The Commonwealth Times; January 23, 2017

January 23, 2017 • Vol. 58, No. 16

NEWS Trump inauguration • 2

SPORTS Pressbox • 6

SPECTRUM Sam’s Take • 9

OPINION Farewell, Obamas • 13

Richmond protests President Trump post-inauguration

AMELIA HEYMANN & MAURA MAZUROWSKI Contributing Writer & Online News Editor More than 100 demonstrators marched through Richmond on Friday evening to protest the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States.

DISRUPTJ20RVA, a social movement group, organized the event.

“Join local activists as we demonstrate that we won’t tolerate the white supremacist agenda of the incoming administration,” organizers wrote in a description on a

Facebook event page. “The Trump presidency will exacerbate city and statewide struggles by undoing the hard work of countless community members.”

Unlike some other anti-Trump protests, Friday’s demonstrators in Richmond were peaceful. There were no violent interactions, destruction of property, attempts to block highway traffic or arrests. (However, as a CNS reporter was recording a video of the demonstrators, one of them grabbed the journalist’s phone and threw it off a bridge. The reporter managed to retrieve it thanks to the help of two other protesters.)

DISRUPTJ20RVA held a brief rally at Abner Clay Park in Jackson Ward. At about 6:45 p.m., the protest-

D.C. INAUGURAL COVERAGE BELOW

ers made their way to Broad Street led by a sign reading “Resistance starts here.”

Participants spilled down Broad Street, turned north onto Lombardy Street and circled the roundabout at Admiral Street and Brook Road. Protesters chanted “Black Lives Matter”, “F*ck Pence”, “Whose streets?

Our streets!” and other slogans.

According to DISRUPT20RVA activists, the march in Richmond was one of many across the country protesting Trump and his incoming administration’s policies. The group vowed “a series of massive direct actions that will shut down the Inauguration ceremonies and any related celebrations.”

—continued on page 4

DISRUPTJ20RVA, a social movement group, organized the demonstration the night of President Donald Trump’s inauguration. The rally began at Abner Clay Park in Jackson Ward.

In step with the Women’s March

Live from the District: the innaugration of President Trump

D.C. WOMEN’S MARCH COVERAGE ON PAGE 2

PHOTO BY JESSE ADCOCK

JESSE ADCOCK Enterprise Editor

Demonstrators gathered at the Lee Monument last Saturday to support the upcoming Women’s March in Washington D.C. the next week.

Brinson, a retired Virginia Commonwealth UniFor others, this was another march in a decadesJESSE ADCOCK versity faculty member, said she been involved with long fight.

Enterprise Editor the center for more than 30 years.

“I used to march a lot in Washington,” said “We do youth projects that teach conflict resoluSherry Baxter of Richmond. “I marched in ’87, in More than 1,000 protesters gathered at the Lee tion, racial justice and international affairs,” Brinson Roe v. Wade and in 2000.”

Statue on Monument Avenue last Saturday and said. “We are trying to educate people so they can Baxter said her child was taken from her in the marched to Boulevard in solidarity with the next speak out the best way they know how.” ’80s because she was a lesbian, and that’s when she week’s Women’s March on Washington protesting For some, the presidential election was a galvabegan marching for civil rights. Unable to find other Donald Trump’s inauguration as president. nizing call to action, inspiring citizens to protest for mothers in the same situation, she said she first State officials and local activists gave speeches the first time. marched with gay fathers who had lost their children before and after the march, urging more public “I’ve never been really political before,” said Richunder similar circumstances. participation in politics and activism to counter the mond resident Renee Ramos. “I’ve never marched in The parade also played host to large puppet Trump administration. anything before.” displays and a baton-twirling stilt walker dressed as “We will fight like we’ve never fought before Ramos said that from Trump’s policies to his Uncle Sam. to make sure all people are treated with love and behavior on the national stage, she had to do some“I walk on stilts because it’s something you can’t respect,” Democratic state Sen. Jennifer McClellan ignore,” said Marcus Fioravante. “People are deaf to of Richmond told the crowd. “We are strong because thing to protest his incoming administration.

“This is my first protest,” said Joy Whitenack of most signs and things. What art does to activism is of this beautiful mosaic of people.”

Richmond.

“We can’t just go out and vote anymore. beautiful.”

Many nonprofit advocacy groups – including the It’s time to really support justice and equal rights for Building the stilts from found materials like disAmerican Civil Liberties Union, the Richmond everyone in the country.” carded wood, Fioravante said he’s been performing Health Brigade and the Richmond Peace Education She said the change in political dialogue and cliand drawing attention to causes and protests like the Center – had representatives at the event. mate over the last few years prompted her to protest.

March on Monument for three years.

“It’s a time where there’s a lot of uncertainty,” said “It was as great warm-up for next week,” Whit“It confuses the opposition,” said puppeteer Betsy Brinson, a board member for the Peace EduLily Lamberta, founder of All The Saints Theater cation Center. “There’s major peace issues involved at enack said, referring to the Women’s March on Washington, which organizers said had more than Company. “It brings a level of circus, color and all levels.”

500,000 attendees.

—continued on page 4

At 6:30 a.m. the majority of those gathered on the open-air platform of the Franconia-Springfield Metro station wore red hats with white text: MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN It also came in the reverse permutation of red text on white canvas. This was far less common.

Chris, my roommate, who left with me from Richmond at 4 a.m., stood over a grate blowing out hot air. It was something like 30 degrees out, but warming rapidly.

“Be careful there, you don’t want to be too warm,” said a woman dressed all in white. “You ever hear about how hot water freezes faster?”

Her cherry-red lips pout under ash-blonde hair. She carried no baggage with her, only a Dunkin’ Donuts thermos.

It is Jan. 20 — Trump’s inauguration day.

“Do you boys know how to get into the city from here?” the woman asks in a thick southern drawl.

“L’Enfant Plaza is probably your best bet,” I say.

“Depending on where you’re trying to go.”

“As close as I can get.”

The yellow rush-hour train hurtles toward us, brakes screeching. It overshoots the bulk of us waiting — in one solid mass everyone fast-walks down the platform toward the open Metro doors.

The windows make the cars look vanilla-orange on the inside, like everything is coated in a fresh coat of Creamsicle. The inside is illuminated in cold and sanitary buzzing white light, like you find in public schools, emergency rooms and DMV offices.

“This is the first time I’ve been in the city, you know, since I was in the service,” she says. Chris smiles and nods at her. I pretend my shoes need a good lookingover.

“Of course, it was different back then. When I joined, only 10 percent of the force was allowed to be women at all. It was great. Stopped the men from seeing us as a threat to their jobs. I don’t know how all those men and women can work together today without worrying about something like that. Without the men getting jealous.”

There are some babies on this train, and the screeching wheels and rocking carriage on the tracks do not agree with their sensibilities. Their wails are the only other thing to focus on.

“He doesn’t feel safe,” one father says. “This is how babies learn. You have to make them cry a bit.”

“I went all over the world,” the woman in white

—continued on page 2

PHOTO BY JULIE TRIPP

The independent press of Virginia Commonwealth University

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The Commonwealth Times

CRIME LOG

In this section: Women’s March D.C. Monument.

Obamacare rally. Wine sales. Hate crimes. Sexual assaults. Guns. Broadband legislation.

DESTRUCTION IN D.C.

(All data obtained from the VCU PD daily incident log)

1/16/2017

—continued from page 1

Destruction of Property State/Graffiti West Main St. Deck 801 W. Main St. Closed. Inactive Destruction of Property State/Graffiti Broad and Belvidere Residence Hall 700 W. Broad St. Closed. Inactive Drug Violation/Weapon Violation/Alcohol Violations 600 W. Grace St. Closed. CBA Drug Violation 1300 W. Broad St. Closed. CBA

1/17/2017 PHOTO BY JESSE ADCOCK

Fraud - Credit Card 1111 W. Broad St. Pending All Other Larceny 900 Floyd Ave. Pending

Black Bloc anarchists set fires to newstands and garbage, and took claw hammers to store-fronts, cars and the asphalt in D.C. continues. “And everywhere I went I felt like I was doing something important. That’s why I voted for Trump, I’m hoping he can bring that back for me.”

Red hats waiting in line until they faded out of sight greeted us as we emerged from the L’Enfant Plaza. Still more walked beside each metro queue, anxious to find its end and begin their marathon wait. It was 7:30 a.m.

This was the general admission line to the Inauguration, and it stretched on for close to a mile, snaking through the cordoned-off streets of the nation’s capital.

Everything was under triple layers of protection — concrete barriers, then chain-link fences and

Destruction of Property State/Graffiti 700 W. Broad St. Pending

1/18/2017 Theft From Building Shafer Court 810 Cathedral Pl. Pending All Other Larceny 901 W. Main St. Pending Trespassing Cary and Belvidere Residence Hall 301 W. Cary St. Closed. CBA

another layer of chain-link fences behind that. Some 3,000 police had been called in from surrounding states, and the FBI, the Secret Service, the National Guard and Homeland Security were out in force.

Many large, color-coordinated groups stood in line together — students, out-of-towners and foreigners visiting like it was some kind of holiday.

“Flags, hats, shirts,” men yelled from behind carts loaded with MAGA hats and loaded with garish T-shirts. “$10 for flags, hats, shirts. $15 for two.”

“I’ll take one,” a man said, dragging his daughter along behind him. He picked up T-shirts, looked

at the tag and tossed it back into the face of the vendor. “‘Made in the Dominican Republic? We’re not making America great again like that.”

I met a man named John, a photojournalist from New York, and he led us to Dupont Circle, where DCMJ, a group that lobbies for marijuana rights, was handing out an estimated six pounds of weed in the form of 4,200 joints.

DCMJ requested participants keep their joints, and at exactly four minutes and 20 seconds into Trump’s Inauguration, everyone light up.

This was to celebrate Initiative Measure #71, which made it legal to grow and use, but not sell mari-

Theft From Building 406 Shafer St. Reported by Outside Agency

JESSICA NOLTE Contributing Writer

All Other Larceny Uptown Color 1205 W. Main St. Reported by Outside Agency All Other Larceny 925 W. Clay St. Reported by Outside Agency All Other Larceny 500 W. Broad St. Reported by Outside Agency Hit and Run 801 W. Main St. Reported by Outside Agency Embezzlement Tech Exchange 817 W. Cary St. Reported by Outside Agency Reported by Outside Agency Destruction of Property Private 1308 Floyd Ave. Reported by Outside Agency

Reporting suspicious or emergency situations to the VCU Police Department can help solve crimes, provide emergency assistance that may save a life and help deter criminal activity.

Download the VCU LiveSafe mobile phone app to report crimes anonymously.

PHOTO BY JESSICA NOLTE

To contact the VCU PD call (804) 828-1196.

For an off-campus emergency call 911.

—continued on page 4

Virginians join post-inaugural Women’s March in Washington

Hit and Run 1300 Floyd Ave. Reported by Outside Agency

For an on-campus emergency call (804) 828-1234.

juana for recreational use.

I interviewed a biker on the out to ask why he and his buddies were motoring through the city with Trump and confederate flags.

“He’s the best thing for America,” the biker said. “Facebook and the internet and stuff — no one cares about anyone anymore.

Why’s everyone texting each other?

Why can’t they call? I hope Trump brings us back to that. Face to face.”

A man staggered down the street with his tie loose around his neck. His MAGA hat sat nearly sideways on his head.

“The EU is trying to replace the dollar with the AmeriEuro,” he said. “They’re trying to join Mexico, America and Canada into the

North American Union and take away all of our freedoms. Trump is the only one who can get us out from under the crushing hand of globalism and the banking cartels.”

Chris and I heard Jill Stein would be making an appearance about 15 blocks away. We made it about halfway before I had to pee.

Starbucks was packed, and I made a beeline for the bathroom queue.

“McPherson is where you need to go. Basically all the groups will be going through there,” said a woman with a grande frappuccino.

“I’m taking a Lyft to wherever is the most lit,” she said.

Lyft had people out at many of the hot spots handing out free first-ride coupons. Whether the company intended to or not, their marketing decision played a major role in connecting the people who wished to protest.

Documentary filmmaker and political commentator Michael Moore was in McPherson Park, and the media were crowded around him in a halo of dangling microphones and cameras.

On the other side of the park, a Black Bloc anarchist was meeting with another group of protesters.

The Black Bloc is a tactic sometimes employed by ideological or protest groups where members dress in black, to include concealing their faces, and engage in physically disruptive practices.

At 12th and L streets, a group of nearly 60 Black Bloc anarchists and protesters were backed into a corner by police with riot shields.

Occasionally, the cops would grab a protester, slapped on zip ties and toss them into a waiting paddy wagon.

Police had 11 of the vans parked around the block. Three lines of police separated the trapped protesters from the growing group coming to lobby for their release.

Videos showed some of the Black Bloc anarchists taking claw hammers to bank windows further up the street before police surrounded them.

The march was one of the largest protests in American history, with more than 1 million demonstrators traveling from across the country to participate in Washington, D.C.

People from across Virginia rallied in Washington on Saturday morning before joining women from around country in sending a message to President Donald Trump.

“The Women’s March on Washington will send a bold message to our new government on their first day in office and to the world that women’s rights are human rights,” the march’s mission stated.

Protesters from Virginia started gathering at the Carousel in the National Mall around 7 a.m.

Many donned purple #Virginia4ALL hats and carried protest signs. Stair Calhoun, the Northern Virginia coordinator for the march, said nearly 1,500 hats and 5,000 campaign buttons were distributed before the rally.

“Yesterday, we had a little party here in D.C.,” U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., told the gathering.

Then he and the crowd booed.

“Today, we have a bigger party,” he said as the crowd whistled and cheered with approval.

Connolly said that while Trump may be president, he doesn’t speak for everyone. The day of the rally marked the beginning of what he called a “four-year fight.” Connolly said that he would do his part in Congress but that he expected members of the audience to do their part beyond marching.

“This is our America too and we’re going to stick up for it,” Connolly said.

State Del. Mark Levine, a Democrat from Alexandria, said that on Inauguration Day, he savored the last remaining hours of Barack Obama’s presidency. Levine said that when he stepped outside the Virginia General Assembly at noon, he heard the church bells ringing and noticed it was raining.

“My first thought was God is crying,” Levine said. “But I thought about it some more and realized the rain was a wake-up call.”

He said he had never imagined Trump would be president. He knew Hillary Clinton and had eagerly awaited her presidency.

“I said, ‘America is never going to elect this joker,’” Levine said.

“And in a way, I was right because 3 million more Americans chose Hillary Clinton.”

U.S. Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va. was greeted with loud cheers and calls of support from members of the audience when he addressed the crowd.

He quoted St. Augustine – that Hope has two daughters, and they are Anger and Courage.

“Today we are angry,” Beyer said. “We’ve just inaugurated a man who shows profound disrespect for women.”

Beyer said that while the crowd was angry, they also had courage because of their decision to join the march. He said they would continue to fight and never surrender.

“How do we show courage? By doing all the little things well,” Beyer said. “We take care of our families. We do our jobs well. We build our communities. We take care of the sick, the poor and those in trouble.”

He then told the crowd they should maintain their courage by getting involved with their local government and staying electorally engaged until they can vote Trump out of office in 2020.

Virginia rally organizers were expecting over 120 buses and over 7,500 people from Virginia, Calhoun said. She had three private buses of her own coming from Annandale, including a bus from her yoga studio.

Calhoun said she had 20 people staying at her home for the march and knew of another woman from Virginia who had 25 people from Vermont staying in her basement.

Eileen Denne of Alexandria attended the Virginia rally and Women’s March on Washington with two friends from Cleveland who were staying with her.

“We are all mothers of daughters,” Sheila Lodwick said of the trio. “It’s important for us to march for them and their futures.”

Emily Patton, Virginia’s outreach chair for the Women’s March, echoed that message in addressing the crowd: “Today is your day – one of activism. We will prevail.”

www.commonwealthtimes.org

Monday, January 23, 2017

Raise a glass

Democratic leaders rally for the ACA

Va. wine sales increased by 6%

Unsuccessful vice presidential nominee Sen. Tim Kaine kicked off his remarks at a health care rally at Capitol Square in downtown Richmond Jan. 15 by recounting the first vote in the Republicans’ renewed efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. “I stood up,” Kaine said. “I said, ‘Madame Clerk, I was sick and you visited me. I vote no.’”

With that biblical reference, Kaine cast one of 48 Democratic votes against the budget reconciliation measure that would streamline the dismantling of the health care law, also known as Obamacare. But Republicans pushed the measure through the Senate with 51 votes last Thursday.

At the rally, Kaine said the GOP lacks a plan to replace the health insurance coverage for the 30 million people estimated by the Urban Institute to have benefited from the ACA. “Why don’t we just jump off a cliff and then we’ll figure out how to land when we’re in mid-air?” Kaine said.

The Richmond demonstration was one of more than a dozen rallies staged in cities across the country last Sunday in response to a call from Sen. Bernie Sanders, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

An estimated one thousand people turned out for the rally on the state Capitol grounds, waving signs emblazoned “RVA for ACA” and “NO REPEAL. NO RE-

PLACE.” Kaine was joined by a host of Virginia Democratic officials, including Gov. Terry McAuliffe, U.S. Reps. Don McEachin of Richmond and Bobby Scott of Newport News, and Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, who is seeking his party’s gubernatorial nomination this year.

Also in attendance were former U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello, who is challenging Northam to be the Democratic nominee for governor and three candidates for lieutenant governor – Justin Fairfax, Susan Platt and Gene Rossi.

McEachin, who won election to the redrawn 4th Congressional District, which now includes Richmond, thanked the cheering crowd.

“Because of you, I was able to make my first speech on the House floor a defense of the Affordable Care Act,” McEachin said.

A similar budget reconciliation measure passed the House of Representatives on Friday. As with the Senate, the vote broke along party lines.

Republicans say that health insurance premiums have skyrocketed for many Americans as a result of the ACA and that the law is a burden on businesses. They say the election of Donald Trump as president has given them a mandate to get rid of Obamacare.

McAuliffe criticized Republicans in the Virginia General Assembly for refusing to expand Medicaid coverage as the Affordable Care Act encouraged states to do. The expansion would have benefited 400,000 low-income Virginians, supporters say.

“This is the commonwealth of Virginia. We should

lead the nation, not follow,” McAuliffe said in reference to Virginia not expanding Medicaid, while states such as Kentucky and West Virginia have closed the coverage gap.

Attendees also heard from a young mother who obtained health insurance through the ACA – Ashley Hawkins, the founder and executive director of a small nonprofit arts organization.

“Zoey’s recent hospital birth would have been one-third of my annual salary,” Hawkins said, looking down at the baby cradled in her arms. “The ACA made the future bright. It made all the hard work worth it. And now, for me and 30 million American citizens, the future is both terrifying and uncertain.”

Northam, a pediatric neurologist from Norfolk, addressed the crowd wearing a white lab coat.

“While I have given up my medical practice to run to be the 73rd governor of the commonwealth,” Northam said, “I will always be a doctor. I will always make sure that you have access to affordable care.”

Perriello, whose single congressional term ended the same year the ACA was passed, said it was worth doing the right thing, despite the political price.

“Some people think I lost my seat in Congress because of supporting the Affordable Care Act, and I can tell you one thing: I have never regretted it for a single day.”

The speeches during the rally were interrupted several times by microphone outages. But the crowd took the disruptions in stride by chanting “health care is a human right” and “yes we can” and singing the protest hymn “We Shall Overcome.”

PHOTO BY JIM THOMMA

MAURA MAZUROWSKI Online News Editor

Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine spoke at the rally Jan. 15 after casting a vote in Congress against the repeal the Affordable Care Act.

JIM THOMMA Staff Writer

Pour yourself a drink and raise a toast to the record 6.6 million bottles of Virginia wine sold last year – an increase of more than 6 percent from 2015.

Officials said Thursday that a new economic impact study shows the state’s flourishing wine industry contributes more than $1.37 billion annually to Virginia’s economy. This is an increase of 82 percent from the last economic impact study in 2010.

“This new study shows that this growth is being driven by small wineries, which demonstrates that the increased rural economic development is truly beneficial to local communities,” Gov. Terry McAuliffe said in a press release.

The Virginia Wine Board commissioned Frank, Rimmerman + Co., an accounting and consulting firm that specializes in wine industry studies, to conduct the 2015 Economic Impact Study of Wine and Wine Grapes on the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The study showed that the number of Virginia wineries jumped 35 percent – from 193 to 261 – between 2010 and 2015. (The number of wineries has since risen to more than 285.)

During the five-year period studied, full-time jobs at wineries and vineyards increased 73 percent, from 4,753 to 8,218, and wages from jobs at wineries and vineyards soared by 87 percent, from $156 million to $291 million.

Tourism to Virginia wineries also grew, from 1.6 million visitors in 2010 to 2.25 million visitors in 2015, the report said.

The number of acres devoted to growing grapes in Virginia increased from 2,700 in 2010 to 3,300 in 2015. The taxes on grape-bearing lands paid to state and local governments jumped from $43 million to $94 million.

“Unlike many industries, once vineyards and wineries are established, they are effectively rooted and tied to their communities,” said Basil Gooden, Virginia’s secretary of agriculture and forestry. “A Virginia vineyard cannot simply be relocated to another region or outsourced to another country.”

Nationwide, the state ranks fifth in the number of wineries and as a wine grape producer, Virginia officials said.

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Richmonders protest President Trump

VCU Child Development Center Under New Leadership Now enrolling on a first-come, first-serve basis For more information, visit http://cdc.soe.vcu.edu/ or call (804) 828-7377.

Call us today to schedule a tour.

PHOTO BY JULIE TRIPP

The CDC is a full-day, inclusive young children’s program that provides high-quality care and education for the children of VCU faculty, staff, and student families.

—continued from page 1 teach-in and discussion at Gallery 5. The group dis-

cussed tactics on dealing with police confrontation in preparation for the protest.

Demonstrators were advised to exercise their right to remain silent, ask officers if they were being detained and call a legal help hotline if arrested.

Some of the demonstrators apparently were parents. So DISRUPTJ20 provided child care services at Art 180 for protesters until 10 p.m.

Mallory O’Shea, the media coordinator for DISRUPTJ20, refused to give a formal statement to Capital News Service about the event or the organization behind it.

March on Monument Ave. —continued from page 1

creativity. You can say really hard-hitting things in a playful and obscure way.”

Just returning from protesting in Standing Rock, Arizona, last month, Lamberta has been using large symbolic puppetry for protests in Richmond for more than 11 years.

Among the puppets carried in the parade was the “Wake-up Rooster,” which Lamberta said was meant to communicate that it’s time for the American people to wake up to the present dangers and take action.

Lamberta said she plans to take the puppets to Washington to protest the inauguration.

Saturday’s march concluded several blocks from the intersection of Monument Avenue and Boulevard, where a small stage was erected for McClellan and newly elected U.S. Rep. Donald McEachin to speak.

“We are going to revisit everything that makes America great,” said McEachin, a Democrat representing the 4th Congressional District. “It’s about diversity. It’s about love, not hate.”

McEachin said his first objective in office is to protect the Affordable Care Act, which Republicans have vowed to repeal.

“They’ve been talking trash for six years, and now they don’t have a plan,” McEachin said. “If they had a replacement, we would’ve seen it by now.”

McEachin said he would push to uncover the influence and scale of Russian cyberattacks during the past election cycle.

“We will not be afraid of the truth, and we will act on that truth,” McEachin said. “Please do not get weary in your well-doing. Democracy is a participatory sport – you need to participate.”

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After a rally at Abner Clay Park, protesters marched through Richmond.

Dozens of officers from the Richmond Police Department followed the protesters on bikes. Koury Wilson, the department’s public information officer, said safety was their “utmost concern” among demonstrators and residents alike. Also present at the protest were legal observers from the Virginia branch of the American Civil Liberties Union.

“We’re here to observe from the sidelines,” said Charlie Schmidt, the public policy associate of ACLU-VA. “Tonight we’re most interested in interactions between police officials and citizens.”

Earlier Friday afternoon, DISRUPTJ20 held a

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The Commonwealth Times

Herring seeks to expand hate crime definition

Bartenders could help prevent sexual assaults

MARY LEE CLARK Staff Writer

MARY LEE CLARK Staff Writer

Attorney General Mark Herring presented to the General Assembly his plan to protect citizens from hate crimes. been one of the most important forces for protecting Americans and Virginians from hate and discrimination,” Herring said. “It is my sincere hope that the new administration and attorney general will continue that bipartisan tradition, but to be honest, I am concerned.”

Rabbi Jack Moline, president of the Interfaith Alliance, echoed that concern.

He said it is now up to the states to step up and protect minority communities.

“Hate crimes are not attacks against individuals,” Moline said. “They are attacks on entire communities, meant to strike fear and intimidation in the hearts of all members of a given group. Interfaith Alliance applauds Attorney General Herring’s efforts to protect Virginians and set a national standard for hate crime prevention.”

Other groups supporting the initiative include the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, the Anti-Defamation League and the All Dulles Area Muslim Society, the state’s largest mosque/Mus-

lim community.

Nationwide, there were 5,850 hate crime incidents in 2015, according to the latest FBI statistics. More than half were motivated by a bias based on race, ethnicity or ancestry, about one-fifth by religious bias and almost one-fifth by sexual orientation bias.

The FBI said 158 hate crime incidents were reported in Virginia in 2015. Twothirds were motivated by a bias based on race, ethnicity or ancestry, 15 percent by religious bias and 15 percent by sexual orientation bias.

Hate crimes in Virginia increased 21 percent from 2014 to 2015, Herring said. He said he wants to be ready if the federal government retreats from pursuing hate crimes.

“If the new administration chooses to step back from its responsibilities from hate crimes even an inch, Virginians’ rights will still be protected in the communities they call home,” Herring said.

David Chapman, interim executive

minister of the Baptist General Convention of Virginia, said he regrets that “measures like this are necessary” in 2017. “I firmly believe you can’t legislate morality, that it takes good people standing together to oppose evil and block its advancements.”

Virginians’ rights will still be protected in the communities they call home.”

Mark Herring Virginia Attorney General

PHOTO BY MARY LEE CLARK

Attorney General Mark Herring, backed by Democratic legislators and interfaith leaders, said Friday he will seek to broaden the state’s definition of “hate crime” to cover gender identity, sexual orientation and disability.

“Too many Virginians and folks all around the country have been targeted by a criminal simply because of who they are,” Herring said at a press conference.

State law defines a hate crime as “any illegal act directed against any persons or their property because of those persons’ race, religion, or national origin.”

Del. Richard Sullivan, D-Arlington, is sponsoring a bill (HB 1702) to add sexual orientation and gender identification to that definition. Sen. Barbara Favola, D-Arlington, plans to offer a similar measure in the Senate.

The expanded state definition would better match the federal definition of a hate crime, which includes race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender and gender identity.

LBGT advocates praised the efforts to broaden Virginia’s hate crimes law.

“Hate crimes against gay and transgender individuals are a pervasive issue and make people fear to live in their own communities,” said James Parrish, executive director of Equality Virginia.

“Expanding hate crime laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity sends a message that violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people isn’t OK. Anti-gay hate crimes are the third most frequent kind of hate crimes in America, and there is, however, overwhelming public support for inclusive hate crimes laws.”

Herring also will seek legislation enabling his office to use the commonwealth’s network of multi-jurisdictional grand juries to investigate suspected hate crimes and take legal action against perpetrators. The network reaches about 100 localities and will give prosecutors more tools and resources for pursuing hate crimes.

Favola and Del. Lamont Bagby, D-Richmond, plan to sponsor that legislation.

At the news conference, Herring and other speakers said they are wary about President-elect Donald Trump’s commitment to enforcing hate crime laws.

“For decades, the U.S Department of Justice and its civil rights division has

Virginia bars might be stepping up their game in combating sexual assault under legislation making its way through the General Assembly.

Senate Bill 1150, proposed by Sen. Barbara Favola, D-Arlington, would encourage bartenders and other employees who “otherwise sell, serve, or dispense alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption” to undergo “bar bystander training.”

On Friday, the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services unanimously approved the bill. It now goes to the full Senate.

Bar bystander training would inform employees how to recognize and intervene in situations that might lead to sexual assault.

The bill says bar employees should be taught “intervention strategies to prevent such situations from culminating in sexual assault.”

“Studies have been done that actually show that in areas where they have this bar bystander training, they have had an 11 percent lower rate of sexual assault and victimization,” Favola said.

The training would be optional.

The Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control already offers online training such as Responsible Sellers & Servers (RSVP), which advises employees to follow state laws and how to deal with intoxicated customers.

Favola also suggested signs be posted to let customers know which bars have trained employees.

According to a report on alcohol and sexual assault by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, approximately one-half of all sexual assaults are committed by men who have been drinking alcohol. And more than one-half of sexual assault victims reported that they were drinking alcohol at the time of the assault.

Many bars have created their own policies to combat sexual assault. Most notably, the Iberian Rooster in St. Petersburg, Florida, posted signs in the women’s restroom that instructed women to order an “angel shot” if they needed to discreetly notify the staff about an uncomfortable date.

Other bars have followed that lead and posted similar signs.

Trump’s inauguration sparks mayhem in D.C. —continued from page 2

A stun grenade detonated directly under him. His right pant leg shredded, and the flesh all the way up to his thigh was exposed — it looked angry, red and scalded.

Volunteer medics performed emergency care on injured protesters, bystanders and reporters who were affected by the stun grenades detonated by police. Anarchists lit fire to trashcans and attacked store-fronts, parked vehicles, curbs and streets.

“We’re anarchist, we’re queer, we’re here,” a group of Black Bloc yelled.

“Your moms are ashamed of all of you!” a man in green howled. “I’d f***ing castrate myself if I ever spit a seed like you.

Faggots!”

Rocks, water bottles and other debris showered him, and a Black Bloc woman grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. The man turned and ran.

It wasn’t long before news sites posted video of the Black Bloc. In the video, only five or six people were shattering windows, but police still had close to 60 protesters pinned against the wall of a building on L Street with their riot shields.

On 10th street, a gateway ran through the middle of the street, where inauguration attendees filed through security before heading onto the National Mall.

On the far side, pro-Trump attendees waved flags and chanted the national anthem and slogans like “F*** you, queers!”

Protesters hissed, spit on and shouted at the people making their way through the gate in response.

Chants became insults and pointed fingers, which soon became threats. Every few minutes, opposite groups would meet where there was no barrier between them and would begin to scrap until police seperated them.

Not everything was so aggressive; several groups were peaceably assembled on the opposite side of the street.

A Richmond-based group, The All The Saints Theater Company, and a brass band made up the center of a roaring march a few blocks away. Huge puppets were hoisted into the air. More than 20 people carried a banner in an outline of a ship. Caricatures of Wall Street bankers would rush the boat, and everyone would fall down until bystanders stepped in to help them up.

“This is what democracy looks like,” protesters chanted. Three performers on stilts came by, as well as flag twirlers, whistleblowers and bell ringers.

“This isn’t what democracy looks like,” said a guy wearing a MAGA hat taking pictures next to me. “Democracy looked like us beating you in November.”

The sound of stun grenades detonating interrupted the noise; I thought it was a bomb.

At K and 12th streets, a line of protesters headed by Black Bloc anarchists faced a line of more than 30 riot police armed with paint guns, tear gas, pepper spray and stun grenades.

The Black Bloc had pulled claw hammers from their backpacks. They started mining the curbs and street for concrete and asphalt shards and raiding trash cans for other things to throw.

They hurled the stones and debris at the line of police, who threw stun grenades back.

Dozens of cameras showed up, crews sprinting in through side streets and alleys. The air was thick with chemical smoke. It burned my throat.

Black Bloc anarchists grabbed rail barriers that police had abandoned and dragged them into the street. They tipped over trash cans and newspaper machines, pulling them into a rough line and setting what they could on fire.

Protesters who were near the detonating stun grenades were caked in white dust. Many fell to the ground, crying or scratching at their eyes.

Volunteer medics were performing emergency care on injured protesters. A few people handed out gas masks and respirators. I asked a man with tear streaks through the white powder covering his face if he knew what had sparked the skirmish.

“Yeah, a couple of those Trump guys acted tough and walked into the protest,” he said.

Apparently, the anarchists gave the Trump supporters “the serious business,” and police had to disperse the crowd with stun grenades to recover them.

There were more reporters on the front line of the protest than there were anarchists, and some were knocked down by stun grenades exploding at their feet, or by stampeding protesters.

Reporters climbed trees and lampposts. Store employees rushed to front doors to lock and cage glass entranceways.

I followed an older guy wearing a cargo vest and three different cameras slung across his body. With every detonation, I would flinch in response while he kept walking forward snapping photos.

A stun grenade detonated directly under him. His right pant leg shredded, and the flesh all the way up to his thigh was exposed — it looked angry, red and scalded. Medics came to treat him.

The police continued to chase the mass of protesters and anarchists down K Street with charges and grenades until they had them bottled in Franklin Square. Police spread out in a cordon along the edge of the park.

Anarchists dragged trash cans together and started a fire that belched black smoke into the air.

They began drawing on parked cars and ripping off side mirrors before taking hammers to state SUVs and the limousines parked along the edge of the park. They slashed tires and caved windshields, and some then rode away on bicycles.

A huge number of members of the media had congregated in the park by now. The Washington Post’s office building borders Franklin Square, and anarchists were lighting trash fires practically in their backyard.

Black Bloc anarchists smashed more windows, dragging more trash into the growing fire.

“Stop feeding the fire,” a man shouted. “Y’all don’t live here.

You’re making everything worse. Go home.”

The man held a flagpole as he stepped into the circle and tried to shoo everyone back.

“Ten dollars to feed the fire,” a vendor hollered, wheeling in a cart full of MAGA hats and Trump shirts. “$10 to feed the fire.”

People came forward in ones and twos, handing him money and tossing hats and shirts into the fire.

A young kid in a Trump shirt darted into the circle and tried to stomp the fire out. He began to pulling out burning hats. A protester with his face covered lifted the kid into the air by his throat and slammed him on the ground before bystanders pulled him away.

After the police dispersed, the anarchists seemingly grew bored without anyone to challenge their presence. One of their last acts was to set a limousine on fire.

The protest turned peaceful after the Black Bloc departed.

Families and tourists began to inspect the damage. Many of them brought their kids, and their MAGA hats.

By 4:30 p.m. I was sitting in the DC Thai Restaurant on Vermont Avenue. U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri, the chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies was speaking on CNN. “No question that on inaugural day, this would be the most appealing target in the world,” Blunt says.

I stared listlessly at the crawl under CNN’s coverage of the Inauguration Parade. I forgot that had even happened today.

sports

www.commonwealthtimes.org

Monday, January 23, 2017

5

Stat of the Week

Senior guard Kiera Robinson 1,000 career points as a Ram in VCU’s victory against Fordham.

PHOTO BY PILAR CURTIS

Rams respond with back-to-back victories

Senior guard Kiera Robinson recorded a double-double in the past two of three games.

ATLANTIC 10 BASKETBALL

PHOTO BY PILAR CURTIS

STANDINGS Women’s Teams George Washington Dayton Fordham Saint Louis La Salle Saint Joseph’s George Mason VCU Richmond Duquesne Massachusetts St. Bonaventure Davidson Rhode Island

Atlantic 10 6-1 6-1 6-2 5-2 4-3 4-3 4-4 4-4 3-4 3-5 3-5 3-5 1-6 0-7

Overall 13-6 12-7 15-7 15-5 11-8 7-2 11-10 11-10 9-11 10-11 9-12 8-12 3-16 4-15

Men’s Teams Dayton VCU La Salle Richmond Rhode Island St. Bonaveture George Mason Fordham Davidson George Washington Saint Joseph’s Massachusetts Duquesne Saint Louis

Atlantic 10 6-1 5-2 5-2 5-2 4-2 4-2 3-3 3-4 2-4 2-4 2-4 2-5 2-5 1-6

Overall 15-4 15-5 11-6 11-8 12-6 12-6 13-6 9-11 9-8 10-9 9-9 12-8 9-11 5-14

Freshman guard Jailyn Maddox set a career-high in the Rams victory against Rhode Island with 12 points.

NICK VERSAW Staff Writer

Fordham The Rams won their second straight game Saturday afternoon in the Bronx as they knocked off conference foe Fordham 61-58 to jump back above .500 for the first time in two weeks.

VCU was once again led by senior guards Isis Thorpe, Mooriah Rowser and Kiera Robinson, as the backcourt trio combined for 44 points on the night.

Rowser tied her season-high with 17 points to lead all scorers and Thorpe added 15 on 3-for-4 shooting from deep.

Saturday marked another significant milestone for Robinson. After jumping to fourth on VCU’s all-time steals list Wednesday, the Columbia, South Carolina native rounded out the stat sheet once again with 12 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals, marking her second double-double in her last three games.

In addition, her three-pointer just prior to halftime helped Robinson eclipse the 1,000 career point threshold as a Ram. Rallying behind Robinson’s efficient outing, VCU’s habit of having a hot hand offensively continued, shooting over 45 percent from the field and 50 percent from deep. In addition, the Rams won both the rebounding and turnover battles through a tenacious defensive performance.

Although VCU dominated much of the stat sheet, Saturday’s game had no shortage of action, with the lead changing hands nearly a dozen times.

Fordham jumped out to an early lead after an 8-1 run, giving the home team a 17-9 advantage at the end of the first quarter.

However, VCU responded by reeling off a run of their own. After falling behind 32-16 with just under three minutes left in the first half, Thorpe nailed a jumper sparking a 16-0 VCU run to tie the game up with 8:46 left in the third. The Black and Gold outscored Fordham 22-11 in the third quarter to take a 46-43

lead heading into the game’s final period.

Fordham refused to go down without a fight. With just under four-and-a-half minutes remaining in the game, Fordham’s G’mrice Davis’ jump shot gave the home team a 53-49 advantage. They held the lead until, with just 22 seconds left on the clock, a Robinson jumpshot returned the advantage to VCU, ultimately handing the Black and Gold their second straight victory.

Rhode Island The VCU women’s basketball team bounced back from a three game losing streak Wednesday night, defeating the visiting University of Rhode Island 68-57 to improve to 10-10 on the season.

Coming off a three game conference skid, dropping VCU back below .500, O’Boyle’s Rams were desperate to rediscover their winning ways Wednesday.

“Tonight was great,” O’Boyle said. “We’ve had some challenging practices to try and get our edge back a little bit and I was excited to see us do it for four quarters tonight.”

VCU was led by a foursome of double digit scorers against their Ram counterparts, as Thorpe, Robinson, Rowser and freshman guard Jailyn Maddox combined for more than 50 points.

Maddox’s 12 points set an early career-high for the Hoover, Alabama product. After returning from an eight game injury layoff last week against George Mason, Maddox rediscovered her shooting touch, sinking both her attempts from beyond the arc and shooting 60 percent from the field.

“We got a huge spark off the bench from Jailyn,” O’Boyle said. “It’s really exciting to have her back and healthy. We knew when we recruited her that she could help us get buckets and I’m just excited and happy to see her play so well tonight.”

Maddox added her increasing comfort around the team allowed her to have a big night offensively.

“Things are starting to click,” Maddox said.

“My teammates have been really supportive and

they’ve been building up my confidence. I feel like it finally showed tonight.”

VCU dominated Rhode Island on the stat sheet Wednesday, shooting over 43 percent from the field and 50 percent from three. The Black and Gold outrebounded their opponents by double digits and nearly doubled Rhode Island’s assist output.

Rhode Island’s Charise Wilson went off for a game-high 25 points on the night, but O’Boyle said she was proud of the way her ladies were able to counter the visitors’ potent offense.

“We knew that even though Rhode Island had been struggling a little bit, that they could really score,” she said. “They have one of the best guards in the league and we needed to make sure that we had a great team effort.”

VCU returns to action Saturday as they head home to take on University of Massachusetts Amherst at the Siegel Center at 1 p.m.

We’ve had some challenging practices to try and get our edge back a little bit and I was excited to see us do it for four quarters tonight.

Beth O’Boyle Women’s Head Coach

6

sports

The Commonwealth Times

THE PRESS BOX

Coach K trips over Allen

PHOTO BY ALI JONES

For those of us who love to hate Duke, hating got a lot easier this season.

The madness of college basketball fell early this year, much obliged to the antics of Duke’s junior guard Grayson Allen.

Allen continuously makes headlines for barbaric, intentional collisions with opponents, on and off the court. Meanwhile, coach Krzyzewski silently sits back on the sidelines, unencumbered as his star player lies in shambles, troubled by superfluous disciplinary issues.

The stale, aggressive habit kicked off against Louisville last season when Allen fell after a missed layup and tripped a player while he lie helpless on the court. Incident No. 2 came later in the season against Florida State, and was more subtle, but nonetheless inexcusable. Allen was reprimanded by the ACC, but not suspended.

After several similar incidents this season, it has become glaringly obvious these trips are deliberate.

In a game against Elon University last month, Allen hooked Elon’s Steven Santa Ana with his leg while defending on the baseline, resulting in a technical foul and an old fashioned screaming, hands flying tantrum on the bench by Allen.

Following the game, Coach K put a long overdue foot down.

“We have had the opportunity to thoroughly review the incident involving Grayson from last night’s game against Elon,” Krzyzewski said in a statement the following morning. “As I stated last night, the incident was unacceptable and inexcusable…As a program, we needed to take further steps regarding his actions that do not meet the standards of Duke Basketball. To that end, we have determined that Grayson will be suspended from competition for an indefinite amount of time.”

Krzyzewski’s statement rang like music to my ears... until the “indefinite amount of time” lasted one whole game. I sat in timeout as a kid for hitting my sister longer than Allen sat out for deliberate trips.

The serial tripper’s succinct suspension lasted less than two weeks when Allen returned to the starting lineup against Georgia Tech on Jan. 4, conveniently Coach K’s

final game before undergoing back surgery.

Krzyzewski is undeniably one of the best coaches to ever grace the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

He began coaching at Duke in 1980 and since holds a polished 984-266 record and five national championships.

A coach so many players, fellow coaches and spectators put on a pedestal now comes off as spineless.

The one game suspension for the Duke superstar leaves the perception minimal consequences are to pay when you’re the prized guard who delivered 16 points in the last seven minutes of the NCAA championship as a freshman and average 15.7 points and 4.3 assists a game.

Coach K must know this message won’t get Allen’s attention. What kind of example does that set for his teammates and future recruits? Caving after one game, and doing it without publicly discussing it?

The 6-foot-5, 202 pound guard clearly has a problem.

Between the emotion, tear-filled meltdown on the bench after getting a technical foul for tripping the Elon player to the post-game interview where he apologized through a cracked voice, it can be seen Allen is upset with himself.

With a chance to make a larger statement about what he won’t put up with, Krzyzewski instead made a statement about exactly what he will tolerate from a serial tripper. Coach K should have seeked a professional after the first few incidents to analyze why Allen can’t control his habits. Instead, Krzyzewski let Allen continue to play unreprimanded for weeks while the problem escalated, ultimately embarrassing himself, Allen and the Duke name.

A coach’s job is to mentor their players. To turn boys into men. Teach them discipline and respect. Sometimes even go as far as act as a father figure.

Coach K is a family man and hall of famer. An incredible coach who brought the United States home three gold medals in the Olympics. Why did he let Allen’s actions escalate to the degree they did? Krzyzewski’s job now isn’t to teach Allen a lesson -- chants from fans at away games and harsh comments on social media got that down pact. Rather, to help the young star gain the proper perspective from outside help.

The kid has talent. It’s foolish to allow Allen’s temper to come between his shot at the big leagues or being remembered as a serial tripper.

ILLUSTRATION BY IAIN DUFFUS

SOPHIA BELLETTI Sports Editor

Junior forward Justin Tillman led the Rams in scoring with 16 points and recorded 9 rebounds.

Ram’s rebound in resounding fashion ZACHARY JOACHIM Sports Editor LA SALLE VCU men’s basketball lead from tip to buzzer in a 90-52 shellacking of the conference-leading Explorers of La Salle University (5-1, 11-5) at the Stuart C. Siegel Center Sunday afternoon.

Senior starting point guard JeQuan Lewis finished with 15 points and shot an efficient 9 of 13 from the floor. Lewis said his team was well aware of how much they needed this win at home after two consecutive losses on the road.

“We wanted to come out aggressive,” Lewis said. “We had to turn the page.

Everybody was pretty upset in the locker room after Fordham. This was a statement game.”

Redshirt-freshman guard Samir Doughty and senior guard Doug Brooks both started for the first time this year as coach Will Wade looked to add an offensive spark. Lewis, junior forward Justin Tillman and redshirt-senior forward Mo Alie-Cox rounded out the VCU starting five.

The Rams desperation was evident early on. After the sides traded a slew of stops to open the game, Doughty drew first blood with a three pointer from the wing, and the Black and Gold were off and running.

Senior forward Ahmed Hamdy sparked the early onslaught off the bench with

dominant post play. Hamdy finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds, his second double-double in three games. He received a standing ovation from the crowd when he exited for the final time in the second half, and earned praise from coach Wade in the post-game press conference.

“Hamdy has been playing extremely well,” Wade said. “He’s really communicating a lot better on defense and doing what we need him to do down low.”

VCU put the game away with a 19-0 run with seven minutes remaining in the first half.

Lewis found senior forward Jordan Burgess in the corner in front of the VCU bench with 6:25 on the clock. Burgess connected for three, and a subsequent La Salle turnover led to a Lewis three pointer from the wing, and the lead ballooned to 25-14.

Lewis punctuated the run with two more threes and a jumper just inside the arc at the top of the key. The dominant performance allowed coach Wade to rest his star guard for much of the second half.

A Hamdy rejection led to a Doughty drive and dish to Tillman, who converted the lay in with three minutes remaining in the half to stretch the advantage to 38-16.

La Salle hit a couple free throws just before halftime to finally break the run, but junior guard Jonathan Williams kept the momentum going when he found Tillman for an emphatic transition dunk just as the buzzer sounded. The Black and Gold took a commanding 42-16 lead into

halftime.

Despite their comfortable advantage, the Rams did not let up in the second period. Brooks procured a steal on the first possession of the half, one of his six on the day. Lewis then rewarded his fellow senior guard by driving the lane and collapsing the defense, only to kick the ball out for a Brooks corner three.

A handful of second half three-pointers from La Salle starting forward Jordan Price was the only offense the Explorers were able to generate all afternoon. VCU befuddled their conference foes with a consistent mixture of stifling man and disciplined zone defense.

Senior guard and fan favorite Torey Burston checked into the game with three minutes to go, and sent the Siegel Center faithful into one last frenzy with a drive and lay in as the game came to a close.

VCU finished with five players in double-figures. In addition to Lewis and Hamdy, Burgess poured in 10, Doughty scored 15 and Tillman led the way with 16. Brooks and Williams also contributed with 9 and 8, respectively.

Despite the dominant performance, coach Wade said after the game his men have no time to relax.

“We certainly needed to get back on the right track today,” Wade said. “La Salle had been playing as well as anybody in our league. Our guys were ready to go.

This doesn’t do anything for us on Friday, though. Our backs are against the wall for awhile now. This is no reprieve -- there’s

no exhale.”

“We gotta carry it over into the next one Friday,” Lewis said. “I think my troops will be ready to go.”

Following a season-high eight game winning streak, VCU was brought back down to earth last week with consecutive conference losses at Davidson College and Fordham University.

DAVIDSON AND FORDHAM

Davidson (9-8, 2-4) downed the Rams by a final score of 69-63 on Jan. 14 at the John M. Belk Arena.

The Wildcats were lead by the dynamic duo of senior guard Jack Gibbs and junior forward Peyton Aldridge, who combined for a whopping 54 points. Lewis led the Black and Gold with 17.

VCU shot a mere 40.4 percent from the field, their lowest figure in the past 10 games, and 3 of 17 from beyond the arc.

“You can’t let one loss turn into two,” Wade said to the Richmond Times-Dispatch after the game. “I think we’re going to respond the right way. We’ve got good mettle to us.”

The Rams resiliency showed later in the week at Fordham, despite falling 69-67.

VCU overcame a sluggish start to push the game to overtime. A last-second jumper from Antwoine Anderson gave the “other” Rams a nail biting victory.

Fordham, ranked third in the country in opponent turnovers, applied constant on-ball pressure, forcing VCU to commit

a season-high 22 turnovers.

“We’ve got to get ourselves better and get ourselves right and then we’ll focus on La Salle,” Wade said. “If we clean up the turnovers and a couple of the defensive errors, we can be really good. And we’ve been that at times this year.”

The Rams will have to recalibrate with all haste, as a defining stretch of conference matchups looms. The two teams ahead of VCU (15-5, 5-2) in the A-10 standings are also the Black and Gold’s next two opponents -- Dayton University (14-4, 5-1) and the University of Richmond (11-7, 5-1).

We gotta carry it over into the next one Friday.

I think my troops wil be ready to go.

JeQuan Lewis Senior, point guard

www.commonwealthtimes.org

Monday, January 23, 2017

7

COACH’S CORNER: Stacey Bean KEYRIS L. MANZANARES Contributing Writer After nine years as the head coach at Saint Francis, Stacey Bean joins VCU for the upcoming 2017-2018 season as head field hockey coach.

Bean replaces Laura Baker who held the position since 2013. Stacey Bean is a recognized coach and holds seven conference Coach of the Year honors.

"I am thrilled to bring Stacey to VCU as our field hockey coach. She demonstrated throughout the interview process that she fits our mission and our core values," said Athletics Director Ed McLaughlin.

Bean grew up in Kentucky and Wyoming before moving north to the Canadian border.

She completed high school, undergraduate and graduate school in Canada and kickstarted her coaching career before moving back to the states.

She played field hockey at Laurentian University in Ontario Canada for four years (1989-92), and earned all-conference honors in 1992 from the Ontario Women's InterUniversity Athletic Association.

“She has spent her entire career developing student-athletes and I look forward to her building our field hockey program into a championship-caliber team with outstanding student-athletes,” McLaughlin said.

Fundamental mental toughness is a component of a field hockey player. For this week’s Coach's Corner, the Commonwealth Times sat down with Bean to discuss her new role as head coach and what she looks for in players, as well as her dreams and aspirations for the upcoming season.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SAINT FRANCIS ATHLETICS

When did you start playing field hockey?

Believe it or not in college. Which is rare.

I played six sports in high school, field hockey not being one of them and it wasn't something that was in our area. I was recruited for three sports, obviously field hockey not being one of them. Things happen for a reason-- it was a good reason. I ended up playing and starting every game in my career in college.

Saint Francis finished 11-9 in 2016. Bean’s 2016 team also boasted two First Team All-Atlantic 10 selections, one second team choice and two All-Atlantic 10 Rookie selections.

What did you think allowed you to be successful starting to play at a college level versus all of your other teammates who had already had

years of experience and training?

I was fearless. I was not afraid to try anything new. I am competitive as heck, and that helps when playing at a competitive level. I was coachable, but I was coming at things obviously from a different perspective and because I had been a multi- sport athlete, I just had a view of the game of field hockey from a very unique perspective.

Not having much experience yourself, when you started playing in college -- what do you look for when recruiting players?

Coachable. They must have a certain degree of athleticism to play D1. That athleticism, that attitude, that team -- first type kid.

Did you always know you wanted to be a coach?

Yeah, I went to school for it, I was professionally trained for it. Yeah that one is a no doubter.

Why did you accept the position at VCU? I see the potential here to be great.

What are your goals or dreams for the VCU team?

For me personally, and I said this to the girls when I met with them this week is, that they need to realize that the only reason we have jobs is because of them. We are here for them. And it’s important that we put our money where our mouth is. And really truly be here for them.

My job is to help them be the best version of themselves on and off the field. Really facilitating that growth and development between the ages of 18 to 22 -- wow the growth that happens in kids is awesome.

That’s why I love my job. And to have the privilege to be apart of that growth in that timethat’s something I don’t take lightly, it’s truly and honor and a privilege.

What are your personal goals for the upcoming season?

My hope for our program is that we go out and that we play to the best of our ability. If we are going to win, great, but we will not lose because we beat ourselves. Just to have a consistency of a high level performance and the wins will come.

Saint Francis that you plan on bringing to VCU? Just the importance of a strong team culture.

Just being mentally tough. Those two things.

How do you think “mentally tough” is achieved?

It’s mental discipline and I absolutely think everybody can. Anybody who says they can’t has already given up on themselves. Right? It’s retraining yourself to have a different habit of thought. A different reaction to the moment, and if you just focus on moment to moment, how can I be better? The rest takes care of itself.

You know, i’ve said to these kids and my Saint Francis kids, I don’t care if you make mistakes, this is a game of mistakes, a highly technical game, it’s what you do after, that’s what I care about. You have to have that next play mentality and not feel sorry for yourself. It’s a habit of thought and a discipline of thought.

She has spent her entire career developing student-athletes and I look forward to her building our field hockey program into a championshipcaliber team with outstanding studentathletes.

Ed McLaughlin VCU Athletics Director

What did you learn being the head coach at

PHOTO COURTESY OF VCU ATHLETICS

Winter track and field gets off to a fast start

Senior Calvin Wood (second from right) holds the fifth-fastest time in the Atlantic 10 in the 1,000-meter run with a time of 2:30.2.

JESSICA WETZLER Contributing Writer VIRGINIA TECH HOKIE INVITATIONAL Teams from around the country and various conferences competed in the Virginia Tech Hokie Invitational Friday and Saturday. VCU competed with strong performances and broke personal records by both veterans and rookies.

“This weekend, we got a better look at what our men are capable of and raised our ability to the challenges we faced,” said coach Jon Riley. “As a result, the men achieved many personnel records and top ten marks along the way.”

Freshman Ian Davis broke a personal record in the 60-meter hurdles prelims, running a time of 8.30. The time is currently the third-best Atlantic 10 time and the tenth-fastest time all-time for VCU in the event.

Junior Kareem Payne crossed the line in 6.87 to finish ninth in the 60-meter dash prelims. Payne is currently the third-fastest Atlantic 10 runner in the event. Sophomore Justin West ran a personal best in

the 60-meter dash, setting a time of 7.21.

Senior Calvin Wood showed distance strength after completing the 1,000-meter run with a time of 2:30.2. It is currently the fifth-fastest time in the Atlantic 10.

Junior Devon Thompson finished eighth in the 300-meter run with a time of 35.39.

Senior Racheed Davis earned a top-10 finish in both the long jump and the triple jump on day two of the Hokie invitational. Davis earned tenth in the long jump with a leap of 6.34 meters and earned eighth in the triple jump with a personal record leap of 14.28 meters. Davis’ triple jump mark is the fifth-best mark in the conference.

Sophomore Jamik Alexander took home a top-15 finish in the 200-meter run with a time of 22.13. The time currently ranks third in the Atlantic 10 for the event. Both sophomore Justin West (22.37) and junior Kareem Payne (22.46) ran times that put them in the top 15 in the Atlantic 10.

Freshmen Bryce Catlett finished sixth in the 5,000-meter run and earned a personal record as a Ram in the event, crossing the line in 15:50.85.

VCU’s 4x400-meter relay A team earned fifth in the event with a time of 3:17.47. The time is currently

third among Atlantic 10 relay teams. The A team consisted of four juniors -- Thompson, Nicholas Buckingham, Bigal Harrison and Kahlil Shepard.

Freshmen Kaline Torres earned a personal record in the 400-meter run, running a time of 50.84 seconds.

The VCU’s women’s first day at the Virginia Tech Hokie Invitational centered around junior Nichelle Scott’s performance. Scott ran a top-five Atlantic 10 time in the 1,000-meter run, finishing with a time of 2:52.11 and securing third in the event. The time is currently the fastest for the event in the Atlantic 10.

Freshman Kayla Smith had an powerful performance in the 300-meter, finishing in the top five with a time of 39.98.

Junior Taylor McCormick jumped her way to a mark of 11.97 meters in the triple jump and places eighth.

Senior Emily Dyke finished the mile with a time of 5:06.67, marking the tenth-best time in the Atlantic 10 this season.

Freshman Khoi Banks ran a personal record time of 9.16 in the 60-meter hurdles prelims. Sophomore Daijona Revell finished just behind Banks with a time of 9.21.

Freshman Dajae Goulet ran a personal best in the 60-meter dash, crossing the line with a time in 7.76.

Sophomore Ashley Greenlee finished third in the 600-meter run with a personal best time of 1:34.69.

The Rams remained in the spotlight on day two, securing top-five finishes -- the distance medley relay squad took home first.

The distance medley relay team consisting of freshmen Ashley Brown, Greenlee, Scott and Dyke placed first in the event with an Atlantic 10 best time of 12:02.66. The time is the second-fastest distance medley relay time in VCU history.

Freshman Makayla McGowan had a top-ten finish in the shot put with a throw of 13.35 meters, earning herself a ninth place finish in the event.

The 4x400-meter relay A team, consisting of Kayla Smith and sophomores Candice James, Taylor Watkins, and Latrice Morris, finished fourth with a time of 3:50.17. The time is the second-best in the Atlantic 10.

Freshman Delaney Savedge set a personal record after finishing third in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 18:25.36.

McCormick finished eighth in the triple jump with a mark of 11.97 meters.

—continued on page 8

8

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The Commonwealth Times

—continued from page 7 Junior Amiaya Carey hit a mark of 1.59 meters in the high jump, placing seventh in the event.

Junior De’Nisha Smith leapt a length of 5.36 meters in the long jump. Smith finished sixth in the event. Freshman Janelle Cheatham finished just behind De’Nisha Smith, setting a personal record with a 5.35 meters mark. Cheatham earning seventh in the event.

James and Taylor completed the 400-meter run in 59.14 and 59.24, respectively.

“The level of competition was increased this week and our women responded well to that,” Coach Riley said. “We showed that we can compete with any team around the country and have success.”

ETSU INVITATIONAL The VCU track and field team started the season off breaking records at the East Tennessee State University Invitational on Jan. 13. The women’s team took first place in the 3,000-meter run, the 200-meter, and the 4x400-meter relay event.

The men’s team showcased teamwork and strength in distance on the second day of the ETSU Invite. Senior Bismillah Alidost set a personal record in the 3,000-meter with a time of 9:06.93 and finished eighth in the

event.

VCU’s 4x400 meter A team finished third in their event with a time of 3:18.57, setting an A-10 season record.

The 4x400 meter B team, led by Abdul-Ali, Wood, Torres and freshman Chukwuezugo Aguolu, finished fifth with a time of 3:22.87, securing top-five finishes for VCU’s relay teams.

Alexander placed sixth in the final of the 60-meter with a time of 6.94.

“I’m really impressed with the young athletes and how they handled themselves as well as the leadership provided by our more veteran athletes,” Riley said.

“The team travelled well and took care of business. All in all, it was a great weekend to be a Ram.” The VCU women wrapped up day two of the ETSU Invitational on Jan. 14. Dyke finished first in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 10:16.75. Brown finished second in the mile with a time of 5:09.82, putting her seventh on the VCU all-time list and in the top 15 fastest mile times in the Atlantic 10.

Kayla Smith won the 200-meter and set an A-10 season-high with a time of 24.79, a score which tied her for eighth place in the all-time VCU record books.

The 4x400-meter relay team won the event in a time of 3:50.56. The time is the tenth-fastest all-time in the event for VCU.

Morris and freshman Alexis Willis both set personal records and finished in the top five of the 60-meter finals. Morris finished fourth with a personal record time of 7.68, while Willis finished fifth with a personal record time of 7.69. Morris’ time ties former track and field member Carina Peter for sixth on the VCU all-time list in the event while Willis’ time puts her at seventh all-time.

De’Nisha Smith finished fourth in the 400-meter run. Forty minutes after completing the 400-meter run, De’Nisha Smith took seventh in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.97.

Throwing coach Ethan Tussing, who is in his 10th season as a track coach, said he is impressed with how the team competed.

“It went really well,” Tussing said. “It was our first meet coming back from break and the team competed better than we thought we would have, considering we are so young.”

VCU Track and Field will return to the track next Saturday, Jan. 28 to compete in the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational in Lynchburg.

The level of competition was increased this week and our women responded well to that.

We showed that we can compete with any team around the country and have success.

Jon Riely Track and Field Coach

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 6-8 PM

The Welcome Back Bash is an opportunity for those who haven’t been to the gym very much or at all, to get to know Rec Sports better. Bring a student who has visited the gym five time or fewer since the start of the school year, or is new to VCU. If you bring a friend, you will both be entered into a raffle for some great prizes.

804-827-1100

• Giveaways for all participants while supplies last • Events and games held throughout the gym • Learn about Rec Sports employment opportunities • Free food provided by OrderUp Registration starts at 5:30 PM. Activities run 6 - 8 PM.

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Sam’s Take:

Monday, January 23, 2017

On this day...

in 2013, the U.S. armed forces overturned the 1994 ban on women serving in combat.

MOVIES

TOP

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SAMUEL GOODRICH Staff Writer

of

The new year is in full swing and I wanted to take a final look at some of 2016’s best movies.

While there were certainly duds, disappointments and clearly uninspired projects, the films that stood out will stand the test of time and be remembered for years to come. In celebration of the films released last year, I’ve decided to throw my two cents into the well overflowing with countless other opinions on the best movies of 2016.

2016

MLK Keynote, Marc Lamont Hill, urges intersectional activism

10 The Nice Guys PHOTO BY CAMERON LEONARD

Directed by Shane Black and starring Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe, this forgotten gem of 2016 is one of the year’s most clever. The hilarious dialogue delivered by great actors is expertly mixed with subversive action sequences and homages to classic noir stories and the 1970s.

9 Moana Disney animation has been on a roll the last few years, and “Moana” is the best one I’ve seen so far. The film is beautifully animated with great songs and dialogue, and the strong female protagonist tops the film off.

CNN political analyst Marc Lamont Hill delivered a keynote in the wake of the inauguration, during VCU’s “MLK week.”

8 Weiner

SIONA PETEROUS Spectrum Editor

It’s not what you think it is … kind of. “Weiner” is a documentary about politician Anthony Weiner, who ran for mayor of New York City after losing his spot in Congress due to a sexting scandal. Shortly after the mayoral race begins, Weiner is entangled in another sexting scandal while his campaign and life crumble around him. While the format is that of a documentary, the film plays out like a scripted and insane political satire, and the best (or worst) part is that it’s all real. “Weiner” is as thought-provoking as it is emotionally draining, making it one of the best documentaries I have ever watched.

7 Fences As an adaptation of the play by August Wilson, “Fences” doesn’t take the opportunity to do anything interesting with the film medium. Yet what it lacks in camera finesse, it exceeds in the script and performances. Denzel Washington and Viola Davis reprise their roles from the stage, showing a true ownership of these characters and bringing the powerhouse performances needed to elevate this film to something endlessly engaging.

6 Arrival Denis Villeneuve’s “Arrival” puts an intelligent, much-needed spin on the tired “alien invasion” plot. The film takes things slow and trusts the audience to follow along for the ride. With a great leading performance from Amy Adams and masterful directing, the film kept me interested until the beautifully bitter sweet end.

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5 Nocturnal Animals Also starring Amy Adams, Tom Ford’s multi-layered thriller shows the actresses’ versatility, going from a hopeful scientist in “Arrival” to the regretful and emotionally complex woman of “Nocturnal Animals.” The story is told in a unique and fascinating way that serves to turn what could have been a drab drama into an exciting thriller that will keep you glued to the screen until the brilliant end.

4 Miss Hokusai With a limited U.S. release (about a week), “Miss Hokusai” is the film you’re most likely to have not seen, which is a shame. This quiet portrait of the daughter of classic Japanese painter Katsushika Hokusai boasts beautiful animation on par with the painter’s own work. Add in interesting characters with themes of identity and the importance of self-expression, and you have the real hidden gem of last year.

3 Moonlight This recent winner of the Golden Globe for best drama completely deserved the honor, and any others it has or will receive. “Moonlight’s” intimate story of discovery and identity in America’s inner-cities is moving, elegant, and unwavering. Director Barry Jenkins handles the subject matter with masterfully delicacy, making him a filmmaker to look out for in the coming years.

2 The Lobster Darkly hilarious and brutally honest, “The Lobster” is a cringe-inducing comedy about the absurdity of modern dating habits. The film is disturbing, weird, and entirely genius and unique. The amount of detail in the writing and scenes make it a joy to re-watch and a catalyst for endless discussion. This was my favorite film of the year, until the film at No. 1 swooped in at the end to steal its thunder.

1 La La Land Damien Chazelle has done the impossible: he made two films in a row that forced me to think and talk about them for weeks after watching. This first happened with 2014’s “Whiplash,” and now with “La La Land.” The film is simultaneously an expertly crafted love letter to classic Hollywood and a Postmodern take on romantic films, revealing its true form as a modern French New Wave musical. Watching it on the big screen is an absolutely magical experience, one that I pray you don’t miss out on.

VCU students packed into the Common’s ballroom to listen to famous activist, Dr. Marc Lamont Hill, give the university’s MLK Keynote speech on the evening of Jan. 18.

Earlier that evening, the Morehouse College professor turned activist, journalist, author, radio host and political commentator met with a group of students to discuss various social issues relating to race, gender, incarceration and social media. His interactions with the students showed the calm and level demeanor which Dr. Hill has become known for due to his multiple appearances on CNN. When in the presence of the hundreds of anticipating students, Dr. Hill showcased his experience as a professor and professional public speaker who knows how to transition from calm and collected in one setting to passionate though equally level headed in another.

Dr. Hill opened his speech by challenging the common rhetoric which surrounds Dr. King in America today: “Martin King is a great and extraordinary human being but many of us have yet to come to terms with who or what he really was.”

Throughout his address, Dr. Hill argued that the best way to commemorate Dr. King and to challenge common romanticized perception of the Civil Rights leader is to understand the role of the intersectional activism in both Dr.King’s goal of equality and in today’s continuing mission for equality. “ [King’s] fundamental complexity is being obscured by our commitment to thin liberalism and multiculturalism, to safety, to political correctness, to white anxiety and black pacifism” he said, “I want to uncover a different Martin King, I want us to look at Martin King as he was, partly because we owe that to history and to ourselves.”

He also points out the fallacy in talking about King as if he was the only Civil Rights Leader.

“I also want to uncover the history the real Sojourner Truth, the real Harriet Tubman - I want to uncover all these folks but we focus on Martin King because he has become the face of Civil Rights in all our minds.”

Dr. Hill, who received his PhD from University of Pennsylvania with research based in understanding the intersection of culture, education and politics, expertly explained that if people want to follow Dr. King’s message and his ideas, then they must understand the intersectional activism across gender, race, ethnicity and class is needed to defeat systematic oppression of Black Americans as Dr. King once dreamed.

“There is no gender equality without racial equality, but more importantly there is no racial equality without gender equality” Dr. Hill said at one point to a cheering crowd, “You can’t have

freedom if one half of your race is oppressed by patriarchy and misogyny.”

Dr. King was involved in various social movements, and as Dr. Hill explained, the Civil Rights Leader never viewed the equality of Black Americans as an isolated event, but rather a collective effort.

Dr.Hill encouraged the audience to learn more about Dr. King’s intersectional activism which was done in the name of gaining equality for Black Americans. “ [He worked] with Chicano activists . . . labor unions. . . antiwar activists . . . the anti-poverty activists who were protesting against the hunger of children in America’s coal mining counties” He would at times lighten the mood by making poignant humorous commentary.

“I come to campuses and meet 25 students who are the President of this organization or another organization” he chuckled, “You gotta work together, it can’t be about ego. It can’t be about wanting to recognition. With real change people know they might not get recognition - but they do it.”

A notable moment during the two and half hour keynote was his impassioned dismantling of the common “romanticization” of Dr. King’s famous, “ I Have a Dream” speech.

Hill argues that the speech was King’s way of holding America to it’s promise of equality, freedom and prosperity. The speech wasn’t, despite how it is viewed today, a speech that people should be complacent and ignore the struggle of gaining equality for romantic notion of peace earning equality for Black Americans, The perception of King should not, according to Hill, rely on “one or two excerpts and soundbites of the speeches that are played.”

When asked how people should combat false perceptions of Black Lives Matter and how to encourage inclusive activism across existing institutions, he responded that reading is key: “I need you all to read! Not just 144 words, not a link!” the crowd laughs “King read, whole books! So read and keep reading.”

Dr. Hill’s experience in public speaking shined through the keynote. He addressed pressing issues of race, gender, patriarchy, neocolonialism, environmental racism, trans-rights, economic inequality and immigration.

It is, according to Dr. Hill, in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King to create more intersectional, more robust and more effective activism against the criminalization of Black bodies and other minorities across race, gender and class.

“The Dream is an ideal, a goal, but we must self-actualize it into reality - and to do that we must see the connections, you gotta see the connections between these issues.”

Read about the student-led session Marc Lamont Hill participated in before his keynote speech on page 10.

spectrum

10 The Commonwealth Times

VCU department head seeks to educate professionals on recognizing, treating addiction GEORGIA GEEN Staff Writer Following the death of his son, a VCU department head is addressing how the field of medicine views and treats addiction.

Omar Abubaker, head of the VCU Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, presented “Compassion in the Midst of Addiction: A Doctor’s Journey of Turning Grief into Education,” during the Jan. 19 installment of Thursday Theology’s monthly Bible studies.

The presentation was dedicated to Abubaker’s son, Adam, as well as others who have been lost to addiction and those who continue fighting each day to stay in recovery.

“I want(ed) to know the killer of my son,” Abubaker said of his motivation to complete a certification with the International Programme in Addiction Studies after Adam’s death.

VCU is one of three universities that collaborated to create IPAS, which offers online courses that culminate in a range of certifications. Abubaker will attend a graduation ceremony in London this summer.

Abubaker began last week’s lecture with examples of compassion across a variety of religions, and stressed how compassion is essential in practicing medicine.

Abubaker said doctors are not well-educated and thus are ill-equpped to deal with recognizing and

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, here are some local resources that can help:

We have terminology to describe people who are addicted that has everything but compassion. If a doctor doesn’t have compassion for a person, then the doctor cannot treat the patient.”

The Wellness Resource Center

The McShin Foundation

Rams in Recovery

University Counseling Services students.vcu.edu/counseling Student Commons, Rm 238 907 Floyd Ave.

thewell.vcu.edu 815 S. Cathedral Place Richmond, VA 23284

Omar Abubaker VCU Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

PHOTO BY JULIE TRIPP

treating addiction.

“We have terminology to describe people who are addicted that has everything but compassion,” Abubaker said. “If a doctor doesn’t have compassion for a person, then the doctor cannot treat the patient.”

Abubaker said that there is no separation between his personal and professional experiences with addiction, and said he often shares his son’s story with patients so they know he’s not judging them.

“I think we need to change the narrative and the conversation about addiction from (being) some other social or behavioral disease to an organic brain disease,” Abubaker said. “Accepting addiction as a disease made it easy for me to practice compassion as a tool in approaching a patient with addiction.”

Melissa Burton is the Financial and Academic Coordinator for the Center for Professional Education at VCU and founder of Thursday Theology. Burton said she selected the idea of compassion as the theme of the presentation.

“I meet a lot of people in a lot of different areas and one of the things that is very important to me is compassion,” Burton said. Part of Burton’s background is homeless and prison ministries.

Thursday Theology’s monthly events alternate between the MCV and Monroe Park campuses and feature guest speakers or group discussions.

The Jan. 19 event took place in the W. Baxter Perkinson Jr. Building, which is part of the VCU School of Dentistry.

thewell.vcu.edu/recovery-support facebook.com/ramsinrecovery

Omar Abubaker, head of the VCU Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, presented “Compassion in the Midst of Addiction: A Doctor’s Journey of Turning Grief into Education,” last week. Abubaker dedicated the presentation to his son, Adam, who passed away from addiction.

mcshin.org 2300 Dumbarton Rd. Richmond, VA 23228

Marc Lamont Hill builds with the people ahead of MLK lecture MUKTARU JALLOH Staff Writer Political commentator, activist, professor and writer Marc Lamont Hill met with a group of students for an intimate discussion on various issues ahead of his keynote lecture celebrating VCU’s “MLK Week.”

The charged dialogue in the student commons ranged from topics addressing the Donald Trump presidency, political and social activism, racism and mass incarceration.

The 38-year-old has stood out as one of the leaders in this new era of freedom fighters and social activists. In addition to being an African-American studies professor at Morehouse College and political analyst

on CNN, Hill also does work in Palestine and places of turmoil and crisis.

In the aftermath of the murder of Mike Brown, Hill joined thousands and protested in Ferguson, Mo. His long time activism and recent work culminated in his 2016 New York Times Bestseller, Nobody: Casualties of America’s War on the Vulnerable, from Ferguson to Flint and Beyond. The book tackles systemic issues of race and class that has left people disenfranchised and oppressed in the country.

When asked advice about these issues, Hill offered various strategies to help turn things around.

“You have to be able to talk to those who don’t agree with you, who challenge your worldview. It’s necessary,” Hill said.

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Hill said he also believes that while dialogue is valuable, one must first check the counter’s motivation first.

“Everyone says they want a seat at the table but what are you bringing to the table?”

In recent months, black celebrities, most notably rapper Kanye West and entertainer Steve Harvey, have had publicized meetings with Trump that has led to much controversy and backlash. Hill, who criticized both on social media, said he questioned their reasoning behind the meetings to begin with.

“When you get there, bring people that will challenge Trump otherwise you just become a photo-op, who comes into Trump Towers, takes pictures so somebody can say, ‘Hey look, I’m with the blacks.’”

A key point Hill examines in the book and also the discussion are the ramifications of such issues like racism and capitalism, mass incarceration. When a student in the room asked about ways to reverse the trend, Hill quickly refocuses her question.

“I resist the term mass incarceration. It’s the mass incarceration of black people,” Hill said.

“I’m committed to thinking of ways to think beyond the bars.

We have to stop creating laws that lock people up. Stop doing things that use prison as the resolution.”

Instead of thinking about who did the crime and how should we punish, Hill argued the system should prioritize who was hurt and how to heal these people.

He emphasized the unfortunate reality that the over-policing of Marc Lamont black neighborhoods leads to over criminalization of black neighborhoods.

On the topic of white supremacy, Hill offered strategies to help alleviate these issues, starting with our ability to think and believe differently.

“The information we read, the films we watch, all these things are forms of pedagogy. We have to constantly resist those and reimagine a new world of post colonial and post-racism reality.”

Despite the country’s transgressions and struggles, Hill said he hopes for a better tomorrow has never wavered and encouraged everyone in the room to do the same.

“I think there’s always a silver lining. I’ve never not believed … I think we’re in a moment of crisis, but in a moment of crisis people organize and respond differently.”

In recent years, there’s been a change in the attitudes of many, resulting in efforts and movements of change across the country.

“Maybe people are learning and paying attention now. Maybe they realize what’s at stake, their political education will increase, their involvement will enhance and maybe we’ll do better work.”

When it comes to the work, Hill said he believes it has started with the people. Many in the room consisted of activists and protesters, and Hill reiterated their actions should be supported with their ongoing learning.

“Be kind to yourself,” Hill said.

“Take a moment to appreciate how your work matters. Think long term. For me it was Mumia in the 90’s, for some it was South Africa, for others it was Rodney King, for you all it was Ferguson (…) think about this as a long distance run.”

Hill took pictures, signed autographs and talked to each student who waited to speak to him, culminating a powerful exchange of ideas and thought after the dialogue concluded.

One of the students front and center at the event was VCU senior De’Von Henderson.

“I believe that the part he discussed about education stuck out to me,” Henderson said. “I Hill feel like when you get into these areas where predominantly black students attend there’s a blatant lack of materials and resources that many don’t have, opposed to white schools.”

Henderson added there should be a way to get more funding in those schools to improve education all around.”

“Moving forward, I think that it’s important to continue to have these type of discussions and figure out what’s really bothering us, continue to exercise my rights, continue to protest and continue to educate myself more on all issues not just things that I may feel are only important,” Henderson said.

I think there’s always a silver lining. I think we’re in a moment of crisis, but in a moment of crisis people organize and respond differently.

www.commonwealthtimes.org

Monday, January 23, 2017 11

More than a soundbite:

challenging the limited notions of Martin Luther King Jr. SIONA PETEROUS Spectrum Editor On Tuesday Jan. 18, 2017 VCU’s Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMSA) held a teach-in event, “More than a Soundbite” to explore the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King and challenge the monolithic imagery of the Civil Rights Leader.

The teach-in was led by Reginald Stroble, one of OMSA’s Assistant Directors but was a collaborative effort with OMSA’s Program Specialist, Jenae Harrington.The inspiration, according to Strobel, was a MLK week event held by VCU’s Black Graduate Student Association last year, which featured various influential yet lesser known and less cited speeches given by Dr. King.

“I like the idea of understanding King more,” Stroble said, “But instead of talking about his professional success I wanted to explore his personal life, the Dr. King no one really learns about.”

The event included a mix of students, faculty and students from Central Montessori School (CMS).

Jason Muckle, a teacher from CMS, explained that he felt understanding the nuances of the leader and his representation decades after his passing was important for his students to understand: “I was curious and wanted to flesh [out] some lesser known aspects of Dr.King.”

Stroble used Dr .King’s self-titled autobiography as a the basis for the teach-in and opened the event with a reminder that the civil rights leader was in jail quite frequently for his

beliefs. A fact which according to Strobel, many people forget.

In continuation of the theme of understanding the Civil Rights leader, the teach-in was divided into two interactive discussion portions.

Attendees were picked at random to work together to write down what they knew about Dr. King and what they thought about the Civil Rights movement.

There was a focus on Dr. King’s often undiscussed depression, which can first be traced to his suicide attempt following the death of his grandmother.

“The stigma of depression and mental illness is bad in [our] communities,” an attendee spoke out, “if he had it, then everyone should know it’s ok to have it too and we should talk about it. He wasn’t perfect just

because he was a great leader.”

Chris RuizDevelasco, A VCU Graduate student, commented that there should be more focus on Dr. King outside of the “I Have A Dream” soundbite.

“These things make him more human and with people who think like that - who think with hate - we can’t let them take over the concept of ‘nonviolence’ so they can justify their oppression.” RuizDevelasco said.

A clip was shown from Lee’s Daniels, The Butler, where the characters undergo intensive training to prepare for the brutal treatment they would receive for staging a sit-in within segregated restaurants. Strobel then discussed about the concept of nonviolence as political resistance.

“People use him [Dr. King] to tell other people to be ‘peaceful’

and ‘nonviolent’” Strobel explains, “but the people [we] face may not be peaceful.”

A student from CMS brought the room to contemplative silence with her interpretation of nonviolent theory, “It’s not just turning the other cheek,” she said, “Rather it’s turn the other cheek to get slapped again and again - and that takes strength because I don’t think I could do that.”

Harrington wants people to understand that Martin Luther King shouldn’t be just about one day of service.

“There are 364 other days of the year to do MLK’s work, why only do his work on one day?”

Both Harrington and Strobel as well as the OMSA staff felt the teach-in was a success and hope to host another similar event soon.

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Students, members, and alumni are welcome to join Rec Sports’ new advisory committee which seeks feedback and input on policies, equipment and more email Derek at dlhottell@vcu.edu by 1/31 to sign up!

for full schedules, and to check out all our activities, visit recsports.vcu.edu or call 804-827-1100.

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12 The Commonwealth Times

opinion

www.commonwealthtimes.org

Monday, January 23, 2017 13

Quote of the week

“As students, we claimed our educations and autonomy during an administration comprised of public servants devoted to moving our nation forward. We are grateful, and we are committed to doing the same.”

Staff Editorial

A Farewell to President Obama

Thank you, Obama family, for eight years of relentless passion, diligence and class. Growing up in the Obama era has been an unexplainable privilege I am immensely thankful for. Your work over the years has inspired the next generation to love, advocate and teach.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

SOPHIA BELLETTI Sports Editor

“You only want him as President because he’s black. Look at the congressional Archives! Don’t be racist.”

Those were the words my eighth grade Geography teacher spewed at me in class in the week before your historic 2008 election. Sure, I was humiliated but mostly hurt and angry When she agreed with my thoughts I was a brilliant star student. But when I disagreed for valid reasons? It was because I was too Black to think critically. The intersectional nature of my identity didn’t matter, my facts didn’t matter. I’m Black so I couldn’t be relied on for a valid thought She reduced my intelligence to measurements of my race.

I’m a Black first-generation EritreanAmerican woman. I was loved, but I grew up extremely poor with an unstable upbringing and I struggle everyday to get by. According to these measurements my voice doesn’t matter. People and policies alike will devalue my voice by my alleged inability to see past my own experiences.

I don’t agree with everything you did but I always knew the decisions were made with the best intentions. In the face of decisive era of Presidential leadership I will continue to use my voice just like you’ve always encouraged us all to do and I’ll be damned if any authority tries to stop me.

SIONA PETEROUS Spectrum Editor

House briefing room and listened to Press Secretary Josh Earnest and President Obama address student loan forgiveness. But perhaps most importantly, memorably, was when our President and Mr. Earnest reaffirmed the imperative of a free press.

Thank you for the last eight years, Mr. President. We, too, accept the peaceful transition of power, as it is the hallmark of our democracy; we are also astutely aware that there has never been a greater necessity for a free and open press. As a staff, perhaps as a nation, we took too much for granted the honest attributes of this nation’s leadership that we hold in such high esteem. As students, we claimed our educations and autonomy during an administration comprised of public servants devoted to moving our nation forward. We are grateful, and we are committed to doing the same.

The Obamas deserve nothing but my thanks. Thank you for letting my grandparents see that their fight, which continues into our era, was not all for naught. Thank you for giving us hope in dark and turbulent times, for showing us that the power truly can and does lie with the people, and for proving all we need is hope and love to galvanize change.

SHAUN JACKSON Staff Columnist

Thank you for showing us that love is love and that color is not a measure of worth. Thank you for teaching our girls that their minds are extraordinary and their thoughts are valid.

SRITEJA YEDHARA Contributing Columnist

Mr. President, from the bottom of my heart thank you. The grace and honor you carried your administration with is something I will continue to admire throughout my young adult life. Thanks for reminding me; a young, Muslim woman born to a pair of Pakistani immigrants that no dream or goal is too far out of reach. May Allah protect you and your family.

Mr. Obama, I am endlessly thankful to have come of age with a man as poised, intelligent and sincere as you are in the oval office. Thank you for an inspiring eight years; you have left your successor with enormous shoes to fill.

ELEANOR FIALK Opinion Editor

Thank you so much for being an inspiration to so many people of color. For showing how powerful representation is, and for caring so much for the future.

ASHLEY MOODY Graphic Designer

Dear Obama family, I thank you for your tireless and steadfast commitment to maintaining flawless decorum. You received much more than your fair share of criticism while living in the White House, an met every shot taken at you with humility, patience and a willingness to accept competing points of view. In today’s political climate, your electorate appreciates this more than ever.

ZACK JOACHIM Sports Editor

HIBA AHMAD Staff Writer

Thank you for inspiring and teaching the younger generations of their large part in shaping the future.

ERIC NGO Graphic Designer

Dear Editor:

ILLUSTRATION BY SKYE ALI

We, as the staff of the Commonwealth Times, are comprised of millenials who came of age in the eight years of the Obama Administration. Until the 2008 election, the biggest flashbulb-memory, “political moment,” of our lives was the Sep. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Most of us were not even in the first grade, and yet that day was pivotal.

For some of us, 9/11 meant grappling with the death of friends and family for the first time; others became keenly aware of, and were forced to navigate, the harsh realities of discrimination and prejudice for being Muslim-American in a country supposedly grounded in, among other inalienable rights, the freedom of religion; still others grew up in military households, a parent (or parents) absent at soccer games and holiday concerts while fighting to protect these freedoms abroad.

The repercussions of 9/11 left none of us unscathed — but it wasn’t until we reached middle school that our political consciousness became more refined.

It was during an era of paradigm shifts and the onslaught of synthesizing the personal as political that we learned the name “Barack Obama.” Gregarious, accessible, humble and bearing a message of Hope — the next eight years, too, would leave none of us untouched.

As we intrinsically refined our political ideologies, our personal beliefs and our values, at the helm of our nation was a man of character, grit, humor and humility. Not once did the Obama family falter in dignity or class.

When the CT covered protests on this campus in the aftermath of Black men and women across our nation dying at the hands of law enforcement, our commander-in-chief quite literally embodied the importance of pursuing change — because no matter how slow, or unfair, it will come.

When the White House lit up in rainbow lights in celebration of the SCOTUS legalizing gay marriage, it was a victory for every LGBTQ+ individual and ally.

When we reported on Title IX law and federal investigations of mishandled sexual assaults on college campuses — some of us on staff having personally survived rape, sexual assault and other forms of gendered violence — it was in no small part due to our President having taken the reigns in making this “epidemic” of national importance.

When Michelle spoke at the DNC last year, we watched in awe, goosebumps piercing our flesh, as she poignantly reiterated how she and Barack watched their daughters mature in a house once built by slaves.

As a staff, we covered the presidential election on FM radio, online and for print. A solemn stillness swathed the newsroom that night. We had only-ever known, intimately, our Black president; the poised first family; one of the most well-educated cabinets in history; a vice-president who made his “best friend and brother,” Barack, a friendship bracelet on his birthday.

Last April, the Executive Editor of this publication sat in the White

Letters to the Editor

Thank you for showing us that empathy has a place in the White House. Now we know what kind of strength, respect, and kindness it takes to be the better person in every situation.

DESIREE CHOE Graphic Designer

Thank you for having a kind face and a clear voice—for being smart and capable and making us proud.

You and Michelle are such excellent role models and examples of what true compassion looks like. Thank you for all your hard work to make our country a safe and beautiful place to live.

RACHEL LEE Graphic Designer

SARAH BUTLER Graphic Designer

President-elect Donald Trump promised to to drain the swamp in Washington, but his picks of Scott Pruitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), former Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson to lead the Department of State, and climatechange denier Rick Perry for Energy Secretary, suggest the swamp creatures are positioned to take the reins of government.

Pruitt, whose confirmation hearing is set for Jan. 18, is a climate science denier who, as Attorney General for the state of Oklahoma, regularly conspired with the fossil fuel industry to attack EPA protections. His own website bio describes him as “a leading advocate against the EPA’s activist agenda,” and he cannot be trusted to head the Environmental Protection Agency.

Pruitt’s record isn’t pretty. He got caught working hand in glove with the oil industry, going so far as to send letters to the White House with his signature and stationary that had actually been written by Big oil lobbyists. The key role of the Environmental Protection Agency is to ensure all Americans — regardless of religion, race, or birthplace — can enjoy clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and have their health protected from environmental and climate threats.

In order to pass safeguards to meet its mission, the EPA bases decisions and policy entirely on science, rather than guesses or assumptions by non-expert sources. This process has protected communities across the country from acid rain, smog, and a litany of other threats.

President-elect Donald Trump’s recent announcement that he plans to appoint Pruitt as EPA Administrator is appalling and unacceptable. He is clearly unfit to head this important, life-protecting agency. Add his picks for the Secretaries of State and Energy and you have the makings of one of the most anti-environmental cabinets in recent history.

That’s why I’m calling on Virginia U.S. Senator Mark Warner’s D.C. Office to oppose this nomination next week, and you can too by dialing (202) 224-2023. Your call makes a difference; the health of our children and the planet is at stake.

Kendyl Crawford Conservation Program Manager Virginia Sierra Club 422 East Franklin St., Ste 302 Richmond, Va. 23219

Dear Editor: Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe has signed a rather bizarre executive order which actually aims to discriminate against businesses that do not have anti-discrimination policies regarding sexual orientation and gender identity.

Liberal, pro-LGBT values are so upsidedown, backwards and twisted that proLGBT people actually believe it is okay to ignore the feelings of decent moral people who don’t want adult sexually confused transgenders to use bathrooms their children use. In other words, liberals place the disordered feelings of transgenders above the feelings of normal people. Truly bizarre.

A lot of decent moral people are getting really fed up with liberal hypocrisy, liberal judgmentalism, liberal self-righteousness, liberal name-calling, liberal hate, liberal intolerance, liberal prejudices, and liberal discrimination. This helps explain why Trump beat Clinton.

This country needs to rise up against the ignorant liberal bigots who believe it’s okay to discriminate against and make criminals out of decent moral people who, for example, don’t want to cater to “weddings” of heterophobic homosexuals. This corruption and these regressive, warped liberal prejudices need to be vigorously opposed.

Wayne Lela

comics

14 The Commonwealth Times

Inauguration Day by Malik Radford

THE CT STAFF Executive Editor Sarah King

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The Movement Continues by Gareth Bentall

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The Commonwealth Times strives for accuracy in gathering news. If you think we have made an error, please email Sarah King, executive editor, at kingsa@commonwealthtimes.org.

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