Pipeline protestors rally at Rock >>See page 3
Vols, Bobcats prepare for battle >>See page 10
Maroon 5, others rock TBA >>See page 12
Pride Center to remove flags after ‘violation of policy’ Chris Salvemini
Asst. News Editor
The flags at the pride center all support the LGBTQ community but must be removed due to fire code. Alex Phillips • The Daily Beacon
Volume 132 Issue 21
After the Pride Center was vandalized by having its rainbow flag torn, the University of Tennessee is suggesting the center remove the flags entirely for something else. A university policy says that anything not provided by facilities services may be placed on any building or on campus grounds. It is unclear at this time whether the orange banner that is hung across the center violates the policy, but the flags that were hung in remembrance of the people who died in the Orlando shooting are in violation. “… In my role as a liaison working with them to come up with a creative solution to honor the spirits of the flag. It’s been a tough week for the Pride Center, it’s been a tough year. Though that probably wasn’t the most ideal time to start that conversation, the conversation did need to get started,” Danny Glassmann, Assistant Dean of Students and liaison for the Pride Center, said. Last week Glassmann presented the Pride Ambassadors with the policy to notify them that the flags were in violation. The notice was meant to encourage the center to start thinking about a different way to represent what the flags represent while still complying with the policy. The notice was met with harsh backlash on social media. The Pride Center began a flag check by updating its followers on Twitter that the flags remained waving throughout the day. The university released a response saying that they regretted the timing and will review the policy to ensure it is enforced consistently across campus. While demonstrations usually feature
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signs placed on campus grounds, and it is common for students to hang signs and flags from their dorm windows, they are usually temporary. Technically in violation of the policy, the policy is not enforced as harshly since the signs usually come down by the end of the day. The flags have become a part of the pride center since the Orlando shooting four months ago. “It’s (the violation notice) giving the message to students that administration would rather us go hide and stop being loud and out about it,” Chesnea Skeen, a Pride Ambassador and a junior in geography, said. Despite the backlash and the timing, Glassmann saw the policy as an opportunity to make something better and more permanent than flags. “When you see flags, or signs, or banners or those signs that are put out for events on pedestrian walkway, those are often more for a temporary idea and I think that the conversation needs to shift to this ‘How are we doing signage for the Pride Center that’s more permanent?’” Glassmann said. While it is unclear what may replace the flags, Glassmann hopes that it can be more permanent while also preserving the flag’s spirit. The vandalism and the university’s response comes after a yearlong controversy over diversity at UT. After a post online detailing what gender-neutral pronouns are and how to use them gained national media attention, the university took down the post. UT also removed a post about inclusive holiday celebrations after it started getting media attention. As of Thursday, the flags continue to wave outside the pride center.
Friday, September 16, 2016
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CAMPUSNEWS
The Daily Beacon • Friday, September 16, 2016
DISPATCHES
THE DAILY BEACON STAFF
EDITORIAL
Editor-in-Chief: Bradi Musil Managing Editor: Megan Patterson Chief Copy Editor: Hannah Moulton News Editor: Tom Cruise Asst. News Editor: Chris Salvemini Sports Editor: Trenton Duffer Asst. Sports Editor: Rob Harvey Arts & Culture Editor: Bryanne Brewer Engagement Editor: Millie Tunnel Digital Producer: Altaf Nanavati Opinons Editor: Presley Smith Special Projects Editor: Jenna Butz Photo Editors: Alex Phillips, Tyler Warner Design Editors: Lauren Ratliff, Caroline Norris Production Artists: Laurel Cooper, Jeremiah Corbett, Sarah Emory, Rachel Incorvati, Jenna Mangalindan, Lauren Mayo
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SNL hires first Latina actress In its 42nd season, SNL is known for starting quite a few comedians’ careers in its time. From a cast featuring greats such as Will Ferrel, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey and Jimmy Fallon, it comes as a surprise that there has not been a single Latina woman in its over forty year run. This changed, however, following the announcement on Monday, Sept. 12 of three new cast members for the 42nd season that featured actress and comedian, Melissa Villasenor. Villasenor has had a host of small acting credits and voice acted for the children’s show “Adventure Time,” but she said her heart has always been in comedy when she performed, auditioned and was a finalist for season six of “America’s Got Talent.”
Emails reveal plans to move Smokies baseball In emails acquired through Tennessee’s open records law by WBIR on Sept. 14, Randy Boyd, local businessman and owner of the Smokies baseball team has wanted to relocate the Smokies for years. The released emails from Boyd, to various high profile members of Knoxville including associates of mayor Madeline Rogero, show that Boyd has been in discussion of moving the Smokies to Knoxville as far back as 2014. The possible price for the new stadium could be as high as $39 million, even though there is no official confirmation on a move for the team. The Smokies have played in Smokies Stadium, formerly known as Smokies Park, which was built in Kodak, Tennessee since 2000.
Price of gas to drop to lowest since Obama took office After the record national high of gas prices at over $4.00 per gallon in 2008, the U.S. has seen both ups and downs when it comes to prices at the pump. When Obama took office in 2008, there was a significant dip in prices after the fall of the economy and financial crisis, but in 2009 the price of gasoline began to rise again as crude oil became scarcer to find. Recently, a surplus of U.S. crude oil has led to an increase of refined oil (used in cars). According to CNBC, both unleaded gasoline and diesel have seen a significant decline since June of this year and many hope to reach the low prices from Feb. 22 that put the national average at $1.84 per gallon.
New learning spaces provide upgraded environment Priya Narapareddy Contributor
UT Facilities Services project managers and coordinators look to meet the needs of current students on campus, many of whom have grown up in a digital world. One solution to meeting the needs of students is providing extended learning spaces. Bethany Morris, project manager with the Design Services Unit of Facilities Services, said the spaces have been created to accommodate the needs of today’s students. She said extended learning spaces are equipped with seats and charging stations to enable students to work between classes, or to meet with others for a group project. “(The students) expect to be mobile,” Morris said. “We are trying to meet that expectation.” Extended learning spaces can be found in many locations on campus, including newer residence halls such as Brown Hall. “We want to build them anywhere students are eating, living or studying,” Morris said. Morris said all future campus buildings with students, such as Strong Hall, will be equipped with extended learning spaces. Danny Pritchard, project coordinator with the Construction Services Unit of Facilities Services, said learning spaces will be built in older buildings if the building code permits. The first extended learning space on campus was built in Ayres Hall. Two of the newer
The Extended learning space in AMB provides several computers and equipment to students. Alex Phillips • The Daily Beacon extended learning spaces on campus are located inside the Science and Engineering Research Facility (SERF) and Alumni Memorial Building. Pritchard said the learning space in SERF, which is located on the third floor, can accommodate about 15-20 people. The extended learning space inside SERF features backless benches, high-backed benches and side tables. In AMB, two long benches were installed on the ground floor, as well as two standing power stations. Morris and Pritchard said the learning spaces have benefited students by giving them a place on campus as well as by giving them an alternative to sitting on the floor. Students can customize their own learning environment in multiple ways, Morris said, as
the learning spaces often have room to stand in if no seats are available. “It’s a change in the way campus thinks,” Morris said. Pritchard said students immediately started using the furniture after it was installed into the learning spaces. “Students like the upgrade,” Pritchard said. “It’s all part of collaborative learning.” Extended learning spaces are adaptable to future technology, Morris said. She said some spaces also contain chalk boards and magnetic boards. Pritchard said the use of smart boards may be a possibility for future extended learning spaces. He said Perkins Hall will be adding a smart board for its students to use.
CAMPUSNEWS
Friday, September 16, 2016 • The Daily Beacon
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Rally at the Rock protests North Dakota pipeline Annie Tieu
Contributor A Maroon 5 concert was not the only event happening at UT on Sept. 14. At approximately 7 p.m., nearly 100 people flocked to the Rock to protest the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). The crowd included a variety of people, such as UT students, alumni, employees, Knoxville residents and their children and even a pair of high school students. There were two groups at the rally. The first met at Market Square in Downtown Knoxville and the second gathered on Pedestrian Walkway in front of Hodges Library. The second group was organized by the Native American Student Association (NASA), a registered student organization at UT which supports the advancement of Native American students enrolled at UT and the Native American community as a whole. The protest group in front of Hodges Library started off small until protesters from the Market Square marched up Volunteer Boulevard and joined with the NASA group. The purpose of the rally was to protest the DAPL, the construction of a massive oil pipeline that will run from North Dakota to Illinois where it will connect with other pipelines. This pipe-
line is being built near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation near Cannon Ball, North Dakota. The tribe has expressed concern that this pipeline will disturb sacred sites and is a danger to their main water supply, the Missouri River, since the pipeline will run beneath it. Protests over the DAPL began this past January and have continued since. Christian King, 29, council leader of NASA, was a part of the Pedestrian Walkway group. “Most of what we’re doing here is raising awareness and sending a message to the powers that be, especially the government, that has the power to veto this pipeline, that we are part of the thousands and thousands of people across the country both native and non-native who are taking a stand against corporate corruption and corporate interest over the interests of the people,” King said. “It’s about native people, it’s about standing up for the rights of native people, and we here at UT, those of us that are protesting here and those of us that are protesting at Market Square, are sending a message to the government, to these oil corporations, and to anyone that will listen, that we’re taking a stand against this. “Not all of us can be in North Dakota with them.” Along the way to the Rock, protesters chanted, “Water not oil, keep it in the soil. Hey, hey, ho, ho the pipeline has got to go.” Some carried signs, and some carried guitars or drums. The chanting continued at the Rock with protest-
ers crying, “Water is life,” “Fight back” and “Raise your voice and take a stand; they will never take this land.” UT alumnus Christy Lawson expressed her concern and reason for being at the protest. “I’m here today to stand up against the Dakota Access Pipeline. They’re breaking treaties with the Native Americans, and they’re trying to build their pipeline through their land. They are all gathered there in Standing Rock, and we are here in solidarity,” Lawson said. “I’ve noticed a lot of people haven’t even heard about this issue because the media, the mainstream media, seems to not be covering it on the news, and so I’m hoping this event will get people talking about this more locally and get them more involved.” People were invited to share their stories, their songs and their views on the issue. Another council leader of NASA, Kimberly Smith, 28, shared her concerns. “NASA is working on a bunch of things in joint efforts to reach our goal of making UT a hub school for natives. So, we’re really pushing to have a physical presence on campus to represent our people, our culture and its connections to the state of Tennessee,” Smith said. “We really want to help promote that concept so that people who come to UT know and respect who we are.” According to Smith, NASA is working to promote educational plans for natives, like increas-
ing scholarship opportunities in STEM fields. The group is currently working with the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Theresa Lee to develop a Native American minor and to start a Cherokee language course that can fulfill a foreign language requirement. “It’s an endangered language. The university can really help research and develop opportunities to preserve that,” Smith said. The rally was mostly peaceful, but there was a small police presence. The only confrontation was between two men, and it was quickly broken up by other protesters and an officer. The conflict was resolved with the officer present and both men eventually returned to the protest. David Hayes, one of the leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement in Knoxville, shared his involvement and unity with the group. “I think it’s important to stand in solidarity with our indigenous family … We understand our liberation is directly tied to the liberation of indigenous folks as well as the liberation of all marginalized folks in the country,” Hayes said. “So when one group of ours is being targeted and harassed and having their land threatened and their water threatened and their sovereignty threatened, it’s our job to speak up.” The rally ended around 8 p.m. with the painting of the Rock with messages meant to show support for protestors in North Dakota.
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CAMPUSNEWS
The Daily Beacon • Friday, September 16, 2016
$1.9 million settlement in Sandra Bland lawsuit Associated Press
CHICAGO (AP) — The mother of Sandra Bland, a black woman who died last summer in a Texas jail after a contentious traffic stop, has reached a $1.9 million settlement in her wrongful-death lawsuit, her attorney said Thursday. Local officials in Texas insisted the agreement was not yet final, but the mother’s attorney said the deal was “absolute” and that the family’s lawsuit would be dismissed in several days. Bland, who was from the Chicago area, died in her cell days after she was pulled over by a white Texas state trooper for a minor traffic offense. Her death was ruled a suicide, and Bland’s family later sued Waller County and the Texas Department of Public Safety. The settlement includes a requirement that the jail have a nurse or emergency medical technician on duty 24 hours a day, the family’s Chicago-based attorney, Cannon Lambert, told The Associated Press in an interview at his office. The jail must also install electronic sensors to ensure guards are checking on detainees, and the defendants agree to help push for statewide legislation in Bland’s name that would require training to ensure jail personnel are properly caring for inmates, Lambert said. Bland’s mother, Geneva Reed-Veal, said those requirements beyond the monetary settlement are what really mattered to her, and she vowed to make sure they are carried out. “Today is a victory for all mothers across the country,” she told the AP. “It was never just about Sandy. It was about all mothers who have lost their children unjustly to police brutality, to senseless gun violence.” Waller County attorney Larry Simmons confirmed that a potential settlement had been reached but said it was not final. He also said the parties agreed in writing to keep the agreement confidential until it was complete, and the county intended “to honor this commitment.” Simmons said lawyers on both sides were “still working through a few details” and that any settlement must be approved by county commissioners. The county “vigorously” denies any fault or wrongdoing in Bland’s death, he said, “and the settlement does not involve any such admissions.” The agreement would cost the county “a modest $1,000 deductible” under its liability insurance, he said. The Texas Department of Public Safety, also named as a defendant, released a statement saying it “has not settled litigation regarding Sandra Bland and is not a party to any agreements between the plaintiffs and Waller County
defendants.” Jeff Rensberger, a professor at the Houston College of Law, said the settlement showed that both the county and its insurance carrier wanted to “get this behind them.” “The cost of the settlement is good risk to them as compared to the risk what a jury might do in this case,” he said. The other provisions attached to the agreement, while unusual, are “not rare or unheard of,” particularly in a wrongful-death lawsuit against a government agency, Rensberger said. “Part of the motivation for bringing wrongful-death suits in cases like this is for reform purposes as well as compensation,” he said. “So this goes to that reform purpose.” It was unclear how much those extra requirements would cost to implement, but Lambert said the reforms would certainly benefit local authorities, too. Bland, 28, was pulled over by a state trooper in Prairie View, northwest of Houston, for changing lanes without signaling. The stop grew confrontational, and the trooper, Brian Encinia, ordered her from the car before forcing her to the ground. She was taken into custody on a charge of assaulting a public servant but could not immediately come up with the $500 bail, according to investigators. Video from the July 10, 2015, traffic stop shows Encinia drawing his stun gun and telling Bland, “I will light you up!” She can later be heard screaming off-camera that the trooper was about to break her wrists and complaining that he knocked her head into the ground. The video provoked national outrage and drew the attention of the Black Lives Matter movement. Encinia was later fired and charged with a misdemeanor perjury charge stemming from the arrest. He has pleaded not guilty. In an affidavit, Encinia said he removed Bland “from her vehicle to further conduct a safer traffic investigation,” but prosecutors said Waller County grand jurors found that statement to be false. Bland, who attended Prairie View A&M University just outside Hempstead, was in the process of moving to Texas from the Chicago area to take a job at the school. Three days after her arrest, she was found hanging from a jail cell partition. A medical examiner ruled the death a suicide, and a grand jury declined to charge any sheriff’s officials or jailers. In their lawsuit, Bland’s family contended jailers should have checked on her more frequently and that the county should have performed mental evaluations once she disclosed she had a history of attempting suicide. The family’s complaint also contended that the trooper who arrested Bland falsified the assault allegation to take her into custody and that jail personnel failed to keep her safe.
2016
SPORTS
1
Friday, September 16, 2016 • The Daily Beacon
FOOTBALL
PICK ‘EM
FIRST PLACE
Lauren Ratliff Design Editor No. 1 Alabama — No. 19 Ole Miss No. 3 Ohio State — No. 14 Oklahoma No. 2 Florida State — No. 10 Louisville No. 17 Texas A&M — Auburn Ohio 19 — No. 15 Tennessee 45
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Total Record: 9-2
SECOND PLACE
Bradi Musil Editor-in-Chief No. 1 Alabama — No. 19 Ole Miss No. 3 Ohio State — No. 14 Oklahoma No. 2 Florida State — No. 10 Louisville No. 17 Texas A&M — Auburn Ohio 10 — No. 15 Tennessee 42
3
Total Record: 9-2
THIRD PLACE
Trenton Duffer Sports Editor No. 1 Alabama — No. 19 Ole Miss No. 3 Ohio State — No. 14 Oklahoma No. 2 Florida State — No. 10 Louisville No. 17 Texas A&M — Auburn Ohio 23 — No. 15 Tennessee 41
4
Total Record: 8-3
FOURTH PLACE Rob Harvey Asst. Sports Editor No. 1 Alabama — No. 19 Ole Miss No. 3 Ohio State — No. 14 Oklahoma No. 2 Florida State — No. 10 Louisville No. 17 Texas A&M — Auburn Ohio 17 — No. 15 Tennessee 45
5
Total Record: 7-4
FIFTH PLACE Megan Patterson Managing Editor No. 1 Alabama — No. 19 Ole Miss No. 3 Ohio State — No. 14 Oklahoma No. 2 Florida State — No. 10 Louisville No. 17 Texas A&M — Auburn Ohio 21 — No. 15 Tennessee 30
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Total Record: 7-4
DEAD STINKIN’ LAST Hannah Moulton Copy Chief No. 1 Alabama — No. 19 Ole Miss No. 3 Ohio State — No. 14 Oklahoma No. 2 Florida State — No. 10 Louisville No. 17 Texas A&M — Auburn Ohio 17 — No. 15 Tennessee 42
Total Record: 6-5
Ohio 17 —**No. 15 Tennessee 42**
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The Daily Beacon • Friday, September 16, 2016
“
OPINIONS
Policymaker’s toolkit, drug monitoring programs Lucas Stewart Addicted
Thus far in this column I have covered some of the causes and consequences of the opioid epidemic. The need to mitigate and/or eradicate these issues is substantial. So, over the next few weeks, I will be looking into the policymaker’s toolkit and evaluating various strategies. First up are prescription drug monitoring programs, or PDMPs. While the name is fairly self-explanatory, PDMPs are run by states and track the prescribing and dispensing of controlled medications. Their primary purpose is to reduce inappropriate opioid prescribing and usage in order to drive down addiction and opioidrelated mortality. Some empirical work out of MIT indicates that, overall, PDMPs are successful in achieving this goal. Economist Angela Kilby, in her job market paper, found that implementation of a PDMP led to a reduction in opioid-related mortality of nearly 12 percent. So far, every state but Missouri has a PDMP in place. This includes the Controlled Substances Monitoring Database (CSMD) run by the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH). TDH began collecting data for the CSMD in 2006 in accordance with the Controlled Substances Monitoring Act of 2002. In recent years, additional legislative actions have made the CSMD even more useful. As part of the Tennessee Prescription Safety Act of 2012, all prescribers of opioid medications were required to register with the CSMD. In addition, this bill shortened the period for reporting prescribing information to seven days or less. Furthermore, the act required providers or dispensers to check the CSMD before prescribing any opiates. Additionally, in 2013, state legislators passed the Addison Sharp Regulatory Act. The bill was named in remembrance of Addison Sharp, a young Knoxville resident who lost his life to a prescription opioid overdose in 2012. This act limited the length of an opioid prescription to no more than a 30 day supply. As the use and utility of the CSMD has increased, Tennessee has reaped the benefits. According to the latest addition of TDH’s annual CSMD report, between 2012 and 2015, the number of opioid prescriptions written in Tennessee declined by nearly 13 percent. In addition, the number of “doctor shoppers,” or persons seeking multiple illicit prescriptions from multiple providers, decreased by about 50 percent for the same period. However, this crackdown on narcotics has resulted in unintended consequences. As prescription opiates become harder to find both from the medical community and on the street, some problem users turn to heroin — a drug
In spite of these noted harms, I believe that PDMPs are a vital tool for battling the opioid epidemic. They provide needed oversight of prescribing and dispensing while aiding in important research.”
Get hype with with these pregame songs this Saturday : “Can’t Be Touched” Roy Jones
“Undisputed” Ludacris
chemically similar to prescription opioids but much more lethal. In recent years, Tennessee has experienced a significant increase in heroin overdose deaths, rising from 18 in 2009 to nearly 150 in 2014 — a more than 700 percent increase. Angela Kilby found that this heroin “substitution effect” was actually caused by a state’s introduction of a PDMP. In addition, she found that the increase in heroin deaths was more than enough to offset the reduced prescription opioid-related deaths, at least in the first year of a PDMP. The switch to heroin is not the only negative aspect of PDMP implementation. Kilby and numerous others have noted that tighter regulation of prescription opiates can lead to increased levels of pain being reported in the general population, which may lead to more time away from productive work. Additionally, some persons, in light of not receiving opiates, choose to undergo more expensive and invasive surgical procedures. These decisions may impact the population at large through higher healthcare and/or health insurance costs. In spite of these noted harms, I believe that PDMPs are a vital tool for battling the opioid epidemic. They provide needed oversight of prescribing and dispensing while aiding in important research. However, policymakers and healthcare professionals must not forget the unintended consequences of such measures. The fact that PDMPs are not a cure-all indicates that there is more to be done. Lucas Stewart is a senior in economics and can be reached at ftj251@vols.utk.edu.
“Cult of Personality” Living Colour
“Cinderella Man” Eminem
“6 God” Drake
“X Gon’ Give It to You” DMX
“Everybody Wants You” Billy Squier
“We Ready”
Archie Eversole
“We Talkin’ Over” DG Khaled
“Rocky Top”
Pride of the Southland Band
Columns of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.
OPINIONS
Friday, September 16, 2016 • The Daily Beacon
Clinton and the Russian distraction Ryne Tipton May You Live in Interesting Times
In recent weeks, news networks like CNN and MSNBC have been obsessed with finding connections between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. In a McCarthyesque turn of events, Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid sent a letter to the FBI asking for an investigation into ties between Trump’s business interests and the Kremlin. Despite the fact that both the Director of the FBI and the Secretary of Homeland Security conceded that it would be nearly impossible for hackers, Russian or otherwise, to sway an American election, the anti-Russian fervor has not stopped. Last Thursday, Hillary Clinton angrily denounced Donald Trump’s praise of Vladimir Putin, describing his comments as “unpatriotic” and “scary.” And, of course, most of the mainstream media rushed to defend her statements. Do I want a president who praises Vladimir Putin? Probably not. Do I want a president who will go to war with him? Even less. What gets lost in the media spin is Hillary Clinton’s record. We hear Donald Trump’s rhetoric. We witness a man who has never held political office making vulgar statements and ridiculous promises that he can’t keep. But we never hear what Hillary Clinton has actually done. That’s what the American people deserve to know. Email controversies and corruption scandals aside, Hillary Clinton is a terrible candidate. Beneath a veneer of can-do spirit and middle-class sensibility lies a cynical politico with an insatiable desire for aggression on the international stage. To put it simply, Hillary Clinton is a neoconservative and a war hawk. Since her Iraq War vote in 2002, she has learned
nothing about the limits of American military power. According to foreign policy analyst, Vali Nasr, “Hillary Clinton is very much a member of the traditional American foreign-policy establishment.” So much so that she receives warm praise from arch-conservative Henry Kissinger and Robert Kagan, a Republican who strongly supported the Iraq War. Let’s take a look at her record with Russia. As a senator, she voted for H.R. 3167, a bill which endorsed the expansion of NATO to include seven more countries in eastern Europe. In 2008, Hillary Clinton co-sponsored another piece of legislation that expressed support for Ukraine’s entry into NATO, despite the fact that a large majority of Ukrainians opposed entry. As America pressed forward, allies such as Germany and France voiced opposition, believing that NATO expansion would eventually cause problems with the Russian majority who live in the Crimea. And, of course, that’s eventually what happened. As Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton achieved some success with getting Russia to back sanctions against Iran. But for the most part, our foreign relations with Russia continued to deteriorate. In 2011, she negotiated an agreement with the Romanian foreign minister to deploy a new ballistic missile defense system. Though the Obama Administration reasoned that this was to prevent an attack from Iran, the system was directed against Russia, undermining their strategic capabilities in Eastern Europe. After cooperating with the United States on Iran, the Russians felt betrayed. In 2014, Hillary Clinton and the State Department
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backed the Ukrainian Revolution which toppled democratically-elected leader, Viktor Yanukovych. Under supervision from Clinton and the State Department, the Ukrainian government was filled with neo-fascists and right-wing extremists. Some of the first actions of the new Ukrainian government included outlawing the use of Russian as an official language and outlawing the country’s Communist Party. These acts threatened the rights and freedoms of the nation’s large Russian minority, particularly in the Crimea. As a result, tensions soared between the United States and Russia to their highest point since the Cold War. This is Hillary Clinton’s record. This is what Americans don’t hear from the mainstream media. And Russia is just the tip of the iceberg. What about Syria where she supported arming “moderate” rebels who have turned out to be Islamic extremists? What about Honduras where she supported a coup against a democratically elected, left-leaning government? What about Palestine, where she has continued to support Israeli human rights violations? As Americans, we can’t let a residual Cold War mentality shape our feelings towards the current election. Regardless of what Donald Trump says, we know what Hillary Clinton has done. We have an obligation to hold her accountable for her foreign policy blunders, especially when certain lucky distractions reduce the public’s willingness to pry. If this is a democracy, we need to be able to judge our politicians clearly without any obstructions. RyneTiptonisafreshmaninpoliticalscienceandcanbereachedat rtipton4@vols.utk.edu.
How I learned to stop worrying, why I love the echo chamber
David Garcia
Public Scientist
In writing this column, one the biggest issues I often deal with is not any person’s particular response, it is instead my own doubt on the efficacy of the practice. Specifically in tackling particularly controversial topics such climate change, anti-vaccination and GMOs, the fear is always that anyone that actually reads this already has the same opinion, thus, making the exercise rather pointless. As a result, I’ve danced around these controversial topics, preferring to reference them instead of directly engaging for the most part. It’s not in fear of reprisal, but in a sort of disinterest in an ultimately pointless debate. It is a fear that extends to my own consumption of media. News sources are ultimately businesses that need to garner viewers in order to stay afloat, which often leads to polarizing programming. For instance, Fox is a rather perfect example for conservative views, in much the same way the Huffington Post is for liberal views. Unsurprisingly, it is difficult to change someone’s opinion, more so when the topic is particularly polarizing. For those of us that feel strongly about particular idea, this can often be frustrating as the opposing side
just seems stubborn or unwilling to listen to reason, because undoubtedly, we’re right. The end result of these debates is a sort of trench warfare of ideas. Every argument becomes a moral imperative and the losses be damned, no one is giving an inch. The reality is that anyone who might be in opposition to a controversial topic will rarely seek out the opposing view and be content with the reassurance provided to them by their chosen news source. Clearly this is a generalization. There are obviously people who have their minds changed on controversial topics, but the baron’s share of those supporting a side on a particularly polarizing topic tend to tow the line. Their consumption of media isa result of an echoing of established beliefs and ideals. However, in this rather morbid analogy might just lie the wisdom of such a system. The goal of media that addresses a controversial topic might not inherently be to change people’s minds on the issue, but instead to create a united front for their chosen side. To me, it seems unlikely that major science communicators like Bill Nye and Neil deGrasse Tyson are actually changing people’s minds consistently. Instead, their effectiveness seems
to come from their ability to rally opposition against claims and beliefs antithetical to scientific thought. Their role is not to expand, but instead to preserve and empower an established base. The dominating effect that emotion has on even the most cerebral arguments cannot be denied. We all fear for the safety of our families, of jobs and ourselves. Controversial topics ultimately pull at our hearts more than our brains. Whether that is good or bad, is at the moment, irrelevant. The important question is in whether or not the battle of ideas is worth having in the first place. And I think the answer is yes. Circulated opinion on a particular topic may not be inherently effective at changing someone’s mind, but it does keep its supporters engaged and active. In short: screaming into the echo chamber may not always be an effective way of gaining new supporters, but it is certainly nice to know that someone agrees with you. David Garcia is a 2nd year graduate student in energy science and engineering and can be reached at dgarcia8@vols.utk.edu.
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SPORTS
The Daily Beacon • Friday, September 16, 2016
VOLLEYBALL
Starting lineup looks promising Jordan Duncan Contributor
So far this season, volleyball head coach Rob Patrick has used a varied assortment of starting lineups against the team’s non-conference opponents. The Vols newfound versatility was discussed on Wednesday, Sept. 14. “We have a lot of players that have been able to play at a high level during our practices, and they have the ability to win us matches, so we’ve tried a lot of different combinations because we have the ability to do that,� Patrick said. “It’s a long season, so we have some time to rest players who might get more playing time later in the season.� Patrick cited the depth and skill at each position on his team, as well as their ability to play well together as the reasoning behind the varied lineups. “The team is deep and talented enough to be able to deploy a lineup to combat most conceivable situations that could happen on the court, offensively or defensively,� Patrick said. “So it’s a combination of players that are getting an opportunity to play at a high level, and also for us to get the younger players some playing time.� Sedona Hansen, a freshman setter from Wrightwood, California, has arrived in Knoxville to start and excel in several matches for the Vols. The freshman setter has posted at least 38 assists
in five of the six games she’s played. Patrick compared Hansen’s youthful talents to other past players who came in and played well immediately. “We’ve had quite a few freshman setters come in as freshman who have started for us and played a lot of their careers,� Patrick said. “Erica Lier, my current assistant, was a setter that came in as a freshman and pretty much started her four years.� Patrick did not seem to be set on a single predominant starting lineup, instead choosing to rely on his bevy of skilled players and their ability to play well in any given situation. He stated that he would play those who were the best fit against the current opponent on Aug. 27 in a postgame presser. “We’ve had quite a few freshman in a lot of different positions that have come in, and when you’re that talented, there’s no reason for them to be sitting on the bench,� Patrick said. “We don’t care if a player is a freshman or a senior, a scholarship or non-scholarship player. We take stats of every practice, and everybody has an equal opportunity to play and start for us, so we really give everybody opportunities every practice to show what they can do.� The Vols will play NIU on Friday, Sept. 16 at 4 p.m. in their first game of the George Washington Tournament before taking on James Madison and host George Washington on Saturday, Sept. 17. Tennessee returns home next Friday, Sept. 23, to open SEC play against Mississippi State.
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SOFTBALL
Vols softball releases schedule for fall 2016 Staff Report The fall 2016 Tennessee softball schedule was released Thursday morning. The Volunteers will play eight games against nonconference opponents at Sherri Lee Parker Stadium from the end of September to the beginning of October. Admission is free to all fall games. Fall play will begin when the Volunteers face the Pfeiffer University Falcons on Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. The Division II Falcons had a program record breaking season in 2016, finishing 37-17 overall and winning their first NCAA Tournament game. Tennessee will play three double headers starting with Shorter College and Volunteer State Community College on Oct. 2. The Vols will play four games over the course of the next weekend with Tennessee Tech and Alabama Huntsville on Oct. 8, followed by Chipola College and Walters State Community College on Oct. 9.
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The Volunteers picked up an 8-0 run-rule victory over Tennessee Tech when they faced the Golden Eagles in the 2016 regular season. Junior Meghan Gregg hit a pair of tworun home runs in that game. This was the Volunteerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 88th consecutive win against instate opponents. They are 117-3 all-time and 83-0 under co-head coaches Ralph Weekly and Karen Weekly against in-state opponents. Tennessee will play its final fall game against ETSU on Oct. 19. They shut out the Buccaneers both times the teams faced in 2015. Former Vol Erin Gabriel pitched a perfect game in the first contest, helping Tennessee to a 10-0, five-inning victory. Just a few weeks later, Cheyanne Tarango, another former Vol pitcher, held the Buccaneers to one hit through five innings in the 11-0 shutout. Tennessee went 24-3 at home during the 2016 season with 16 run-rule victories. The Vols tied for third in the SEC and made the NCAA Tournament for the 13th consecutive time. Fourteen players will return from last season including Gregg, Matty Moss, Brooke Vines and Aubrey Leach, who all received SEC postseason honors in 2016.
PUZZLES&GAMES
Friday, September 16, 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ The Daily Beacon
9
STR8TS No. 873
Tough
Previous solution - Medium
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SUDOKU No. 873
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The Daily Beacon • Friday, September 16, 2016
TENNESSEE VOLS versus
Tennessee looks to contain dual threat quarterback Rob Harvey
Asst. Sports Editor For the second straight week, a dual threat quarterback will be in the way of Tennessee and a victory. Last week, the Tennessee defense held Virginia Tech quarterback Jerod Evans to just 214 passing yard and a touchdown and held 16 rushes for just 45 yards. The Vols won that game 45-24. This week the challenge might be a little more difficult. Ohio quarterback Greg Windham, a fifth year senior, has lit up the stat sheet through two games this season. Windham has thrown for 560 yards and five touchdowns. He’s also run for 183 yards and a touchdown, an impressive feat for a quarterback through two games. For Tennessee defensive coordinator Bob
Shoop, stopping Windham is the key. “The quarterback and (wide receiver) Papi White are the two guys you’ve got to stop,” Shoop said at a press conference on Wednesday. “They average 563 yards of total offense after two games. There are some teams who couldn’t do that on air during a Friday practice. “Windham can make plays with his feet and his arm and he’s a bit of a story like some of the guys we’re talking about, Kendall (Vickers) or a Colton (Jumper). He’s a fifth-year senior who’s waited his turn, played a little bit in the bowl game and now has a chance to play and made the most of it.” The Vols will look to stop Windham on Saturday in the first afternoon game of the season. The Vols kickoff at noon, eight hours earlier than the first two games kicked off, but the players don’t seem concerned by the early start.
Josh Dobbs, #11, and the Tennessee offense look to start quick for the first time this season. Alex Phillips • The Daily Beacon
OHIO BOBCATS
SPORTS
Senior defensive lineman Tarell Basham poses for a portrait at Peden Stadium. Basham recently broke the school record for all-time sacks. • Courtesy of Metin Ozisik • The Post
Bobcats defense looks to slow down athletic Vols Trenton Duffer
Sports Editor Tarell Basham isn’t a very big guy for a defensive end. At 6-foot-4, 262 pounds, he’s an inch taller and a few pounds lighter than Vols’ star defensive end Derek Barnett. But Basham packs all the power that Barnett does. Basham broke the Ohio University school record for all-time sacks last week after tackling Kansas’ quarterback for his 20th career sack. Ohio coach Frank Solich said on Monday that he congratulated Basham when he broke the record and that he’s pleased with how much of a leader the senior has become. “I think he has done it (broken the sack record) because he has excellent talent, he is
a very talented player,” Solich said. “But he has a motor that goes all the time, when that ball is snapped he is playing hard and he is going from the snap to the end of the play with everything he’s got. “I like to see those kinds of guys get rewarded, so I feel it is a great honor for him and well deserved.” With Basham holding down the line, the Ohio defense has accounted for seven sacks so far this season. Two of those are courtesy of Basham himself. “A lot of guys out here listen to me,” Basham said. “We just want to do what we’re capable of doing with that role to better the team to get everyone on the same page. Communication is key out there.” Outside of Basham, the Bobcats have a solid linebacker in Chad Moore. The redshirt
To read the rest of these stories, go online to our website at utdailybeacon.com.
ARTS&CULTURE
“
Friday, September 16, 2016 • The Daily Beacon
11
‘Sully’: the latest notch in Eastwood’s cinematic belt Nathan Smith
Staff Writer
“Sully,” the latest film from the legendary Clint Eastwood, could not arrive at a more pivotal time in its storied director’s career. Eastwood needs no introduction; few in the history of American cinema are as noted or as recognizable as he. And, after the release of his last film, “American Sniper,” few are more controversial. “American Sniper” became an unlikely hit in an otherwise unremarkable winter movie season largely due to its supposed narrative of American nationalism. That same narrative caused a whirlwind of contention for many further to the left of the political aisle. Whether or not you believe that Chris Kyle (who claimed to be the deadliest sniper in United States military history) is a hero, there’s no doubt that you’d apply that title to the subject of Eastwood’s new film. “Sully” zeroes in on Captain Chester “Sully” Sullenberger, played by Tom Hanks, who in 2009 successfully crash landed his disabled airplane on the Hudson River minutes after takeoff, saving the lives of all 155 souls onboard. But “Sully,” much to my surprise, takes us behind the headlines. We don’t just hear the tales of heroism about Captain Sullenberger that were repeated in the months following the so-called “Miracle on the Hudson.” Eastwood takes us into the actual investigations of the crash by the air industry (which sought to strip Sullenberger of his pilot’s wings) and its necessity. “Sully” is largely a movie about insiders. Much of its time is devoted to interiors, showing private meetings in hotels, airports and conference rooms, the dialogue peppered with the inscrutable industry jargon of airline professionals. It is a movie about expertise and whether human instinct and experience is more important than scientific experiment and algorithm. As expected, Tom Hanks (an expert in his own
But ‘Sully,’ much to my surprise, takes us behind the headlines. We don’t just hear the tales of heroism about Captain Sullenberger. right) plays the troubled character of Sully with force and grace. Like many of Eastwood’s recent films, from “Flags of Our Fathers” to “Jersey Boys” to “American Sniper,” “Sully” is largely about how we confront trauma. But on other levels, “Sully” also operates as a metaphor for its own director. There are few filmmakers, inside Hollywood or out, older than Clint Eastwood and still as active. Like Captain Sullenberger, who spent much of his life inside airplanes, Eastwood has spent in his life on movie sets and locations, in editing rooms and theaters. He stands no threat (at least that we know of yet) of being replaced by a computer simulation, but the point remains. At that level of age and experience, you don’t just know movies — you feel them in your gut and their craft becomes instinctual. What Eastwood seems to be saying is that we, as audiences or critics or whomever, need to trust him. We live in a heyday of hot takes and there’s little room for artists and auteurs, like Eastwood, that want us to unpack and engage intellectually with their work. Eastwood’s strange, real-life political antics aside, there was little reason to label “American Sniper” as the jingoistic nightmare many rebuked or embraced
it for. With a little remove from the flurry of thinkpieces and firestorm of opinion that surrounded its release, “American Sniper” looks much better. It stands not as an honest endorsement of its characters’ (and it’s country’s) despicable beliefs about war, violence and those we label “the enemy,” but an internal examination of the blinders that our national narratives of exceptionalism and righteous imperialism force both our soldiers and citizens to wear. “Sully” is the inverse. If “American Sniper” was about the lies Americans tell ourselves when bringing death to those who don’t deserve it, “Sully” is about the truths we cling to when our own deaths confront us. Both revolve around Eastwood’s Howard Hawks-like obsession with men at work. But “Sully” is about a man whose job requires him to hold on to humanity, while the job in “American Sniper” requires a man to close his eyes to humanity, not just his own, but that of others. “American Sniper” was about the rejection of self, the repression of guilt and self-administering of propaganda. “Sully” is about knowledge of self: knowing your craft, your skill and your own interior sense of morality and intuition and standing by them when called into question. At this point in his career, whether you like his films or not and whether you think he’s a
“Sully” • Courtesy of IMDb hack or a crack or genius, there’s little doubt that Eastwood knows himself. “Sully” expresses that self-knowledge, as it is one of the most confident and well-crafted films of the year. That’s one thing you don’t need to question.
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ARTS&CULTURE
The Daily Beacon • Friday, September 16, 2016
Maroon 5: Strong start, even stronger finish Presley Smith
Opinions Editor This Wednesday, Maroon 5, Rock City and Tove Lo performed at Thompson Boling Arena. The show opened with Rock City, two brothers from the Virgin Islands known for writing songs for popstars such as Miley Cyrus and Iyaz. They got off to a good start, performing some originals and fan favorites such as “Locked Away,” featuring Adam Levine. The duo brought their 59-year-old father on stage for his birthday and explained that inspiration for the song “Locked Away” came from a moment when their father was in jail and when speaking to their mother said, “If I got locked away, and we lost it all today, tell me honestly, would you still love me the same?” Overall, Rock City was very high energy and effectively pumped up the crowd. Next to perform was Tove Lo, the Swedish star known for singing “Habits (Get High),” and “Talking Body.” Her stage presence overall was extremely mysterious but she could not have sounded better. Her vocals were extremely strong and certainly great for a pre-show performer. Excitement in the room was high as she turned the microphone to the crowd to sing the
chorus of her hit song “Talking Body.” Then, after a wait of about a half an hour, Maroon 5 came out on stage to an extremely rocky start. The band sounded great, don’t get me wrong, but Adam’s vocals on the first couple of lines were extremely pitchy — to a point that I thought they sent out a body double just to screw with us. After the initial rough patch during “Moves Like Jagger,” the band came back strong and performed several all-time favorites, as well as new hits. Cult favorites like “Misery” and “Sunday Morning” were performed as the crowd clapped along with Levine. Upon first glance, the group seems like a very front-man centered band. But about midway through their set, Adam went around to introduce the other band members. Maroon 5 played eight songs in their initial set, and then the stage went dark and they disappeared promptly. The encore, I must admit, was my favorite part. The group returned to the stage to perform six more songs including “She Will Be Loved,” “Sugar” and a Prince tribute. The most iconic moment of the show, however, came during an introduction before singing my personal favorite, “She Will Be Loved,” from their hit album “Songs About Jane.” He asked everyone to take two and a half minutes to put their phones down and have this
Maroon 5 performs in Thompson Boling Arena on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2016. Presley Smith • The Daily Beacon moment be just ours. Between each verse the group stopped to talk to the crowd and commented on how impressed they were with the crowd for being quiet and listening rather than screaming over his words. And then came the finale, a heartwarming tribute to Prince. The entire stage became flooded with purple lights as “Let’s Go Crazy”
began to play. The crowd was wild as Maroon 5 respectfully stayed close to the original sound of the song. It was then that Maroon 5 took their bows and the show was over just as quickly as it began. Overall, all three groups were incredible, and I’ll be grabbing tickets next time they come to Knoxville.