07 02 13

Issue 10, Volume 123

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Track club hosts race Night runners take to the streets in annual 5K around campus Gabrielle O’Neal Contributor

Melodi Erdogan • The Daily Beacon

The Hard Knox Roller Girls have been competing since 2006 and are currently ranked 108th in the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association.

Roller derby attracts fans, gives back Cortney Roark

Staff Writer Knoxville is home to the Hard Knox Roller Girls, who come together to compete in the full contact sport of roller derby.

When not slamming opponents into the ground, the Girls find ways to give back to the community.

Roller derby is a sport in which teams play offense and defense at the same time.

Five girls from each team are on the track.

One player from each team, called the jammer, scores the points while the other four players, called blockers, block the opposing team’s jammer.

“It’s so fast-paced and full contact and hard-hitting,” Lee “Space Riot” Yarnell said, blocker for the Hard Knox Roller Girls. “All of these women are doing it. It’s so physically

demanding, and they’re doing it with wheels on their feet. You have people turning around and skating on one foot while avoiding a hit or trying to get a hit.”

The Hard Knox Roller Girls are ranked 108 in the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association. The Hard Knox Roller Girls Brawlers, made up of newer team members, suffered a 331-81 loss to the Richland County Regulators of South Carolina Saturday. The Hard Knox Allstars, made up of more experienced team members, suffered a 207-104 loss to Florida’s Gainesville Roller Rebels, ranked 54, Saturday.

“Playing against such a hard team, I feel like we did really well,” Space Riot, team member for three years, said. “We didn’t get distracted by what they were doing. We communicated and I think it worked to our advantage.”

Roller derby is unlike any other sport, according to Kristin “Wrecking Ball” Johnson, blocker for the Hard Knox Derby Girls. It appeals to a diverse group of players, from college students to women with full time jobs and children, and is a challenging and aggresive sport to play.

“It takes determination to do this. If you’re determined to do it, you’re going to get where you need to be physically and mentally,” Wrecking Ball, who joined the derby girls in 2010, said. “This is the hardest sport mentally and physically I’ve ever played. You have to want it really bad.”

Hard Knox Roller Derby is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. A different charity is supported in each bout. Saturday’s bouts supported the YWCA of Knoxville, which helps See DERBY on Page 2

On Wednesday July 3 at 9 p.m., the Knoxville Track Club will host their 15th annual Fireball Classic 5K. The race is sponsored by Pilot, Shoe Carnival, Dicks Sporting Goods and others.

The race will begin in front of the University of Tennessee Veterinary School on Neyland Drive with the turnaround adjacent to Neyland Stadium.

The course wraps around the UT campus near the Tennessee River. The Fireball Classic is a unique run that will appeal to casual runners as well as competitive runners.

The course will be flat, fast and well-lit.

Knoxville Track Club is a good way to get on your feet for those who like to run.

“My friend Becca runs with them and does stuff like half marathons with them,” said Taylor West, a junior who has run several half marathons.

Knoxville Track Club holds a number of runs and marathons throughout the year.

“I was looking up some shorter races to run before I ran my half marathon in May, and I stumbled upon their website,” said Lindsey McGirl, a senior in psychology who ran a half marathon last year. “They have a whole page devoted to upcoming races in the surrounding areas with their distance and contact information to sign up.”

The Fireball Classic 5K, unlike most marathons, is at night.

“I think night races are more fun,” said McGirl, who unfortunately will not be able to make the race this year. “Especially when it is so hot during the day.”

If past races are any indication of what this year’s race will be like, the night will be steamy because of late afternoon thunderstorms with a high of 87 degrees and a low of 66 degrees, according to Knoxville Track Club’s website.

Knoxville Track Club began in1962 when eight track enthusiasts met at the home of B.E Sharp, who was the track coach at Fulton High School at the time. KTC celebrated its 50th anniversary during the spring of last year.

The club is responsible for a number of marathons in the area, such as the Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon held every spring.

The mission of KTC is to encourage lifelong physical well-being through walking and running. With more than 2,100 members, the club is one of the largest clubs of its kind in the country. KTC is a part of Road Runners Club of America, Knoxville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Knox Area Greenway Coalition.

KTC raises money at their own races and assists a number of local causes, such Knoxville Greenway Coalition, Tennessee School for the Deaf and a yearround Youth Athletics program for East Tennessee children.

The club also trains athletes for regional and national completions.

Professor discovers rare birds in Kodak Anthony Elias

Staff Writer Weather did very little to stop Arik Kershenbaum and his research team from finding Prairie Warblers this week.

Thunderstorms at Seven Islands Wild Life Refuge Center in Kodak, Tenn. postponed Thursday morning’s bird-calling research to Friday morning at the Forks of the River Wild Life Management Area in South Knoxville.

A group of undergraduate students at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis attended the workshop and helped assemble advanced recording equipment in order to track bird calls.

On the closing weekday, Kershenbaum and his research group recorded a Prairie Warbler, a tail-wagging yellow warbler with black streaks down its sides which is normally found in scrubby fields and forests throughout the Eastern and South-Central United States.

Despite its name, this species of birds can be found, not found on prairies, but in Florida. They fly north to Tennessee during the summer breeding season.

“It’s sort of an ascending buzzing call,” Kelly Sturner, an education and outreach coordinator for NIMBioS, said. “That’s probably the best way to describe it.”

NIMBioS formed from a new collaboration between the National Science Foundation and the other agency sponsors, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Nineteen undergraduates are participating in the 2013 NIMBioS Research Experiences for Undergraduates, REU, for eight weeks.

During the program, participants have been living on campus and working in teams with NIMBioS postdocs and UT faculty to conduct research at the interface of mathematics and biology. The award includes a stipend, housing and some funding to support travel.

NIMBioS’s REU program is in its fifth year.

Kershenbaum, an expert on analyzing animal vocal communications, was accompanied by Sturner, wildlife scientist David Buehler, UT graduate student Mathey Menachery and Marist College student Nicole Bender, Southeastern Louisiana University student See BIRDS on Page 2

INSIDE THE DAILY BEACON: Page Page Page Page Page

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. . . .Arts . . . .Arts . . .

. In Short & Culture . Opinions & Culture . . Sports

Hannah Cather • The Daily Beacon

While it is illegal to shoot or sell fireworks in Knoxville, sparklers are permissible.

Festival brightens up World’s Fair Cortney Roark

Staff Writer On Independence Day weekend, Knoxville is full of people looking for the closest spot to swim, cook out and watch fireworks.

With The City of Knoxville’s Festival on the Fourth, taking place at the World’s Fair Park in the heart of Knoxville and various lakes on the outskirts of the city, Knoxville lives up to the expectations of Independence Day.

Turn to page 3 for an interview with Wu Tang Clan’s U-God

Festival on the Fourth, presented

by OneMain Financial, will take place Thursday. This festival is free and begins at 4 p.m. with various events leading up to the fireworks show at 9:35 p.m.

Located within walking distance of Market Square, Festival on the Fourth is an all-day event. Market Square is home to multiple restaurants and ice cream shops to enjoy while at the festival.

The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra will perform a special Independence Day medley, conducted by Lucas Richman, KSO musical director and a Grammy Award-winning art-

ist. This performance will begin at 8 p.m. on the World’s Fair Park performance lawn and will lead into the fireworks show.

Multiple events will lead up to the KSO performance. Free rides and activities for kids will take place on the festival lawn throughout the evening and a tugof-war competition will be held between the Knoxville Police Department and the Knoxville Fire Department.

Accompanying these events on the festival lawn will be music sponsored by WDVX, See INDEPENDENCE DAY on Page 2

The Daily Beacon is printed using soy based ink on newsprint containing recycled content, utilizing renewable sources and produced in a sustainable, environmental responsble manner.

utdailybeacon.com

2 • THE DAILY BEACON

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

CAMPUS NEWS

News Editor RJ Vogt

rvogt@utk.edu

BIRDS

Around Rocky Top

continued from Page 1

Hannah Cather • The Daily Beacon

Preston Morris, sophomore in biomedical engineering and a 2013 Orientation Leader, considers the UT app a useful tool for new and returning students.

THIS DAY IN 1964: Johnson signs Civil Luther King, Jr.’s famous “I Rights Act have a dream” speech at a rally of hundreds of thousands in On this day in 1964, U.S. Washington, D.C., in 1963.

President Lyndon B. Johnson As the strength of the civil signs into law the historic Civil rights movement grew, John Rights Act in a nationally tele- F. Kennedy made passage of vised ceremony at the White a new civil rights bill one of House. the platforms of his successful In the landmark 1954 case 1960 presidential campaign.

Brown v. Board of Education, As Kennedy’s vice president, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Johnson served as chairman that racial segregation in schools of the President’s Committee was unconstitutional. The 10 on Equal Employment years that followed saw great Opportunities. After Kennedy strides for the African-American was assassinated in November civil rights movement, as non- 1963, Johnson vowed to carry violent demonstrations won out his proposals for civil rights thousands of supporters to the reform. cause. Memorable landmarks The Civil Rights Act fought in the struggle included the tough opposition in the House Montgomery bus boycott in and a lengthy, heated debate 1955--sparked by the refusal of in the Senate before being Alabama resident Rosa Parks approved in July 1964. For the to give up her seat on a city bus signing of the historic legislato a white woman--and Martin tion, Johnson invited hundreds

HISTORY of guests to a televised ceremony in the White House’s East Room. After using more than 75 pens to sign the bill, he gave them away as mementoes of the historic occasion, according to tradition. One of the first pens went to King, leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), who called it one of his most cherished possessions. Johnson gave two more to Senators Hubert Humphrey and Everett McKinley Dirksen, the Democratic and Republican managers of the bill in the Senate.

The most sweeping civil rights legislation passed by Congress since the post-Civil War Reconstruction era, the Civil Rights Act prohibited racial discrimination in employment and education and outlawed racial segregation in public places such as schools, buses, parks and swimming pools.

1776: Congress votes for independence

England in due course. Thus, Congress agreed to delay the vote on Lees Resolution until July 1. In the intervening period, Congress appointed a committee to draft a formal declaration of independence.

Its members were John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Robert R. Livingston of New York and Thomas Jefferson of Virginia.

Thomas Jefferson, well-known to be the best writer of the group, was selected to be the primary author of the document, which was presented to Congress for review on June 28, 1776.

On July 1, 1776, debate on the Lee Resolution resumed as planned, with a majority of the delegates favoring the resolution. Congress thought it of the utmost importance that independence be unanimously proclaimed. To ensure this, they delayed the final vote until July 2, when 12 colonial delegations voted in favor of it, with the New York delegates abstaining, unsure of how their constituents would wish them to vote.

John Adams wrote that July 2 would be celebrated as the most memorable epoch in the history of America. Instead, the day has been largely forgotten in favor of July 4, when Jeffersons edited Declaration of Independence was adopted.

On this day in 1776, the Second Continental Congress, assembled in Philadelphia, formally adopts Richard Henry Lee’s resolution for independence from Great Britain. The vote is unanimous, with only New York abstaining.

The resolution had originally been presented to Congress on June 7, but it soon became clear that New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, This Day in History is courMaryland and South Carolina were as yet unwilling to tesy of history.com. declare independence, though they would likely be ready to vote in favor of a break with

Sunil Shahi and Harvey Mudd College student Christian Mason, who was thrilled to be accepted on to the program.

“It’s something I think everyone has to experience,” Mason, a mathematical and computational biology major, said. “We’re hoping to at least get a working version of everything we’re doing pretty soon. Kind of train the system which we’d be able to check different bird calls and then from then on figure out how to present it.”

The project will also, according to Kershenbaum, “develop their automatic techniques.”

In more than an hour, the seven-man team collected bird calls using a Zoom H2 recorder wired to a plastic-coned funnel. With several of these devices in hand, researchers were able to collect bird songs from a Carolina Wren, Field Sparrows, a cardinal, blue jay and a raven.

With these devices left in different areas, NIMBioS will be able to monitor rare bird populations and single out each bird call through static and other background noises “Given with all the other birds singing on top it’s actually pretty good data for us to pretty much train our algorithm,”Mason said.

“So eventually we want to get good calls and bad calls, ones that are really close up and loud ones that are pretty far away and

covered up by other noise.”

Kershenbaum also wanted the researchers to develop the ability to monitor different areas in spite of any background noise, a concept similar to his experience with whales but different from his work with hyraxes.

“Working with hyraxes it’s really working on communication structure,” Kershenbaum said.

“Why are they doing it (and) what they’re saying. Whereas with whales and bird songs, a lot of the whale work is a lot about population monitoring (and) can we detect particular species in a noisy background and that’s the consolation.”

Another consolation: REU students like Mason have been enjoying the experience.

“Yeah definitely,” the Harvey Mudd College student said when asked if he’d recommend it to other students. “I mean obviously I think you need to be either (a) math or biology (major).

Actually what we’re doing now is signal processing which is kind of this whole different area that I don’t think the three of us have ever had experience with and yet I’m having a lot of fun with it actually. We’ve never really experienced it before, but yeah I would recommend it.”

The 2013 NIMBioS undergraduates finish their research experience on August 2.

INDEPENDENCE DAY continued from Page 1 including a performance from the Dale Ann Bradley Band.

Knoxville residents who enjoy being on the water for Independence Day are in the right place. Knoxville is surrounded by bodies of water, including Norris Lake and Lenoir City Cove.

“For the fourth, usually I get together with some friends and we go down to the lake and shoot them at Quarry Trail and then have a good time,” Evan Beierschmitt said, junior in ecology and evolutionary biology. “We go to the Fort sometimes, we just mess around.”

Norris Lake, located north of Knoxville, is home to Bubba Brew’s Sports Pub & Grill, a floating bar and restaurant for people of all ages. Visitors can travel by car or by boat to Bubba’s for their Independence Day celebration the day after on Friday.

Music will start at 7 p.m. and fireworks will begin 30 minutes

before dark. People of all ages come to Bubba’s for all day activities, including corn hole, according to Kayla Brantley, head waitress.

Shoes and shirt are not required.

“There are hundreds of people normally on the day we’re shooting fireworks,” Brantley said. “There are a lot of people on the water and the parking lot is already full at 11 a.m. It’s active all day.”

Lenoir City, located just west of Knoxville, will hold its annual Independence Day celebration called, Rockin’ the Docks, Saturday, July 6, 2013. Music will start at 4 p.m. and fireworks begin at 10 p.m. Boats from surrounding docks are filled with people and food is served all evening.

With multiple events taking place in and around Knoxville, Independence Day weekend is sure to be eventful for people of all ages.

DERBY continued from Page 1 improve lives of women in the communities of Knoxville, according to YWCA Knoxville.

Other charities supported by the Hard Knox Roller Girls include the Boys and Girls Club, Young-Williams Animal Shelter and Habitat for Humanity.

The fans of the Hard Knox Derby Girls go all out for the bouts.

They come dressed in neon green, wear tutus and blow their horns in support, according to Space Riot.

Fans bring their own chairs and blankets to sit in “Suicide Seating,” inches from the track and are able to circle the track to high five players during team introductions.

“I think we have the best fans of anyone around,” Space Riot said.

“They’re really supportive. We’re like a little family.”

The Hard Knox Roller Girls play their next home bout July 13 against the Dixie Derby Girls of Huntsville, Ala.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

THE DAILY BEACON • 3

ARTS & CULTURE

Arts & Culture Editor Melodi Erdogan merdogan@utk.edu

J Cole rises from obscurity with ‘Born Sinners’ album Victoria Wright

Editor-in-Chief

• Photo courtesy of U-God

U-God is here to stay RJ Vogt

Managing Editor The Daily Beacon had a chance to speak with U-God, born in Staten Island as Lamont Jody Hawkins. U-God was one of the original members of Wu Tang Clan; his upcoming release of “Keynote Speaker” on July 23 will mark his 21st year in the music business.

We asked him how the times have changed.

The Daily Beacon: How different is the music scene now than it was when you were with Wu Tang Clan in the mid90s?

U-God: The scene is all about rocking. And at the end of the quarter, I know it’s your job to talk about issues. And I feel like music is always going to be music, know what I’m saying? You’re a journalist, I’m an artist, and I deal with sound. So the sound that you’re hearing nowadays may have changed, but the content of rhyming will never change. Either you’re dope, or you’re not. So how I feel like it’s changed? It might have gotten a little more computerized, or robotic-y, but at the same time I feel like things go in a circle. People still want to hear that raw sound, that choppy sound, that flavor that we’ve all sprung.

DB: Do you feel like Wu Tang Clan gets enough credit as a rap group?

U-God: No we don’t. But you know why? Once you come up with that one hit record, then they’ll give us our props.

That’s how the game is, if we don’t come up with a hit record they’ll probably just give us our props later on in the Hall of Fame… but as far as giving us our props? No hell no they don’t give us our props.

We from Staten Island, people write us off because we from Staten Island. It is what it is man. You gotta take it with a grain of salt. I’m not really looking for praise, to tell you the truth. I’m like, I just want to be remembered as like “wow, them dudes are some ill [expletive].” If I’m looking for praises all the time, that’s kinda like vanity and that takes away from

your powers of creation.

DB: How did you get into the music business?

U-God: When we was youngsters, we used to just rhyme in the hallways. My hip hop started just a little bit earlier when I was probably 12 or 13 and my man downstairs had crazy tapes and records and stuff like that. We used to DJ for hours. I used to go through crates of records, listening to old school stuff. Then on top of that, my uncle when I was a little bit younger, he used to bring me tapes… I come from New York, and it’s the home and the mecca of hip hop. You were raised around it; I didn’t think that it would become a part of me so much. I didn’t realize that it would come in handy later on in life. As time moved on, I got more and more into rhyming.

But then I got stuck into the streets, the crack came in and threw me off a little bit. But I was able to keep a balance; on the weekends when we weren’t out doing our little hustle, our little one-two stepper, we was, you know, at the house. He had a four track studio, and with his four track studio, he made it sound like it was a big song with just a little bit of nothing. That’s something I learned: you can have a little bit of nothing and you can make it sound way better than the dudes who have everything. So every weekend when we didn’t wanna be chased by the police, we’d be locked up in the studio or locked up in his crib, a whole bunch of [guys] drinking and smoking and playing deuces and rhyming and throwing darts and just dreaming about being successful. Little did we know…

The U stands for universal, the whole name was long, so I just chopped it down. I had many street names, but that was the name that really resonated. I’m the Prince of Staten Island, check my history. I wasn’t the King Pen of Staten Island, I was the Prince of Staten Island (laughs). I was raised by a number of gangstas and wolves, and around all that stuff I was the Prince and dudes loved me and to this day I still got love on the streets based on the fact of my history.

DB: What made you want to get back into the studio after 2010’s “Dopium?”

U-God: I’m not on a time schedule. I don’t wanna be on a time schedule. I wanna do albums without the stress of labels telling me, ‘we gotta get it done’ and pressurize my cabinet. I don’t want that. I don’t want my [expletive] pressurized. Right now while I’m talking to you, we’re working on a new record. Everybody says ‘when is it coming, when is it coming’ – already trying to pressurize. When you pressurize something… it gets constipated. It stops the flow, the natural flow of things supposed to happen. With “Keynote Speaker,” I took my time with it. I recorded 50 [expeltive-ing] songs, I recorded 50 joints. And from those 50 joints I recorded, I picked 17 bangers and I put them on the album. [Expletive] got legs, it’s gonna walk by itself. Trust me, that [expletive] is fire. So, that’s what I do. And that’s what I’m gonna keep doing.

DB: How is streaming music affecting artists financially?

U-God: One thing I can DB: How did you get the definitely say is that you get more shows these days. There’s name U-God? more merchandise being sold U-God: That name was and more shows. I never see no given to me, I ain’t chose that royalties so I really don’t care name. That name was given to about that [expletive]. (laughs) me at 14 years old; my likeness The internet is helping us stay gave me that name. Back in the young. It teaches the kids, they day, you didn’t choose a name, wanna hear me, they type it in. your name was given to you.

For more with U-God, visit utdailybeacon.com

“It’s way darker this time,” J Cole warns listeners before he begins rapping on his opening track in his new album, “Born Sinners.”

And the album, released on June 18 is darker, but with darkness comes a more enigmatic and honest record. “Born Sinner” is J Cole’s establishment of where he stands in the rap community.

His crass and uncensored lyrics perhaps even comes across cocky at some points, which is exactly how he should be in a time where rappers are no longer hiding behind any facade.

His opening track, “Villumanti” is a strong anti-mainstream track about the absurdity of people assuming him to be related to the secret Illuminati group, a society that is rumored to have sinister plans of world takeover and allegedly recruits celebrities and others in power. Cole says sometimes he, “brags like Hov,” essentially paying homage to Jay-Z, who is more than known for establishing his assumed greatness in his music, saying, “Now I’m in the limelight cause / Time to get paid, blow up like the World Trade.”

The beat is a rushed hip-hop mixed with heavy percussion and swaying violins. Where the track falls short is in the first lines where Cole makes some homophobic slurs, which he apologetically attempts to tie into a pun. The line is cringe-worthy enough to make the listener want to skip the track, but despite his faulty aim, the remainder of the album is clear of any other remarks. The melody carries perfectly with J Cole’s voice, but what he’s saying is more poignant than the beats themselves.

What sets the album apart from other big releases unveiled on the same date as “Born Sinners” is J Cole’s brilliant lyricism.

And that was his intended job. The story of a baby-faced rapper to talk about issues relating the wayward millennial generation while being backed by a well-known established artist. That assumed role was given to Drake, and the popular rapper/vocalist remain seated as hip-hop’s golden boy, leaving Cole left in background suffering from an identity crisis. In “Born Sinners,” he comes into his own and develops his own sound, the one he was meant to claim since he released “Who Dat” in 2010.

In Cole’s track, “She Knows,” he raps about the issues of being a male in the limelight attempting to keep a faithful relationship; a subject not out of the ordinary, but the manner in which he carries the track make it an easy listen. Cole gains extra help from vocals with Brooklyn based songstress Amber Coffman.

The pairing of catchy vocals from featured artist and Cole’s voice make the record palatable to men and women, a trait that may save him from retreating back to the shadows of mix tape artistry. The North Carolinaborn rapper found his way to New York by receiving an academic scholarship to attend St. John’s University in Queens. Cole consistently refers back to his life in the college days, making his story seem close to home for many 20-somethings, despite his celebrity status.

What wins the hearts of listeners may not always guarantee the acceptance of other rap• Photo courtesy of J. Cole pers, but Cole stops any notion of incompetence in his track “Let Nas Down.” The brutally honest song is Cole lamenting on the time when his No. 1 icon disliked a song because of its commercial tone. Cole raps, “Dion called me when it dropped, sounded sad but sincere / Told me Nas heard your single and he hate that shit / Said you the one, yo why you make that shit / I can’t believe I let Nas down.” The bluesy track is about acceptance, and brings the pace of the album back down, almost as if Cole is admitting that despite his success, he still undergoes failure.

4 • THE DAILY BEACON

Tuesday, July 2, 2013 Editor-in-Chief Victoria Wright

OPINIONS

vwright6@utk.edu

Contact us letters@utk.edu

Editor’s

Note Victoria Wright Editor-in-Chief

THE

NEWS

of Food Network Southern cooking personality Paula Dean being a racist has been the one of the most popular topics for news to cover, next to Trayvon Martin case and the Snowden NSA leak.

And like any popular news topic, there will be a slew of stories and columnists jumping on the chance to cover the subject. One such column that covered the topic said that our society is fixated on watching the demise of of people in power, like children building a beautiful block tower, only to enjoy their creation more when they can finally crash it down.

To the author of that column, condemning a person who admitted to being a racist and using the n-word to describe African Americans despite her status as a family figure is not the same as a child finding enjoyment because they destroyed their toy set.

The argument of a society-finding-fulfillment drama is something I do agree with, and at times, the public has been harsh on those who faults are spotlighted because of their status. For example, public infidelities are one of the most common issues to tackle when a public figure commits one, particularly in politics.

It’s not so much that the rest of the world is committing one (or has done so in the past), it’s the principle of watching someone who represents a certain esteem perform something in secret thus raising a question of character.

Take the impeachment of President Bill Clinton after the public discovered that he lied about his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

His removal from office was not stemmed from his extramarital affair specifically, but from the fact that he lied under oath.

If the president was unable to tell the truth about his affair, the House of Representatives thought, what else was he lying about?

Deen publicly admitted that she did use the racial slur, but said she no longer uses those derogatory terms and no longer condones racist epithets. Her apology, which aired on The Today Show after she refused a first interview Matt Lauer, featured a tearyeyed Deen expressing that despite the use of the word, that she was not a racist.

Despite her emotional interview, Food Network won’t be renewing her contract, and her endorsement deals are dropping out from underneath her. In essence, her career is over.

And like any public figure undergoing a career meltdown, the media covered the story from every possible angle. Social media sites were rampant with Deen bashing and memes addressing the issue, encapsulating her downfall for years to come. The backfire of Deen’s controversy is not stemmed from a superficial issue of people wanting to watch someone fail.

The author argues that the public is being too hard on Deen and that society has an issue of seeing redemption of public figures, but this notion is not a universal one. There are some issues that public figures commit that are, career-wise, unforgivable.

Perhaps Deen has undergone a personal redemption and no longer condones using racial slurs. However, despite how Deen may repent her sins, she can no longer stand as a viable public figure that represents unity.

If the media forgave Deen and ultimately returned her business contracts, including her show, what message does that send about the race issues in the country? It would perpetuate a society that accepts racial slurs and, and essentially lead back to an America where the condoning of such attitudes was the norm.

While a society based on the enjoyment of people ‘s demise is certainly not something to strive for, the public should not accept an attitude of leniency to racism.

Victoria Wright is a senior in journalism and electroninc media. She can be reached at vwright6@ utk.edu RHYMES WITH ORANGE • Hilary Price

Columns of The Daily Beacon are reflections of the individual columnist, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or its editorial staff.

Gage-ing Your Interests by

Gage Arnold History is a fickle thing.

It always manages to repeat itself and whatnot, and after the Supreme Court’s ruling that Section 3 of the Defense Against Marriage Act was unjust, essentially granting same-sex couples full marriage rights, history repeated itself again. But it may not be a welcomed sequel.

See, there has been a drastic shift in the landscape of thinkers and builders in the United States over the past 30 years.

A “progressive-minded” person, who may have been looked on as outlandish and unrealistic, is now seen as a libertarian, someone praised for a willingness to break the mold and think outside of the box.

The only issue with that thinking pattern (which has been a staple in the foundation of America) is the Christian principles the country was built upon are now being rewritten and tossed out the window as if they were no longer the flavor of the week.

Now before you say, “But Gage, defining marriage has no impact on your religious freedom, you still can worship whomever you want to on your own time,” let me show you how that is sadly not true.

In changing what the definition of marriage

Searching for Serendipity by

Annie Blackwood

Editor-in-Chief: Victoria Wright Managing Editor: RJ Vogt Chief Copy Editor: Gage Arnold News Editor: RJ Vogt Sports Editor: Steven Cook Arts & Culture Editor: Melodi Erdogan Online Editor: Samantha Smoak Design Editor: Melodi Erdogan Photo Editor: Hannah Cather

America took a big step on this ruling and many experts, from Fox News, CNN, ABC and NBC, even ventured to say this ruling will be a catalyst for eventually all states legalizing same-sex marriage.

Put simply, there is a time to be comforting and understanding of sensitive issues but there is also a time to stand on truth.

This nation has stood on the Bible for over 300 years and because five voter’s opinions on same-sex marriage rights changed, that doesn’t alter the Biblical definition of marriage whatsoever.

That is why there has been uproar. Opinions change, emotions change but Biblical principles do not.

Without religious freedom, which has been cramped into a corner and forced to adapt and hide itself under a cloak, everything America stands for changes.

“The land of the free?” More along the lines of “the land of the ‘contingently’ free.”

When you and your family and friends celebrate the Fourth of July this year, realize this America we are praising is no longer the America we once knew. It’s changing, adapting and molding – in more ways than just a decreased religious freedom.

Our foundation as a country drastically shifted last Wednesday, I’m just not sure it was for the better.

said to the gay community, “I want to find where we have common ground (and) not argue about the things that are irrevocable to you or me.”

Essentially, the leader was saying that the best way to express ones opinion is not that of hatred and disgust but of understanding and love. Freedom not only applies to you but also to those around you, and one’s beliefs are personal emotions and feelings they are entitled to have.

And for those of you who may feel gay marriage to be an abomination, there is no right for me, or anyone, to disagree with your opinion; everyone has a story. The more vulnerable people become, the easier it is to inject true heart, character, and hurt in others lives. I understand the battle for the institution of marriage and I believe it is a fair and just cause, but it is the way in which one approaches the idea that makes the difference. If this topic was approached in an attitude of mutual respect when President Bill Clinton signed DOMA into law in 1995, things may have been different.

The same goes for that in support of the gay community and same-sex marriage.

Although the law has now been passed, humility is still a powerful quality that shines in situations like this. A defensive attitude brings about nothing constructive, whereas healthy dialogue (although it may not always solve things) does not burn bridges along the way for the majority.

There is a celebration in place in the gay community currently, but the celebration should really be a uniting of both parties on the issue. Just because one does not believe the same ideals, at the end of the day, we

are all American’s and can unite under the freedom of our country, which is a pretty humbling thing when so many other countries fight for it daily.

There are many times in which political differences have been overcome in order to keep freedom a national priority. A commonly used example would be that of slavery, although political parties formed polarized opinions on this matter that was fought over for years, the end result was that of peace in order to offer equal rights to all who resided in this country.

Similarly, the battle for women’s rights specifically to have the freedom to vote was another debate that has been overcome in the past, allowing all citizens the right to have a say in the way our country functions, and who builds the backbone and foundation of America.

Although these topics all have their different characteristics and morals behind them, one thing is prominent and that is the desire for equality that resides in every human being.

There will always be something to disagree on, something to argue about, and something to create dissonance between the people of this country. But in “the land of the free” I think that entitlement comes with respecting others opinions, as painstakingly hard as it may be to maintain that self control.

How do you define freedom?

Freedom, as defined by Webster’s dictionary, is the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action. The constant battle for equality in America has been changing from century to century, yet it seems to keep the trend of a struggle for this coveted thing called freedom.

America’s most recent debate is that of same sex marriage in which the DOMA has perpetually rebutted.

The Supreme Court struck down the DOMA earlier this week, and although many people have differing opinions on the concept of gay marriage, it seems as if the decision from the Justices stands firm: not bestowing federal benefits to gay couples is unconstitutional.

As we delve into this topic, political parties aside, I believe we should use this notion to unite as a country. Regardless of bias or prior opinions, this choice has been made and we must cohabitate in spite of ones disgruntled or contented sentiments towards the subject. This is not to start a technical debate or persecute one party or another but to say that fighting brings pride, which can make a heart hard of hearing on both sides.

A very wise leader from Focus on the Family, a Christian advocacy group, once What the Duck • Aaron Johnson

ADVERTISING EDITORIAL

is, the Biblical principles that have provided guidelines for America are gone.

So quickly we jubilantly belt the chorus to “From Sea to Shining Sea” as if it were engrained within the fibers of our being.

“America, America, God shed his grace on thee.”

Do we really even mean that anymore? We proclaim these sentiments but at the same time, try to eradicate any sign of “God’s” existence in society. This is a double standard that causes friction, division and uprising.

That is why message boards and comment sections and mentions on Twitter are filled with “hate-mongers” spewing keyboardclacking venom at each other, only to further enhance the disagreements with the fellow Americans.

Take the Constitution for example, constructed by 56 influential members of society in September of 1787.

What did more than half of those men have in common? A Bible-based education.

As a nation we have gone from a time where our parents recall not only praying in school but having the principal read scripture from the Bible in the morning.

Today? If a teacher is caught saying the word “God,” they’re unemployed faster than the video proving her accusation can hit YouTube. That’s a problem.

While the focus of the U.S.A. has been restoring and ensuring freedom in the world, they’ve branched away from the most important and necessary freedom they possessed and incepted.

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Gage Arnold is a rising senior in journalism and electronic media. He may be reached at garnold@utk.edu.

Annie Blackwood is a rising junior in communications. She may be reached ablackwo@utk.edu.

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Tuesday, July 2, 2013

THE DAILY BEACON • 5

ARTS & CULTURE

Arts & Culture Editor Melodi Erdogan merdogan@utk.edu

Folk artists rock Bijou Independence Day Edition

Wednesday, July 3

• Photo courtesy of Milk Carton Kids

Melodi Erdogan Arts & Culture Editor • Photo courtesy of Knoxville Jazz Orchestra

RJ Vogt Managing Editor

What: KJO Jazz Lunch: Tardy Plays Tardy When: 12 p.m.

Where: The Square Room Price: $15 Melodi’s Take: Ever wondered what professors do when they’re not in the classroom environment? Greg Tardy, Jazz instructor at UT, will be joining the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra to play some of his own compositions from his latest album, “Standards & More.” Tardy, who has a discography of 12 albums and is a renowned saxophonist around the globe, will guarantee an amazing performance that will please anyone who can appreciate some good jazz. This cheap ticket will be well worth it, and it’s a great way to start off the long weekend.

Thursday, July 4

• Photo courtesy of Knoxville Symphony Orchestra

What: Knoxville Symphony Orchestra Independence Day Concert When: 8 p.m.

Where: World’s Fair Park Price: Free Melodi’s Take: The Fourth of July is a perfect opportunity to grab a group of friends and enjoy time in the World’s Fair Park and listen to some classical tunes. Every year the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra gathers together their best patriotic set to perform to hundreds of locals who come to the park to enjoy Independence Day and watch tons of fireworks go off. The performance will be spectacular, without a doubt, and the fireworks will dazzle the many family and friends that will be celebrating the jolly day together. Spend your Fourth of July in a way our Founding Father’s would be proud.

Friday, July 5 What: Trapt with Candlelight Red When: 7 p.m.

Where: NV Nightclub (ages 18 and up) Price: $12-$15 Melodi’s Take: If you spend your Independence Day listening to some classical music, then you may want to go crazy the day after. NV Nightclub is inviting Trapt to their stage, an all-American Rock band from California. Their music is loud, fun and authentic rock music that’s hard to come by in East Tennessee. This band will have the Old City shaking from their bass, and their opening band Candlelight Red will also be sure to impress.

With a mixture of California folk and pounding Americana, the Bijou’s Friday night presentation of the Milk Carton Kids and Josh Ritter had downtown Knoxville both laughing and rocking.

Folk singer/songwriter Josh Ritter performed as a stop on his U.S. tour promoting his latest album, “The Beast in its Tracks.” Ritter played with The Royal City Band, while folk duo Milk Carton Kids opened the show with their own set.

Originally from Moscow, Idaho, the 36-year-old Ritter has a discography of seven studio albums, eight extended plays and four live performance CDs. Ritter’s music is of the Folk/Americana genre and is known to have distinct, narrative type lyrics.

“His music, especially his lyrics, have meant a lot to me over the years,” said Maggie Colvett, a Johnson City resident and fan of Ritter. “I am really drawn to the way that he writes and I really had never seen him perform live before so it was really amazing to see him get so into the performance.”

The Royal City band is a quartet comprised of Zack Hickman on bass, Sam Kassirer on keyboard, Austin Nevins on guitar and Liam Hurley on drums. Ritter lead vocals and played both electric and acoustic guitar. The band performed with Ritter on the majority of songs, but Ritter also played quite a few by himself on stage.

When performing “Folk Bloodbath,” a song off his 2010 album “So Runs the World Away,” Ritter stepped in front of the microphones with Hickman and Nevins. Playing an acoustic version of the song, Ritter encouraged help from the Bijou’s audience when singing the chorus.

“I would describe him as a songwriter first because I think his songs are really well crafted musically,” Colvett said. “Everything is really tight and it really feels like a perfect folk song that was handed down by heaven.”

The Simon & Garfunkel-esque duo Milk Carton Kids played a short set at the start of the night.

Joey Ryan, singer and guitarist of MCK, provided witty commentary between songs while band member Kenneth Pattengale focused on singing and playing lead.

Maryanna Deblin, musician and recent graduate of American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, attended the same performance the night before at Nashville’s Mercy Lounge.

“At some points I was like, ‘that doesn’t go with what (Ryan) is playing,’ but at the same time, I was like he’s doing his thing and he’s owning it and that’s all you can ask for from somebody,” Deblin said of Pattengale’s lead guitar.

Ritter will be touring nationally with Milk Carton Kids until July 13, and again from Aug. 12 to 19. He will begin his acoustic, international tour on Sept. 28 until Nov. 10.

Despite traveling around two hours to the Bijou from Johnson City, Colvett said the performances were “absolutely wonderful.”

“I couldn’t have imagined a better place for this particular concert.”

• Photo courtesy of Josh Ritter

6 • THE DAILY BEACON

Tuesday, July 2, 2013 Sports Editor Steven Cook

SPORTS

scook21@utk.edu

Planned tribute displays UT’s fixation with the past

Steven Cook Sports Editor Say what you will about UT athletics, but this program sure knows how to pay tribute to its legends.

Big Orange never fails to give back to those great idols that have best represented the Volunteer community.

The latest effort was long overdue and came on Wednesday. Plans were announced for the Pat Summitt Plaza, which will serve as a permanent testament to the career of college basketball’s greatest coach, according to a UT press release.

A tribute to Summitt’s career will be built on the corner of Lake Loudoun Boulevard and Phillip Fulmer Way, right where fans will enter campus to attend a basketball game at ThompsonBoling Arena.

Included in the preliminary plans for the Pat Summitt Plaza is a bronze statue of Summitt, bringing to life the growing inevitability that the women’s hoops great would be permanently represented on UT’s campus.

“This is an exciting opportunity to honor, in perpetuity, the coach who is synonymous with the sport of women’s basketball,” Vice Chancellor and director of athletics Dave Hart said in the press release.

“Generations to come will enjoy seeing this beautiful statue and plaza named for

this exceptional leader, role model and the winningest coach in NCAA basketball history.”

There’s no doubting the fact that UT’s program has struggled with commitment and consistency from their leaders. When Phillip Fulmer left in 2008, it was the beginning of a firestorm, and head coaches from both men’s and women’s athletics have since been replaced.

Amid controversy surrounding the departures of Lane Kiffin in his sneaky move to USC and Bruce Pearl in a sloppy NCAA investigation, Summitt has been a rock for the Volunteer athletics program.

Throughout Summitt’s diagnosis with early-onset dementia, she’s held the basketball program together at UT. The Lady Vols have finished in the top two of the SEC for 14 out of the last 15 seasons.

Summitt’s royal treatment at Tennessee was questioned in mid-2012 in the months following her resignation as head coach.

In an affidavit filed in conjunction with a lawsuit filed by a former colleague against the university, Summitt claimed she was told by athletic director Hart that she would not return as coach after 38 seasons.

“This was very surprising to me and very hurtful, as that was a decision I would have liked to have made on my own at the end of the season after consulting with my doctors, colleagues and friends and not be told this

by Mr. Hart. I felt this was wrong,” Summitt said in the affidavit.

However, Summitt retracted those claims in October 2012, saying it was entirely

her decision to step down and take the head coach emeritus role in a public statement.

Despite the story causing shock waves and attracting attention from national media, it became clear then that the relationship between the 61-year-old coach and the university wouldn’t be damaged further.

In an era of Tennessee sports that has caused Vol fans to battle through their fair share of losing seasons, coaching changes and scandals, Summitt has been a continuous force of stability for the program even throughout her resignation.

An ongoing Summitt scandal would’ve simply been too much for this program to handle.

UT has made their former players a point of emphasis in recent seasons with Vol For Life programs, and it’s turned into a university-wide effort to bring back greats like Peyton Manning, Eric Berry and Johnny Majors on a regular basis.

But that effort hasn’t often stretched out to sports not played in 100,000 seat stadiums, until Wednesday when Summitt’s tribute was announced.

Summitt’s permanent statue that will be sitting just off the banks of the Tennessee River will only be further proof that the UT athletics program cares more about honoring their past than anything else.

Steven Cook is a rising senior in journalism and electronic media. He may be reached at scook21@utk. edu.

• Photo courtesy of UT Athletics

Stokes elevates game for US Staff Report

The USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team faced its biggest test thus far at 2013 FIBA U19 World Championships Monday, holding off Brazil by a score of 91-66 in Prague, Czech Republic.

Starting for the fourth time in as many games, Tennessee rising junior Jarnell Stokes posted eight points and three rebounds in 14 minutes of action vs. Brazil.

The Memphis, Tenn., native propelled the Americans to a quick start, making each of his first three field-goal attempts and scoring seven of Team USA’s first nine points.

The U.S. squad once again employed smothering defense to stifle its opponent Monday. The Americans scored 19 points off turnovers against Brazil and held a 13-5 advantage in steals.

While Monday’s 25-point margin of victory was Team USA’s closest game of the tournament, the Americans still boast an average margin of 52 points.

For the tournament, Stokes is averaging 9.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.0 steal while

playing just 13 minutes per game due to consistently lopsided wins. He ranks fourth on the U.S. team in scoring.

In the Americans’ second game against China, Stokes scored 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting. He also pulled down four rebounds and recorded a steal in 13 productive minutes of action.

A convincing 115-47 win over Russia in their third game on Saturday was America’s most lopsided finish so far in the tournament.

In that game, Stokes contributed six points, six rebounds and shot 3-for-3 on the contest.

Sporting a No. 14 jersey, Stokes has been a consistent contributor to the USA U19 squad. He’s started each of the team’s games thus far in the tournament.

The U.S. (4-0) returns to the court Tuesday against Australia (2:15 p.m. ET).

Following Tuesday’s contest vs. Australia, Team USA closes out second-round play against Serbia Wednesday (2:15 p.m. ET).

Quarterfinal play begins Friday, with semifinals on Saturday and the gold-medal game Sunday.

Ex-Patriot charged with murder Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Hundreds of relatives, friends and teammates wept together and hugged Saturday at the funeral of a semipro football player whose killing led to murder and weapons charges against former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez.

The body of Odin Lloyd was found June 17 near Hernandez’s home. Police arrested Hernandez on Wednesday and charged him with orchestrating the executionstyle shooting.

Lloyd played for the Boston Bandits and was dating the sister of Hernandez’s fiancee. Members of Lloyd’s team showed up for the funeral in their uniforms and chanted his name as pallbearers placed his casket in a hearse outside Church of the Holy Spirit in Boston’s Mattapan neighborhood. The crowd of mourners was so large that some could not find room inside the church for the two-hour service.

Hernandez has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail. Two other men are also in custody. Prosecutors say the three were in a car with Lloyd shortly before his death.

Authorities have said trouble that led to Lloyd’s killing happened June 14, when Lloyd went with Hernandez to a Boston nightclub. Hernandez became upset when Lloyd began talking with people Hernandez apparently didn’t like, prosecutors said.

On June 16, the night before the slaying, a prosecutor said, Hernandez texted two unidentified friends and asked them to hurry to Massachusetts from Connecticut.

A few minutes later, he texted Lloyd to tell him he wanted to get together, prosecutors said.

Authorities say Hernandez, Carlos Ortiz and Ernest Wallace picked up Lloyd at around 2:30 a.m. June 17, drove him to an industrial park near Hernandez’s home and shot him five times.

They have not said who fired the shots.

Prosecutors said an ammunition clip found in Hernandez’s Hummer matched the caliber of casings found at the scene of Lloyd’s killing.

Hernandez’s lawyer argued in court that the case is circumstantial. He said Hernandez, who was cut by the Patriots the day he was arrested, wanted to clear his name.

Ortiz’s attorney, John Connors, said he will seek bail for his client at the July 9 hearing.

He described Ortiz as a “gentle person” and said he will advise Ortiz to plead not guilty to the gun charge he is facing.

Wallace surrendered in Miramar, Fla., on Friday, police said. Authorities had been seeking Wallace on a charge of acting as an accessory after Lloyd’s murder. Details of that allegation weren’t released.

Hernandez was drafted by the Patriots in 2010 and signed a five-year contract worth $40 million last summer. He could face life in prison if convicted.