity and charisma that only Nicolas Cage can do. It’s enjoyable to watch him act as a heightened version of himself, along with a younger form of himself from

“Wild at Heart” that creates some of the funnier moments of the film.

Opposite him, Pedro Pascal plays Javi, matching a lot of the life and energy that Cage exudes. Together, they create one of the best and most believable bromances put to film.

They play off of each other so well that if the entire movie was just them hanging out for two hours, it might have been an even better film. This is shown best in a montage of scenes where they cliff jump, talk about their favorite movies and have a bonding moment over the incredible “Paddington 2.”

This is truly the heart of the film, is these two characters and actors performing their hearts out. They appear to be having an incredible time in making this movie, and it shows on screen. It also works to show the importance of having friends who genuinely support and care about you, even when the going gets tough.

It’s also a film about Nicolas Cage coming to terms with his career and family life while figuring out how to overcome these hurdles and lead a better life. It’s always in Cage’s corner throughout the film, with a myriad of references and praise for his career — which is impressive, no doubt. But it’s nice to see a largerthan-life actor that’s been seen as a meme for so long get some of the recognition that he deserves while recognizing his accomplishments — you’ve also got to remember that he’s won an Oscar before.

Some of the other elements of the film don’t match the same level of care and attention that these two themes have, but it comes close. This is specifically in reference to the familial drama portions of the film. It doesn’t go as deep as it probably should get into it, but it does contain a complete narrative arc that carries a surprising emotional through-line that connects throughout the film. The film brings together Cage and his relationship with his family and his bond with Javi in such a way that is way more heartfelt than you would expect from a movie about Nicolas Cage playing himself.

As to the self-referential nature, the film does a great job at being aware of itself, especially in showing the creative process. It’s both a film about Nick Cage and a film about creating this movie, with comments and observations made about the film in service of discussions about the movie that Cage and Javi actively work on. It’s quite funny and it works better than most meta and self-aware films.

However, besides the chemistry, lead performance and self-awareness, this film would just be competent. Most of the other elements of the film are pretty basic, though they are well done. The lighting and shot composition are great, and the editing is well done.

STORY CONTINUED ONLINE Read more at utdailybeacon.com

CITY NEWS

Wednesday, April 27, 2022 • The Daily Beacon

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In its 61st year, Dogwood Arts Festival celebrates art, music, community ABBY ANN RAMSEY Staff Writer

The annual Dogwood Arts Festival returned this weekend at World’s Fair Park for three days, full of artwork and music from the Knoxville community and beyond.

The festival began Friday morning and ended Sunday night. While vendors shut down at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, live music continued until 8:30 p.m. both nights.

Artists participating in the Dogwood Arts Festival this year came from a total of 18 different states. Dozens of artists participated, along with a diverse musical lineup, so visual art was not the only medium on display.

Like most Knoxville festivals, there were also several food and drink trucks with options ranging from gelato to the classic Denton’s lemonade.

Shannon Herron, the Marketing & Creative Director for Dogwood Arts, noted that planning for the event began the second after last year’s festival ended.

“Our whole staff comes together on this event because it ties together every aspect of what we do, you know, celebrating artists, celebrating the natural beauty of East Tennessee,” Herron said.

Because of the long history of the festival, which was established in 1961, this is an event that the Knoxville community knows well.

Herron said that some volunteers who helped this weekend have been involved for over 40 years. The goal is to invite all types of people to help with and share in the mission of displaying the beauty of art and Appalachia.

“Just the opportunity to work really closely with so many parts of the community and so many people in the community has been a re-

Patrons of the Dogwood Arts Festival browse a variety of art pieces by artists from all over the country in Knoxville, TN. Saturday, April 23, 2022.

Edward Cruz / The Daily Beacon ally great experience,” Heron said.

People who have known and loved the festival for years, though, were not the only ones that helped garner a large crowd over the weekend. UT students also showed out, many of them experiencing the tradition for the first time.

Gracie Allen, a junior child and family studies major, Flora Mae Ayers a junior special education major and Claire Flatt, a junior nursing and Spanish major, went to the Dogwood Arts Festival on Saturday, despite having never been before.

“I think it’s really good to get outside of the college community and to get into the actual Knoxville community because you can see the beautiful place that we’re living in,” Ayres said.

UT students’ involvement with the festival did not end there. Hollie Sikes, a junior architecture major, got to perform her music on Saturday during the event. She is excited to now be

able to say that she got to be part of a Knoxville tradition that prioritizes art.

“Knoxville really does have this web of local art and music that is constantly growing, and it makes me really happy to think I’ve made a little mark there,” Sikes said.

Since its establishment, the festival has been known for its commitment to accessibility to art for all by offering free admission and encouraging attendance.

“I’ve always been really impressed by the work that Dogwood Arts does to promote the arts in our community and to do it on such a large, public scale,” Herron said.

It has always been free, but last year they limited attendance due to COVID-19. This year, they got to return to some semblance of normalcy with free admission for anyone and everyone.

Loyal Dogwood Arts Festival-goers who did not make it out last year, might have noticed

a change of venue. While the festival has traditionally been held in Market Square and the heart of downtown, they relocated to World’s Fair Park in 2021 to be able to better track attendance numbers for COVID-19 safety.

Herron said they enjoyed the space last year and realized the security it provides to artists and their work, so they decided to stick with it.

According to Sikes, the weekend gave people a glimpse into Knoxville art, which can go unappreciated. As a barista at a local coffee shop, she said tourists sometimes ask her what she likes to do around the city.

“I always tell them that Knoxville has a really strong local art community and this tends to surprise people,” Sikes said. “So I love when that comes to the forefront and the city really celebrates its art, because it really does make Knoxville special in ways people don’t even realize.”

Despite being known for the popular festival, Dogwood Arts has many events year-round.

They have many plans for the summer and are currently gearing up for Southern Skies music festival, which will take place on May 14 and feature popular artists like The Dirty Guv’nahs and The New Respects.

Handmade glass ornaments for sale at the Dogwood Arts Festival in Knoxville, TN. Saturday, April 23, 2022. Edward Cruz / The Daily Beacon

COVID-19 update: Cases remain low as variant BA.2 spreads across county EMILY HOLT Staff Writer

As restrictions lessen, and become nonexistent in some cases, it is important to stay informed and aware about COVID-19 at UT, in Knoxville and in Tennessee. Here are some recent updates on the COVID-19 statuses as such.

The University of Tennessee does not currently have any mask mandates in place. On Nov. 20, 2021, a federal district judge granted the state of Tennessee an injunction which prohibits state institutions, including UT, from enforcing mask mandates. UT continues to offer free KN95 masks upon request for those who need them. Mask mandates have also been lifted in the city of Knoxville, as well as in Knox County.

The CDC recommends that those who have a high risk for infection should speak with their

health care providers about the use of masks. It is also recommended that those who use public transport wear a mask when traveling, especially in airports and on planes.

Statistics COVID-19 cases on the university’s campus remain low, and Knox County’s COVID-19 case level has been downgraded to low by the CDC — meaning there are less than 10 cases per 100,000 people throughout the county.

The state of Tennessee has seen 1.98 million COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic, as well as almost 26,000 deaths from the virus. Knox County saw the thirdhighest case amount in the state with 128,000 cases and 1,371 deaths. COVID-19 cases began to drop quickly in Knox County, as well as in Tennessee, throughout the month of February and have continued to remain low.

Vaccinations and testing UT does not require a COVID-19 vaccine for school attendance. However, it is strongly encouraged. Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, as well as boosters, are offered Monday through Friday in the Student Health Center pharmacy. Also, rapid tests are offered to students in the health center pharmacy with additional resources offered through UT’s COVID-19 support form.

There have been almost 13 million COVID-19 tests taken since the beginning of the pandemic with about 6,600 tests taken per day last week.

Additionally, 55.76% of the state of Tennessee is fully vaccinated, and 63.64% of the population have received one dose. Knox County is 61.22% fully vaccinated, and vaccination numbers remain fairly stagnant at this time.

Statements from the government The Knox County Health Department (KCHD), as well as the University of Tennessee, has not made any major announcements regarding COVID-19 in recent weeks.

The newest strain of COVID-19 in the United States is the BA.2 — which makes up about 23% of the current cases in the U.S. This strand is reported to be more transmissible than previous variants, but it is unknown whether it is more deadly.

To help ensure your health and safety, the KCHD recommends staying up to date with vaccines and boosters, wearing a mask based on your personal level of risk and getting tested if you have been exposed to COVID-19 or are feeling ill.

10

SPORTS & CITY

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Tennessee Vols shatters 4 records at Crimson Tide Invite ZACH BALL Staff Writer Tennessee’s track and field team traveled to Birmingham, Alabama, over the weekend to compete in the Crimson Tide Invite. Competition began on Friday and ran through Saturday night, with several Vols surpassing school records and totaling event wins.

Typically, much of the focus revolves around Tennessee’s star-studded long jumpers and sprinters such as Wayne Pinnock, Carey McLeod, Charisma Taylor and Favour Ashe.

However, at the Crimson Tide invite, the field competitors and distance runners proved to show that Tennessee’s track and field team is holistic in terms of their success.

In the field, for real Greece native Georgios Korakidis got the Vols rolling early on Friday. The senior emitted a distance of 70.51m in the men’s hammer throw to shatter his own school record of 69.45m. Korakidis set the previous record last season at the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Championship, and he now trying for a bid in this year’s Championships.

On the women’s side of the hammer throw, Chandler Hayden improved in her perfor-

mance as well. The sophomore Hayden jumped from fifth to third all-time in schools record books when she hurled a throw of 62.41m on her second attempt. Not only is this Hayden’s first career throw over 60-meters, but she also left Birmingham with her first event win of her collegiate career.

Saturday’s events started with Skylar Coffey and Israel Adesina placing among the top in the men’s discus throw. Coffey picked up the win with a personal best of 53.41m. Adesina, a redshirt sophomore, placed fifth with a lifetime best of 49.32m.

Tennessee’s spotlight in the field would continue through events on Saturday. Seniors Hannah Jefcoat and Jordan West both eventually improved upon their own school records.

In the women’s pole vault competition, Jefcoat leveled her way up to 4.22m (13-10) improving upon her school record in the outdoor vault. Her previous record stood at 4.19m.

Jordan West broke his own school record not once, but three times during his six attempts of the men’s shot put. West eventually landed 20.33m on his last attempt to smash his record from last season of 19.85m.

A nod to the level of competition in Birmingham, both Jefcoat and West placed only in second of their events.

Keeping distance

lays.

Another school record was toppled outside of the field by way of Canaan Anderson in the men’s 1,500-meter run. With a time of 3:42.46, Anderson broke a Tennessee freshman-record of 3:44.59 set by Sam James in 1977. In terms of all-time, Anderson’s mark jumps him all the way to fourth in program history.

In addition to Anderson, seven of his teammates competed in the 1,500-meter run, and seven of his teammates finished with personal or season-best times.

Olivia Janke and Jette Davidson ran personal-best times of 4:21.33 and 4:49.47, respectively on the women’s side. Jasmine Fehr (4:32.46), Erin Spreen (4:45.35) and Ainsley Cooper (4:46.30) all crossed the line with season-best runs.

For the men, Tim Thacker and Thomas Gardiner each put forth a lifetime best performance in the 1,500-meter. Thacker raced just behind Anderson with a finish at 3:32.79 while Gardiner followed at 3:50.76.

Up next Tennessee will split up its squad next week, with some traveling to compete in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for the LSU Invitational and some to Philadelphia for the historic Penn Re-

Tennessee’s Canaan Anderson runs the lead leg of the men’s 4x1500 meter race as snow begins to fall. At Tom Black Track, Saturday Apr. 9, 2022. Erick Villeda-Gomez / The Daily Beacon

‘The Northman’ Review: Viking Hamlet seeks vengeance KEENAN THOMAS Senior Staff Writer

Photo Courtesy of IMDb As the threads of fate unravel, a revenge tale for the gods unfolds.

“The Northman” is the most recent film from writer and director Robert Eggers. It’s his third film following his 2019 masterpiece “The Light-

house.” The film was also written by Sjón, who also wrote the film “Lamb.”

Set in the 10th century, Amleth is the prince of a small island kingdom. With his father King Aurvandill’s return, Amleth prepares with his father to eventually take over the kingdom. But after Aurvandill’s brother Fjölnir murders him and steals Amleth’s mother, Amleth flees on a boat, swearing that he will avenge his father, rescue his mother and kill Fjölnir.

“The Northman” is a Viking revenge epic that is brutal and barbaric throughout its runtime.

It’s more simplistic than Robert Eggers’ previous films, but it carries a similar atmosphere and craftsmanship that he’s become known for. Ultimately, it’s a ferocious film.

The cast list for this film is huge, with several big-name actors and actresses. The film stars Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke and Willem Dafoe, along with several more. Everyone acts with a certain level of intensity and dedication to depicting the time period. Several performances including Skarsgård’s seem feral, representing this blend of man and beast as they pillage and destroy. It’s incredible to watch at times as they go all in within their roles.

As for the story, it’s not particularly deep, mostly depicting a revenge tale through the eyes of Amleth. There are more elements to it than that, but at its core, it’s just a revenge film set within the Viking age. However, that’s not a negative criti-

cism. The movie works to present this narrative in a palatable format while going all out within every other aspect.

Along with that, this isn’t to say that the film is devoid of theming and deeper meanings. One of the prominent ones is the idea of fate and our role in fulfilling prophecies. It treats this as a desirable goal, something that will reward us in the end upon completion. Even when characters decide to go against that path, they find themselves coming back to it.

There’s also a general theme of revenge and the cyclical nature of violence. The movie depicts violence in a gruesome and disgusting way, always showing how brutal it can be. Using this, the film presents the theme of how violence creates more violence, and the only way to squash it all together is to eliminate every source of it — at least from the people involved. It’s fairly surface level, but it is still present.

Although these themes are here, they don’t go as deep as Eggers’ previous films. That being said, the research and Norse mythology that exists within the film does go deeper. There are several myths, gods and Norse concepts presented throughout the film, and it’s clear that they spent a lot of time researching and bringing all of this to the screen. It’s definitely the most detailed aspect of the film, yet it feels as if it’s missing parts to it.

This also goes for the opening of the film. The first act is great. It introduces the characters, story, world and themes well in a concise manner. How-

ever, it moves a little quickly. It still works, but it seems as if it would benefit by adding a little more time to the opening act.

However, everything else about this film is incredible. The lighting is dark and atmospheric, creating a natural look to the film like when characters use fire as a light source. It even looks like a black-and-white film at times — honestly, it makes me want a black-and-white cut of this film.

Along with that, the camera work is mesmerizing and precise. The angles utilized along with the way the camera tracks the characters and action is phenomenal. There are several long sequences that flow into each other, moving with the characters as they infiltrate a camp or play a ball game.

It’s extremely impressive, along with how beautifully it captures the landscapes of the film.

This goes right along with the editing, which is subtle and brilliant all at once. The seamless cuts within the long action sequences, the way that it creates a tempo and how it conveys tone and information are all done expertly with the editing.

This is the kind of film that might not have its editing recognized fully, but it contains some spectacular editing work.

STORY CONTINUED ONLINE Read more at utdailybeacon.com

SPORTS

Wednesday, April 27, 2022 • The Daily Beacon

11 11

‘She needed a day like that’: Ashley Rogers’ perfect comeback NATE TOSADO Staff Writer

Tennessee’s senior pitcher Ashley Rogers was ready to have another dominant season in the circle for the Lady Vols at the start of 2022.

Tennessee’s ace was coming off one of her most impressive seasons with a 26-10 record that featured 25 complete games, eight shutouts and three saves.

Entering her senior year, Rogers had high hopes for the future. The addition of transfer Erin Edmoundson and Ryleigh White to Tennessee’s pitching staff was a monumental move made over the off-season. The two new arms allowed Lady Vols to take some of the load off of Rogers in the upcoming season.

All the ingredients were there for the Athens, Tennessee, native to have another successful season, but little did Rogers know that the upcoming 2022 campaign would feature some of the veteran’s highest highs and lowest of lows.

Rogers picked up where she left off at the beginning of the season, notching an impressive nine strikeouts in the Lady Vols’ season opener against UNCG. Rogers thrived early in the season against out-of-conference opponents like FIU and BYU.

Around late February, Rogers unexpectedly missed back-to-back road games and was unable to compete in the majority of the Mary Nutter Classic. The prominent Tennessee starter was subsequently sidelined for many of the following games.

“She has been battling some injuries still that started in Clearwater,” head coach Karen Weekly said at the time. “We’ve been trying to work our way back. We have been trying to not give her too many pitches, too many innings at one time.”

Eventually, Rogers was slowly integrated back into the circle, with her pitch count being closely monitored. The starter was used widely in relief while Edmoundson transitioned into the starting position. Rogers’ first home start did not come until April against Mississippi State. Her performance – six strikeouts in four innings – was influential in the win.

Her highest achievement came later in the month on April 23 against Eastern Carolina.

Finally, back in her starting pitcher role, Rogers tossed the ever-elusive perfect game, retiring 15 batters with 12 strikeouts. It was her first time in her collegiate career to do so.

“It was definitely really cool to finally have that happen as a senior,” Rogers said after the game. “I’ve had a lot of really close games in the past. I had a lot of one-hitters, a little bloop

over a head that would just kind of ruin the perfect game. It’s really cool to finally get one in the Tennessee uniform.”

The senior talent explained that the accomplishment was made possible because of her support staff behind her. During her stellar performance, Rogers stayed true to her same pitching mechanics and focused on one batter at a time.

“I just threw my usual pitches,” Rogers said.

“I was executing the pitches that I was being called like usual. I was just trying to attack every single pitch and not leaving anything back.

Just going out there and throwing my best every single pitch.”

Rogers left her mark on Tennessee program history becoming the 13th Lady Vol to pitch a perfect game.

Her senior season has certainly featured road bumps along the way, but Rogers’ perfect game is a testament to her ability to battle back and push forward despite adversity.

“You know, just everyone was just so happy for her because of everything she’s gone through, especially this year,” Weekly said.

“Perfect games are really hard to come by. Nohitters are hard but to not let anybody on base — no walks, no errors, no hit batters, nothing. That is really really hard to do. I’m just so happy for her. She needed a day like that after everything that she’s battled with this year.”

Ashley Rogers No. 14 prepares to pitch the ball during the NCAA Regional Final against the University of North Carolina on Sunday, May 19, 2019. File / The Daily Beacon

Erin Edmoundson, No. 21, pitching during the The Lady Vols huddle together prior to facing Mississippi State in Sherri Parker Lee Stadium on April 3, 2022.

Lady Vols vs Virginia Tech softball game on Alexandra Ashmore / The Daily Beacon April 20, 2022 at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

Kailee Harris / The Daily Beacon

12

SPORTS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Notebook: Vols sweep another SEC series, smother Florida in Gainesville ANDREW PETERS Staff Writer

Over the weekend, No. 1 Tennessee made another SEC opponent the victim of a series sweep. This time it was Florida, which the Vols had not swept on the road since 2001 before the series.

With the win on Sunday, the Vols made history yet again, securing the best start to SEC play in conference history at 17-1, beating their old record of 16-1 set in 1951.

At some points, the Vols looked flat out dominant, but Florida also gave Tennessee some headaches. Here are three takeaways from Tennessee’s historic weekend in Gainesville, Florida.

Burns has bounce back game After a scorching hot start from freshman pitcher Chase Burns, he slowed down and had a rough stretch in two straight appearances against Missouri and Alabama.

Burns bounced back Friday against Florida and picked up his first win in two weeks, nabbing five strikeouts and allowing just two hits on the game.

Tennessee’s Camden Sewell pitches to Georgia Southern in Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Feb. 20, 2022. File / The Daily Beacon

The coaching staff could have swapped Burns out for one of their other big-time pitchers, but the confidence and trust in their freshman paid off this weekend.

“We all felt good coming to the yard knowing he was going to be on the mound today,” acting head coach Josh Elander said Friday.

“Just elite competitiveness and a great start from him tonight.”

Vols win pitcher’s duel Tennessee’s win to clinch the series on Saturday came behind a low-scoring pitcher’s duel, one of the first ones the Vols have played in this season.

Blade Tidwell was the starter on the mound for Tennessee, as the Vols usual Saturday starter Chase Dollander was still out with a right elbow injury he suffered against Alabama.

Tidwell, who made his return from injury in late March, led the Vols in a huge defensive performance, allowing just two hits and picking up five strikeouts in his four innings on the mound.

Camden Sewell took over on the mound for Tidwell and continued to punish the Gators, allowing no hits or runs while guiding the Vols to a 3-0 victory.

The Vols offense wasn’t firing the way it normally does, but a pair of home runs was

enough to get Tennessee past Florida to clinch the series.

Moore has career day Christian Moore has been one of the most exciting pieces for Tennessee this season. The freshman from Brooklyn, New York, chose Tennessee over the draft and has made an impact from the start.

Moore has been ultra-efficient, making the most of every opportunity at the plate. He’s hitting at a .342 clip and has 25 hits, nine home runs and 27 RBIs in his 72 at-bats. He also has the highest slugging percentage on the team at .795.

Moore’s numbers back up his game, so when the Vols trailed by a pair of runs with two outs in the ninth inning, he was ready for his big moment.

With bases loaded, Moore hit a single through the left side of the field to drive in a pair of runs and push Tennessee to at least another half inning. It was the biggest hit of his young career.

He wasn’t done yet, though.

In the 11th inning, tied at four, Moore was up to bat again with a runner on base. He saw a pitch inside and tucked in his elbows to make solid contact and send the ball over the left center wall, giving the Vols a 6-4 lead.

The men’s baseball team huddles in Lindsey Nelson Stadium before a game against Butler on March 22, 2022. Edward Cruz / The Daily Beacon

Tennessee’s defense held tight in the bottom of the 11th and the Vols hung on to win behind Moore’s heroic plays.

“It felt amazing,” Moore said. “Close game, bottom of the 11th is kind of something you dream of as a kid, to hit a go-ahead home run.

I put a pretty good swing on it on the fast ball and it went over and I got to celebrate with my teammates.”

Just elite competitiveness and a great start from (Burns) tonight.

JOSH ELANDER ACTING HEAD COACH

Chase Burns, No.23, pitches for the Vols on Feb. 18, 2022 in Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Alana Adams / The Daily Beacon