The
PROMETHEAN Vol. 32 Issue IV
The Student Voice of Siena College Since 1938
Dr. Lewis Releases Book on Transgender Rights
By Emily Rhoades, Academic & Social News Editor Dr. Daniel Lewis, associate professor of political science, held a book release lunch on Wed. Oct. 24, 2018, in Lonnstrom Dining Hall. His book, titled "The Remarkable Rise of Transgender Rights," was co-authored by Jami K. Taylor and Donald P. Haider-Markel and seeks to explore “how a small, seemingly marginalized group becomes a political force.” The event drew in students and faculty of all majors interested in learning more about the transgender rights movement. Dr. Lewis shared how he decided on the topic of transgender rights. “I’ve been broadly interested in the idea of how minority rights are represented in our democratic system,” he said. “I looked at a lot of gay rights issues. Through networking with my coauthors, I started doing some work there and realized there wasn’t really a comprehensive examination of transgender rights politics. We saw it as more of a need and something we were passionate about trying to understand.” In promoting his newly released book, Dr. Lewis shared some of the research he studied while working on "Remarkable Rise." Transgender people account for roughly 1 percent of the U.S. population, and the term “transgender” was not even in existence a few decades ago, so there was no label to identify with in pursuing these types of policies. Through research, Dr. Lewis learned that knowing someone who is transgender increases one’s likelihood to support beneficial policies. “The number of people that report knowing someone who is transgender has increased over time, not only among close friends or family members but also acquaintances,” Dr. Lewis said, “which suggests there are opportunities to increase support for their policies.” Part of Dr. Lewis’ research included running national surveys about people’s attitudes towards transgender people and transgender rights policies. On a “hot to cold” spectrum, transgender people have a lower rating than gays & lesbians, gun owners, police, interracial couples, scientists and veterans; this suggests the response to transgender people is generally negative. When polled on discrimination policies, an overwhelming majority agreed with providing protection for transgender people, yet the results become more polarizing when prompted about bathroom policies. Even though bathroom access is still a concern directly related to transgender rights, there was an even split on those surveyed on using bathrooms marked with one’s current gender identity versus one’s birth gender. “We had a lot of variation based on the policy itself,” Dr.
Lewis explained. Though Dr. Lewis is optimistic about the course of the transgender rights movement, there are still continuing challenges. Levels of public support for transgender people remain relatively low. Similarly, transgender rights achievements over the Obama administration have been removed in the current administration. “We’re seeing a lot of those successes peeled back over the Trump administration,” Dr. Lewis said. “A lot of these victories are tenuous right now, and there are challenges to come for the movement. Still, there is a lot of optimism for the transgender movement in securing these civil rights,” Dr. Lewis concluded. The luncheon was supported by the School of Liberal Arts, the Diversity Action Committee, the Center of Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity and the Department of Political Science and International Relations. If students are interested in purchasing Dr. Lewis’ book, copies can be ordered online.
"Brave New Dances" Come to Siena
By Carli Scolforo, Staff Writer Something fresh, new and interactive moved through Siena during the third weekend of October, courtesy of Maude Baum and Company Dance Theatre. The show "Brave New Dances" was performed in the lower level of Foy Hall, transforming the classroom into a space for both professional and community dancers to showcase routines they describe as “hot off the imagination” in their programs. These dances were new, still in revision and rehearsed for only about six hours before the company of dancers performs them. At the end of
November 2, 2018 newspaper@siena.edu each set of dances, the choreographers and dancers held a short session for comments and criticisms from the audience. This was a special opportunity for both the performers and the viewers to peek into each other’s worlds--for the audience to be a part of the creative process, and for the artists to have an outside voice telling them what works while the routine is still in creation. This format of this show worked especially well because of the diversity on Siena's campus during the weekend of Oct. 19. Besides the students in the crowd, there were active audience participants from preschoolaged kids all the way to people receiving a senior discount on their tickets. With this variety of audience members, there was a wide range of interpretations of these prototype dances. The mixture of experiences could be clearly seen in the first dance of the night, titled “Record Player Vignettes Vol. II.” This was danced by four women to sounds varying from Richard Nixon’s inauguration vows to Sam Cooke and a few in between, all being played by the dancers manually switching old vinyl records on a record player onstage. This was a piece many of the elder members of the crowd connected to during the post-performance discussion, but the interpretations of the piece were vastly different. While some felt it emulated “American Bandstand” and others felt it more akin to Nazi Germany, each placing a different emphasis on the fluid and rigid aspects of the dance. But with such polar opposite interpretations, what is the correct meaning? This was a question particularly on the lips of some of the younger audience members. When an elementary-school-aged girl inquired this of Maude Baum, artistic director of the event, she simply said: “Whenever you look at dance, whatever you think or feel, that’s exactly what it is.” To these artists, what is important is not their intentions behind the work but what each individual thinks and feels when exposed to it. This was especially true in the format of this show, where the routines are not necessarily set in stone. During the discussion following a piece titled “Wind, Clouds, Water,” dancer Marianne Schultz candidly said that “most of the work is improvised.” These studied dancers mostly spent rehearsals under the guidance and vision of Baum, exploring the feelings and motions emulated by their inspiration for the piece, in this case, a seaside. While the two dancers for this piece generally knew most of the moves and the story they wanted to tell, aspects of the work were still decided on in the moment through connections between them. These moments of improvisation were exhibited all throughout the show. Beautiful and highly artistic dances alternated with almost amateur-theatre-like moments of childishly playing catch in the piece “Goofy.” The key word in "Brave New Dances"
November 2, 2018
Editorial Board Emily Radigan Editor-in-Chief
The Promethean
Academic & Social News | 2
Academic & Social News
Samantha Deragon General Assistant Editor Annamaria Walden General Assistant Editor Emily Rhoades Academic & Social News Editor Jaymie Hoelldobler Arts & Entertainment Editor Megan Kelly Opinion Editor Hugo Castro Politics Editor Julianna Sebastian Sports Editor
Editorial Policy The opinions and views expressed in editorial and opinion columns are solely those of their author and do not represent the views of The Promethean staff or of Siena College. Any response to an editorial without intent to publish should be submitted directly to the author of the article. If you wish to send your reaction to The Promethean or its Editor-in-Chief, it falls under the guidelines of Letters to the Editor. Letters must be no longer than 700 words. Submission to the paper does not guarantee publication. Opinion and editorial articles submitted are edited strictly for basic spelling and grammar only. The editorial board reserves the right to make any and all decisions and editorial changes on newspaper content, with the final decisions belonging to the Editor-inChief. Any changes besides spelling and grammar will be run by the author before publication. Article Submission Guidelines The Promethean reserves the right to deny publication of any article that is deemed by the Editor-in-Chief to be • Slanderous or libelous • Advocating violence or harm to any person or group of people • Advocating discrimination of any sort • Advocating performance of illegal actions • Improperly researched and cited • Lacking sufficient journalistic integrity References must be formatted in AP style and will not be accepted in any other form. Statements made as fact in letters to the editor and editorials/opinions are the sole responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Promethean, its staff, or Siena College. Next Issue: November 16, 2018 Article/Advertisement Deadline: November 12, 2018
is “brave”. The experience of performing something that isn't quite perfect and hearing the audience’s comments immediately after is as nerve-wracking as an audience member staring a creator in the face and telling them what worked and did not work in their piece. Yet it's safe to say that all in attendance bravely rose to these challenges, and had a unique experiencing in getting to see these dances before they were show-ready.
Women in Migration
By Alexis Oldfield, Staff Writer As a college campus located ten minutes away from a refugee center, the issues that lie within migration should not be a new concept to Siena students. However, because the hardships that female migrants face on their journeys are seldom told, many of us fall ignorant to the severity of the matter. On Wed. Oct. 17, Siena welcomed a panel of speakers to share their knowledge on the topic of the gendered nature of migration. "Crossing the Border: Women in Migration" centered on the situations of vulnerability that female migrants are too often forced into and the policy changes that currently being put into place to fit their needs. Michael Stewart Evans, a Policy Analyst at UN Women, began the evening by introducing the crowd to the idea of a protection gap, or having no government assistance to migrate. While migrating with no help from the government is extremely dangerous, the risks involved heighten significantly if the migrant is a woman, explained Evans. This is the intersection between gender and migration; women are more likely to be assaulted, raped and murdered than men during their journeys. Evans stated that these concerns have been recognized by the United Nations and that they have responded by creating the first-ever international agreement addressing these migration issues: the Global Compact for Migration. The ultimate goal of the compact is to change the narrative of migration to people choosing to leave their homeland only if they wish to, not because they feel they need to for their own safety. “We can’t have policies telling women they cannot migrate,” remarked Evans. Therefore, while many women still must seek asylum in migrating illegally, the UN will do what it can to support them by meeting their gender-specific migrating needs. Next to speak was the Representative at the UN for Franciscans International, Marina El Khoury. Her organization makes a direct impact with migrant women by providing shelters of safety for the women. Within these
shelters, the women are given whatever kind of care they need while making their perilous migration. Currently working with Franciscans International, one of their core beliefs is that advocacy is the most important part of creating a change. El Khoury expressed that she works to bring the concerns of migrant women, that are often ignored, directly to the policymakers. She concluded by noting that the Global Compact for Migration is still flawed and that she is working to change that, but that we are headed in the right direction. To finish off the forum was a true story from a refugee in Albany told by Mevlüde Akay. Akay holds an LL.M. from Harvard Law School and currently serves the immigrant community in our very own Capital Region. Without a doubt the most heart-wrenching part of the night, Akay spoke of a woman, Pamela, desperately trying to save herself and family from gang violence in their homeland of El Salvador. With many attacks on her daughter's life and no help from her local officials, Pamela needed to leave to save herself and, hopefully, her family. After being raped and physically assaulted, her terrible migration ended with border portal finding her covered in her own blood in a river. Akay said that Pamela was held in a detention center by border portal for two months and then granted asylum in Troy, New York. Unfortunately, before she could petition for her daughter to be brought the U.S, Pamela’s daughter was murdered by a gang member. Today, Pamela struggles with severe depression and PTSD because of the horrors she faced trying to escape the equally horrific conditions in El Salvador. Akay commented that Pamela was one of the luckier female refugees, as most face similar hardships, but do not survive the journey. The "Crossing the Border: Women in Migration" forum was made possible by Siena’s Sr. Thea Bowman Center for Women and the Pre-Law Society. The panel shed light onto the experiences people who do not typically get a voice in mainstream America. Furthermore, it emphasized the fact that these issues are not foreign, as they exist within our own communities. Essentially, all of the panelists expressed that they believe while today women voices are finally being heard to some extent, there is still much progress to be made.
3| Academic & Social News
Can You Trust Your Distrust?
The Promethean
November 2, 2018
someone standing on the side of the road, MAC on March 23 from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. think about how few times people are attacked in their cars while waiting at a red light. Then think if it is really necessary to lock your car door. So the next time you need to decide By Kaitlyn Winkler, Staff Writer Siena’s Philosophy Department invited whether to trust someone or not, consider if Dr. Jason D’Cruz from the University of Albany your distrust is trustworthy. By Madison Lemke, Staff Writer to speak concerning his developing research At an open forum, “How I Healed about trust on Oct. 19, 2018. The majority My Brain After Drugs,” Siena alum Garrison of his work in the past has been focused on Grant '17 described a compelling account of ethics and morality. In addition to working at overcoming mental illness and substance a number of institutions including Harvard, Dr. By Sophia Henneman, Staff Writer 'Tis the season for lots of pink! Since abuse. The 26-year old Saratoga Springs D’Cruz has been published in academic journals October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, resident explained that he did not have much such as Ethics, Philosophical Psychology, and the Journal of the American Philosophical pink is spreading all over the country to raise knowledge regarding mental illness. It was awareness for the disease. The Colleges not until a horrific encounter with synthetic Association. He began his colloquium entitled, Against Cancer Club has been working hard marijuana that he realized the severity of “Distrusting Distrust,” with an all-too- to spread awareness right here on Siena’s substance abuse and the impact it has on common situation of what he termed baseless campus. The club held an entire breast cancer one’s brain. Grant began his career in higher distrust: a black man walking through a white awareness week with various events, one neighborhood and hearing the sound of car being the “Pink Out” on Oct. 19 during free education at the College of Brockport. During his first year at college, he began drinking. doors locking as he passes each vehicle. He period. The club held a table in the Sarazen Grant had seen his suitemates and peers doing explained that he was interested in this kind of Student Union that also had lots of pink it so he decided to join as well. Partying and unmerited distrust because it is often ignored giveaways, raffles, and even bra pong. If a drinking began to be his new routine and he when discussing the philosophy of trust. Dr. D’Cruz described distrust as “the student wore pink and came to the table, they fell into an endless spiral of sleep deprivation. tendency to withdraw from reliance or were eligible for a ticket for the raffle baskets. The days within spring and summer of 2011, vulnerability based on construal of a person Any additional ticket cost $1, and all proceeds Grant began adding marijuana to his routine as malevolent and lacking integrity whose went to the American Cancer Society. The as well, though Grant did not see much of a character includes various resentment, fear table also raised money for the American problem until August of 2011 when he smoked or disgust”. You can have hot distrust in Cancer Society through a bake sale. The synthetic marijuana. He thought that since it response to the person’s malevolence and club does fundraisers all year to benefit the was legal and being sold in a smoke shop, it lack of integrity or cold distrust because you American Cancer Society, an organization that would be safe. Yet this was far from the truth. raises money for cancer research and care. After smoking the marijuana for a couple believe the person to be incompetent. Even though there was a fundraising days, Grant began to experience symptoms While being distrustful may seem like it is protecting you from getting hurt, Dr. D’Cruz component to the event, it really means so such as racing thoughts. This led to him going argues that you should “distrust your distrust." much more. When I spoke to the Colleges to a mental health unit in Saratoga Springs. He Trusting strangers is often very biased and Against Cancer president, Katharine Ross '19, later found out that the drug leads to induced relies heavily on physiological factors like she said, “It was a fun event, but it was meant psychosis. Instead of letting the experience facial features. People are more likely to trust to get students to think about breast cancer strangers who they consider are most like and feel more comfortable talking about their negatively affect him, Grant has used the them, otherwise known as an in-group. This experiences or how to become more aware experience to empower him and many others. technique has no real basis in character but of breast cancer.” Spreading awareness for Grant graduated Siena in December 2017 cancer is so important and is the mission of with a degree in marketing, concentrating rather in prejudices and stereotypes. When people do not trust, they often do the club. Ross said, “Spreading awareness in entrepreneurship. His experience with not take into consideration how it makes the about breast cancer is important because it is entrepreneurship has led him to a platform distrusted person feel. Dr. D’Cruz considered something that affects a lot of people. Even if he created called “Let’s Chat About It.” He two moral risks when it comes to distrust. One someone hasn't personally been affected by described it as a “peer support network was that being distrusted can make a person breast cancer they probably know someone for people going through mental health or feel “insulted and disrespected." Dr. D’Cruz who has been.” She also explained that substance abuse problems and reach out mentioned a story about how President spreading awareness of breast cancer actually to people to see what worked for other Obama, regardless of his achievements, still has had an effect on the survival rate. Ross people.” An influential tool that the platform remembers past situations in which people explained, “Since breast cancer has become provides is video chat. One can speak to stereotyped and distrusted him for being a such a well known and talked about cancer a professional about their symptoms and black man. Another risk is the idea of “self- the survival rate for breast cancer has gotten concerns immediately. The peer networking fulfillment.” If someone is consistently bigger. This is direct proof that the more we program not only benefits the one who has being distrusted, then they may consider talk about it and the more we bring awareness been experiencing mental illness or substance abuse problems, but it also can be used as an themselves to be untrustworthy. This can be to it the closer we get to a cure.” Seeing the Siena community come educational tool for friends and family. Grant reversed as well; because people want to be liked, if you trust someone they will fulfill your together for an important cause is very explained that his mother used it to get a heartwarming and a part of what makes better understanding of synthetic marijuana expectations of them. Dr. D’Cruz described the epistemic Siena special. Ross said, “I loved seeing Siena and its harmful effects. The seven-year journey of recovery risks of distrust as “interpretive biasing” and students wearing pink and coming together for such a great cause.” When asked about her has made Grant incredibly resilient. He has “asymmetrical feedback." The former is that once someone is considered distrustful, they favorite part of the event, she explained the changed about every aspect in his life to will continue to be viewed that way regardless value of the Siena community even further. remain sober. Although some of his friends are of how they act. Asymmetrical feedback states Ross said, “My favorite part was having no longer in his life, he has found an amazing that if you never trust people then you will students come to me and tell me snapshots of support group that encourages his sobriety. never know how they would actually respond stories about how breast cancer has affected Grant has noticed that since his experience, in that situation. So what can be done about them or their families. It reflects how much of relationships changed for the better. He has a close community Siena is.” found deeper connections with his friends distrust? Keep an eye out for more Colleges and can confide in them without hesitation. It may seem risky to some, however, Dr. D’Cruz argues that when your fear seems Against Cancer events held around campus One friend suggested going for a bike ride disproportionate to the situation, then you to learn about different types of cancer and instead of going out for a drink like they would should trust. People want to be liked and its effect on the community. The main event have done in the past. Grant explained, “Your for others to trust them so when given the Colleges Against Cancer holds is Relay for relationship changes and you find different opportunity to be trusted, they will not let Life, the biggest fundraiser for the American things to do.” He also realized that he needed you down. Dr. D’Cruz explained, if you see Cancer Society. This will be held right in the to improve his diet as well. Grant has found
Colleges Against Cancer Pink Out
Garrison Grant: “How I Healed My Brain After Drugs”
November 2, 2018 a big difference in his mental health since he began eating gluten-free. Grant’s goal in creating this peer networking program was to help decrease the stigma of mental illness. By normalizing mental health, it will make one more likely to reach out for help. Grant acknowledged, “It is okay to not be okay.” Looking back, Grant realized that he experienced a lot of anxiety growing up, but never knew what it was. He was never educated on mental illness in school so he was never able to identify it. Although Grant did not have the educational program when he was in the depths of his struggle with mental illness, he hopes that other people will use it during theirs. If you would like any information about the peer networking program, you can go to www.letschataboutit.com.
Dr. Lamay-Licursi Emphasizes American Oblivion Regarding WWI Ahead of The Great War’s Centennial
By Kiera Mitru, Staff Writer On Monday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. in the Sarazen Student Union, historians and students alike gathered to listen to Dr. Kimberly Lamay-Licursi, the Siena College History Department’s 2018 Distinguished Speaker, communicate her findings through research on World War I and its remembrance in America. Lamay-Licursi stated, “People are not aware of how relevant this war was," and beginning her lecture, listed the aggressions between countries that are rooted in this war including the first stages of the Cold War, World War II, the Vietnam War and American conflicts with Al-Qaeda. Kimberly Lamay-Licursi's research on this topic led her to complete her recently published book, “Remembering World War I in America” this past March. When exploring the library's archives on WWI, she focused her studies on four components of memory about the war including war histories, memoirs, fiction and film. Lamay-Licursi, through her lecture and in her recently published book proves that no consistent image about the war caught on among the American population which explains the lack of collective memory that exists surrounding this point in American history. Describing the lack of pardon America has paid to the veterans of the Great War, Lamay-Licursi pointed out that WWI is the only war that the United States had been involved in that is not commemorated by a monument on the national mall. Although there is a park in Washington D.C. that is dedicated to the veterans of the Great War, Lamay-Licursi acknowledged that it is located “in a far corner of the nation’s capital, which further proves that the memory of WWI is placed in a far corner of American history.” Since the war took place on the European front, most WWI soldiers, including those from America, are buried in European graveyards. Lamay-Licursi poses the question: if Europeans have these spaces to contemplate and shed light on the effects of the war, then why is there no such location in America?
The Promethean
Arts & Entertainment | 4
Arts & Entertainment
Another factor that plays into the American ignorance surrounding this topic that Lamay-Licursi shed light on is the fact that media censorship was very strong at this point in time. Due to this, there was not much literature or advertisement that had the possibility of weakening the sense of American morale on the homefront. Therefore, books written about the war during this time are not credible as an effect of the heavy government censorship they had to pass through in order to be published. Lamay-Licursi noted that the main reason we have such a faint memory of WWI in America is due to the fact that there is little to no collective memory about the events of “The Great War”. In her lecture, Dr. Lamay-Licursi explored films released that include the mention of World War I and dissected the tendency of these films to further muddle the collective memory of the Great War in America. She identified that many movies set during the time that the war was taking place use WWI as a mere plot device, and rarely focus on the prominence of the war in society. Lamay-Licursi interpreted the popularity of movies regarding the war that inaccurately display images of death, male bonding on the battlefield and romance was due to the fact that Americans were willing to enter a false reality about the war. These movies continued to glorify war in the eyes of the American people, which contributed to false conclusions being drawn from the conflicts that created what we know as “The Great War." This lecture offered those in attendance a very interesting and realistic lens on the first world war that is often repressed in American discussion of the war. By touching on the four components of war histories, memoirs, fiction and film surrounding the war, Dr. LamayLicursi accurately depicted how difficult it is to find a popular summary of WWI that is credible and appealing to the American audience. The ongoing theme of this lecture was to prove to each individual in attendance that an accurate remembrance of this war gives the entire world and specifically the American population more perspective on the horrors of war. Dr. Kimberly Lamay-Licursi took the stage as the history department’s 2018 distinguished speaker that night and used
her new platform to give a compelling insight into American prestige and the bubbling aggressions between countries throughout the war.
How Does Michael Myers Measure Up 40 Years Later?
By Jaymie Hoelldobler, Arts & Entertainment Editor What better way to celebrate Halloween than going to see the much anticipated remade sequel of the iconic movie "Halloween"? I figured there wasn't one so I made sure to go check it out this past week. The original movie, released in 1978, has remained a classic scary movie for 40 years. Without giving too much away, young Michael Myers sneaks into his older sister's room on Halloween night and brutally murders her. His parents find him bloody and visibly unshaken outside of the home and proceed to send him away to a sanitarium, as stabbing your older sibling typically isn't taken as normal behavior. The movie skips ahead fifteen years to future Michael in the sanitarium, and Michael's psychiatrist, Dr. Loomis, claiming Michael is far too dangerous to ever be released. However, Michael doesn't seem to agree, as very soon after, he escapes. Young Laurie Strode and her friends are introduced to the plot, and Michael soon enacts on his killing spree, murdering all of Laurie's friends and eventually attempting to kill her. Laurie gets away and Michael is presumed dead, however, taking in the nine following sequels of "Halloween" movies, obviously, this ends up not being the case. I had pretty low expectations going into the movie - I figured it would be pretty good, but I wasn't expecting to be sufficiently spooked. I definitely wasn't prepared to be scared out of my mind and looking over my shoulder at every tiny noise I heard for the rest of the night, but this is, in fact, what happened. The movie was incredibly well done. If you've seen the original, you know that a horror movie made in 1978 doesn't have the best quality and the gore aspects are seemingly lackluster. In the original movie, sounds, screams and blood spatter do their part in making sure you
5| Opinion know someone is being murdered but hardly any gore actually makes an appearance. In the new movie, the gore is unreal, and as a horror movie/gore junkie I loved this. Such murders included Michael killing two investigative journalists in a gas station bathroom and hanging someone up on the wall solely using a knife. One of the eeriest parts was when Michael walked into the gas station bathroom and dropped a bunch of bloody teeth on the floor, from his previous murder, in front of the girl he was about to kill. Not only did this movie scare the life out of me, but there were strong parallels to the original movie including the inclusion of the actress who played Laurie in the original movie, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Nick Castle who played the iconic Michael. If you're a fan of horror movies and gore, I highly encourage you to go see this movie. Blood and gore, and Jamie Lee Curtis wielding weapons and a rigged up house in order to get the justice she so deserves - what more could you ask for?
Oh, Rocky!
By Tianny Ocasio, Staff Writer On Oct. 19 and Oct. 20, the annual live shadow casting of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" took place. Every year, PRIDE-GSA and Stage III, two prominent clubs on campus, collaborate to put on this amazing event. This was the first year that the show ran for two nights rather than one, a decision that I’ve found most people agree with, especially considering that more than 50 people came to the show each night. "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" is just as bizarre as it sounds, trying to explain it in full would lead to much more confusion. At its core, it is a musical-comedy, released in 1975, that is essentially a parody of science-fiction movies that were popular at the time. The show is absolutely ridiculous and convoluted but that's arguably part of what makes it so much fun to shadow cast. A shadow casting is essentially a showing of the movie projected in the background but actors mimic the film in the foreground by lip-syncing to the dialogue and songs. The actors are physically acting out the movie, so the experience is almost as if the movie is being projected in very vivid 3D. It is really phenomenal to see! In traditional shadow castings of the show, the audience is also given a participation script and invited to yell things, often obscene things during the show. But don’t worry, Siena’s shadow casting of the show follows the same rules! It can be overwhelming to have to focus on the movie, the performers and the script but once you get the hang of it, it’s a fantastic experience. I first went to the shadow casting my freshman year. Even now, as a senior, I still remember how new and exciting the experience was. The show was funny, and the actors brought their A-game. I was hooked. I’ve been to every shadow casting since, even getting to play a small role in the show last year. This year, I had the privilege of being a part of the cast again, but this time in the role of Brad Majors, the main “hero” of the story. I wasn't sure what to expect but every rehearsal got me more amped up for the show. The cast was filled with amazing people who were really passionate about the show. Everyone worked together to do whatever was possible to make sure things were running smoothly and everyone felt comfortable. I definitely was nervous right up until I mimed
The Promethean
November 2, 2018
Opinion
presidential election, Clinton did not win even with the majority of celebrity endorsements she received in comparison to Trump. Nevertheless, she had Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Kim Kardashian, Beyoncé, Meryl Streep, and more. Trump, most noticeably (but not solely), had Kanye West. All of these big-name people influenced their fans by creating social media posts, going to rallies and wearing merchandise. Now I am not saying celebrities shouldn’t be political, I am just saying they shouldn’t outwardly show their vote. No one should. It is a private matter. Let people educate themselves, not be told who to choose. They don’t need to be on the front lines of a political campaign, they are actors By Alyssa Guzman, Staff Writer Everyone seems to be praising Taylor and actresses, musicians and influencers. Their Swift for finally getting into politics. Well I am job isn't politics, it’s Hollywood. It should stay not, and I’m the girl who arrived to my local that way. Target promptly 15 minutes before opening to get her "Reputation" magazine when it was released last November and spent hours watching videos and buying CDs to gain access to presale tickets for her "Reputation" Stadium By Christina Schultz, Staff Writer Encompassed within every thoughtTour. Even though good things came from Swift entering into the political realm, such out syllabus is, without fail, an attendance as Vote.org reporting that voter registration policy. There are varying approaches to went up significantly within 24 hours after her attendance taken. Typically, these methods social media post, I still wished she hadn’t said are based on campus academic culture, class anything at all. I am fine with her promoting size, and perhaps arguably the subject itself. her fans to go vote, but I’m not fine with her No matter what combinations of these factors blatantly stating her voting decision. That is are considered, an attendance policy is, to her personal opinion and it should have stayed be frank, juvenile at best and paternalistic at worse. Arguments can be made on why that way. Now, I do not have a personal vendetta they matter and how they can be beneficial against Swift, as I love her music and her fan in teaching students key principles of base, but a vendetta against all celebrities that the professional world; however, these decide to voice their political opinions or to assessments do nothing to outweigh the stark reality that this form of policy works on endorse a political campaign. They have such a wide range of access the wrong form of motivation and does little to young, influential fans who, like myself, to inspire willingness in the classroom of an want to go out and buy everything their institution of higher education. The first and foremost obvious reason favorite celebrity endorses. For example, when Taylor Swift released a presale for her for an attendance policy is the idea it instills Fujifilm collaboration, you bet I pre-ordered a sense of responsibility for one’s actions. that camera the second the email landed in Don’t show up to class? You do not receive my inbox. Why do I mention this? The very participation credit, and thus your overall basis of my impulse to go buy a camera just grade goes down. While this is fair in seminars because Taylor Swift likes it equates to her and courses that rely on discussion, this new power in the political world. So many necessity is not present in lectures. There is Tennessee fans, without a doubt, probably will no good reason a student should have to sit vote for the two candidates Swift endorsed, through an hour plus lecture if they feel it even though she urges her fans to become does not benefit them academically. As paying educated. Unlike the camera (and minus the consumers, it should be in a student's right to fact that I am not a Tennessee citizen), I would refuse to attend a lecture if it does not add to not vote for someone my favorite celebrity the richness of their degree pursuits. Naturally, endorsed unless that candidate respected if the lecture is something the student believes my values too. But the fact is, the majority of will enhance their understanding, they will voters do not know the candidates as well as attend. If they do not, it should be clear in the they should to begin with. A lot of voters rely final grades what was the true value of the on media outlets and political parties to sway class time. A draconian policy should not be their votes, rather than doing the dirty work of needed to emphasize the significance of class research. Celebrities are not helping voters in time. There is plenty of value to be found in any way. Their influence spans too much. Their attending class rather than relying upon texts power to make an invisible candidate visual or online sources, but the recognition of this has gone too far. Their control over votes should come internally rather than externally. and opinions should not be allowed. Let the The cohesion and support that comes from people vote themselves without the influence fellow classmates who actually want to be in class is invaluable. Likewise, being surrounded of Hollywood. It should be the best man or woman by individuals who want nothing else but to wins, not the one who got the most celebrity not be present can be as equally demoralizing. endorsements. Although, with the last This demoralization may also stem from not the first song but my experience was a truly fantastic one. Of course, I didn’t get to see the show this year, but from what I’ve heard, people really enjoyed it and a lot of first-year students came. The cast did a wonderful job and put on a great show. I’m excited for the future of the event, and it’s good to know that a cult classic that was made in the 1970s is still popular during Halloween at Siena College.
Hollywood Needs to Stay Out of Politics
Wasted Ink: Attendance Policies
November 2, 2018 being able to gain the same benefit from the lecture due to a different learning style preference. Attendance policies intuitively do not make sense when applied to institutions of higher education given that, ideally, the classes are contributing to the learning processes. This should be incentive enough for those concerned with academia or even those who want a decent GPA to show on future job applications. While an attendance policy of some form may reflect the accountability of the corporate world, they can often crossover to being austere more often than not. Attendance policies draw upon the wrong motivations, are insensitive to circumstances, and fail to further create a positive work environment. In the same way many condemn the concept of participation awards, should we not view attendance policies the same way? They are the most trivial measures that can be taken and generally, as an average, say more about the course itself than the students taking it.
No More Closed Book Exams
By Megan Kelly, Opinion Editor As midterm season comes to an end, I find myself thinking the same thing I have every year since I was a college freshman: how is taking a closed book exam going to help us in the long run? We have been in school for nearly two months now, learning and consuming new information in multiple classes. We take in what we have learned by taking notes in class, making flash cards, doing additional research online, asking the professor for help and working in groups to discuss the learned material. The best part about learning is that we are given resources to help understand the new information. This could be in the form of a textbook, a professor’s PowerPoint slide, peer-reviewed journal articles, an interactive workbook, or the professor’s words themselves. We are given an ample amount of information to allow us to learn all of this information successfully, but then we are asked to remember it all to truly see how well we know it. In my opinion, the professors are asking us to memorize the new information. Even if they are saying the exams will help us “understand” the learned information, a closed book test in which we are supposed to recall everything we learned is not practical. In the working world, you are not going to need to memorize everything you have ever been taught. You have available resources that are going to help you when you are stuck, whether it is a program manual, a book, an online journal, etc. You will simply not need to base your actions off of only what you can remember. If you are stuck, you can look for help. ‘Working’ is simply an open book exam, and college classes should be run the same way, as this institution is made to prepare us for life outside of the classroom. The Daily Universe tells us that, “A study of more than 2,000 senior college students says fear of lower grades and eventual job market failure are major factors in exam stress and anxiety.” I am a college student and I can honestly say that I have been worried that an exam grade will negatively affect my future job search. The fact that students are becoming stressed about their future, due
The Promethean
Editorial Policy The opinions and views expressed in editorial and opinion columns are solely those of their author and do not represent the views of The Promethean staff or of Siena College. Any response to an editorial without intent to publish should be submitted directly to the author of the article. If you wish to send your reaction to The Promethean or its Editor-in-Chief, it falls under the guidelines of Letters to the Editor. Letters must be no longer than 700 words. Submission to the paper does not guarantee publication. Opinion and editorial articles submitted are edited strictly for basic spelling and grammar only. The editorial board reserves the right to make any and all decisions and editorial changes on newspaper content, with the final decisions belonging to the Editor-inChief. Any changes besides spelling and grammar will be run by the author before publication. Statements made as fact in Letters to the Editor and editorials/opinions are the sole responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Promethean, its staff, or Siena College. to their performance on exams, is horrible. As college students, and especially college seniors, we are supposed to be excited about the future. We should not be put in situations that make us anxious about what’s to come, because that will make us turn our heads to what we once were longing. I believe tests should not be closed book because that does not mirror what the working world is like outside of Siena. With the given resources, students are still able to understand and comprehend the material, and they do not need to try and remember every nit-picky detail. Take away the ammunition; take away what sets us up for stress and anxiety. Take away the closed book exams.
Cellular Agriculture Provides a Solution to Traditional Farming Methods
By David Le Blang Staff Writer One of the biggest ethical issues in contemporary society involves the captivation and slaughtering of animals in order to meet a social desire for meat. This issue, fought against prominently by philosophers such as Tom Regan, Richard Ryder and Peter Singer, is typically grounded in the idea that animals deserve equivalent rights, treatment and recognition of interests as humans do, and that us as a species has no right to take other species and hold them captive for the entirety of their lives and lead them into a slaughterhouse in order to instrumentally fill an arbitrary need. While some people have taken very kindly to this movement and have chosen to switch their dietary habits to that of being vegetarian, vegan, etc., others do not respond to the argument and still choose
O p i n i o n |6 to consume meat in the same habitual way they have done before. However, with a new advancement in a newly-coined field known as “cellular agriculture,” there now exists a solution which I believe is not only beneficial, but preferable for all parties involved. In recent news, scientists have devised a way to create lab-grown meat from the cells of the animals which are typically slaughtered to produce such meats. This raises many questions and concerns, but at the same time, this also solves a lot of problems. What I aim to focus on is the ethical implications of the potential switch from our traditional, for lack of a better term, “grow, breed, slaughter, repeat” cycle, to a more humane, “grow, scrape a few cells, repeat” method of agriculture. While these advances have the potential to cause an insurrection in the traditional farming method of killing animals to produce meat, I think that, in the right circumstances, a switch from growing animals in order to slaughter them, to growing animals and letting them live on a free range and still obtaining mostly the same results is not only the most ethical, but also the only logistical way to proceed forward as a society. The main idea behind cellular agriculture is to take cells from an animal and cultivate them to grow into edible meat. Admittedly, the in-depth mechanics which go into this are beyond my grasp, so I am going to take this at face value. The main point to take away from this is that there is a way to create meat for us to enjoy without compromising taste, and while limiting or even eliminating the industrial aftereffects of traditional agricultural farming. I’d like to establish my stance as an avid meat eater before I give my whole-hearted opinion on this; I have been aware of the arguments for lifestyles such as veganism, vegetarianism, etc., and of the conditions that animals are forced to live through before being ultimately killed, and while having been emotionally moved by some of these arguments/presentations, I still actively choose to continue eating meat. I attribute it to an unwillingness to seek out substitutes when necessary, as well as a simple enjoyment of the things I eat. In terms of this recent article, I am extremely pleased with the advent of cellular agriculture. I think it is amazing that we have the ability to take nothing but cells from an animal and create edible, substantive meat without harming them in any way. I, given the option, would choose to eat this “lab-grown meat” over traditional meat, hands down. Given my hopes of this becoming not only popularized but hopefully regulated (which is quite a battle) and standardized, I would be content with this being the only option offered in markets and restaurants. This is all said barring the facts of which potential additives are included in the making of the meat, and other circumstances which would deviate the product from being as close to traditional meat as possible. I think that this is, without a doubt, a step in the right direction for people in all camps, from the avid meat-eaters such as myself, to the vegetarian/vegan/etc. crowd. I am sure, despite these advances, someone somewhere will still find a way to craft an argument pertaining to something such as the lifestyle of the animals, or the fact that they are in any form of captivity and not allowed to run free amongst nature for their entire lives,
7 | Po l i t i c s etc. To something along the lines as this, not knowing the specifics, I would agree in part, but would be happier knowing that they are only being taken for a ‘cell-scraping’ rather than a slaughtering. However, going down that road, there is another massive upside to switching to this alternate form of agriculture: lessening pollution. The global combined effects of the amount of water pollution, greenhouse gas emission and incompetent means of disposing of dead animals leave a massive footprint in terms of overall pollution in just the United States alone. While certain groups advocate for the switch to a plant-based diet, claiming that it’s easier now than ever to do so, I think that, in time, this will prove to be a very competitive alternative. Now, all advancements aren’t entirely great. Despite the aforementioned praise, I still have my worries. For example, if it is possible to scrape a few cells from an animal and create edible meat, what’s stopping somebody from scraping a few cells from a human and obtaining the same results? This opens up an entire dialogue about the ethics of intraspecies cannibalism, which, arguably, can be solved for the curious ones through this new method. Clearly, killing or maiming another human being with the intention of taking the excess meat and preparing it for consumption is something, which I hope, is entirely outside the bounds of our ethical boundaries as a society. However, this method, assumedly, makes this possible without any of the side effects. I’m not saying anything by this, however, it is something to sit on. One more downside is my previously mentioned insurrection in the farming industry. I am not sure exactly how making this method of farming would affect presently-standing farms across the world, but something tells me it is not going to be a pretty transition. I can foresee some hard-fought battles in order to keep some establishments standing, and potentially even some agreement to have the two methods coexist amongst each other. As far as I am aware, it takes a bit more knowledge to biomechanically grow and cultivate cells for meat than it does to lead animals into a slaughterhouse and harvest their meat, or at least I’ll assume that it does. Turning farming into another field to require even more extensive knowledge to break the entry barrier is against my ideals, but it’s the only solution when the only way to move is forward. Back on the good side, I do think that this is not only a great advancement, but the most logical and correct movement to take forward, given our dietary habits as a species. Statistics show that the planet as a whole generates more food than it consumes, however the relative dispersion of that food is largely unequal, hence the amount of food shortages in our world. Statistics also show that, despite this, by 2050, we will not be able to breed enough cattle and chicken to meet the global demand of these meats, needed by a projected nine billion people worldwide. This hints more at the tone of overpopulation than intended, but I will address that later. However, when Tyson Foods, the biggest meat processor in the United States, claims that they are in the process of a "shift from being a meat company to a protein company,” and has invested an undisclosed amount in the leading company spearheading cellular
The Promethean
November 2, 2018
Politics
agriculture, my hopes are undoubtedly higher most importantly, transparent. than usual for the future of this. You can look up practically any stance of Larry’s on any issue and there is bound to be a video of him explaining the why, what, and how of his position and his solution. If there is not a video, which I would find hard to believe, you can go to his Facebook page: Larry Sharpe for New York (@Sharpe4Gov), send him a By Nicole Commisso, Staff Writer message and he will get back to you with an (Insert Frank Sinatra voice here) Start answer. His website www.LarrySharpe.com, spreading the news… Larry Sharpe is here to is also one of the most user-friendly and, to help us stay… We can vote King Cuomo out… use the same word again, transparent website in old New York, New York. platforms I have ever seen. Literally, every If you are a New Yorker and do not know single issue you can think of is stated and who Larry Sharpe is, I am going to fill you in on explained, which is the complete opposite of the most non-politician political candidate for the other candidates. I can honestly say that governor who you should be voting for Nov. 6. I do not agree with every single one of Larry's Larry is a New Yorker from Queens, a marine, a stances and you might not either. However, it businessman, an entrepreneur, a family man, makes me like him even more, knowing exactly and the Libertarian candidate for governor of where he stands on the issues. This clarity and New York. Now, before you say a third-party honesty is, in a good way, pretty shocking candidate has no chance, remember: the coming from a politician in New York, which voters have the power. As New Yorkers in this is exactly why I know I can trust Larry Sharpe election, we the people have the power to as a person and in turn, most definitely as my vote out Andrew Cuomo and vote in someone governor. who will make real change in our beloved Larry has said that there is one thing state; that person is Larry Sharpe. that will be essential to fixing New York state Whether you are a Republican, as governor. What is that one thing? Larry says Democrat, unaffiliated with any party, or are it is “happy people.” not “into politics,” I am begging you to have an “How do I fix our state? Do I change open mind in this critical election. The whole law? Do I shake my iron fist? No... it’s one point of voting for elections is to vote for the thing. And it’s gonna sound crazy, but, it’s candidate that aligns with your morals and happy people. That’s really what this is about... beliefs, not to vote for someone just because I’m the only guy who talks about what our of the letter that is next to their name on the Founding Fathers talked about, which is Life, ballot. Think to yourself, are you one of the Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness... If you many New Yorkers that has thought, "I want look at all my ideas and every single plan that to live in New York in the long run but cannot I've come up with, it all focuses on one thing afford it"? Or, if you are a lifelong resident of happy New Yorkers." New York and have thought, “I want to stay in The concept that voting for a thirdNew York but cannot afford to stay,” or “I want party candidate is “stealing votes” or “splitting to live in New York but my constitutional rights the vote” is a false notion that needs to be are not being protected,” or “New York taxes shot down immediately. This concept is meant are too high." The list of viable complaints to intimidate voters into choosing the “party and reasons to leave New York goes on and preference” rather than think for themselves on. This November, in this crucial midterm and vote with their mind and heart. I am sick election, New Yorkers have the chance to use and tired of this groupthink mentality when it their vote to elect someone who can actually comes to voting for candidates in elections. fix New York and make it so we can all stay in To those who preach this concept, guess our home state. Larry Sharpe is that someone what? My vote is mine and I intend to give it and there are two critical reasons why he is to someone I believe in, someone who I know the best option and the other candidates are will do a good job and someone who deserves not: relatability and transparency. it. That someone is not a corrupt king who has First off, I would like to highlight that taken away New Yorkers rights for years and when I talk about Larry Sharpe, not just in it is not someone who is a fake Republican this piece but in general, I reference him as candidate. I am proudly voting for Larry Sharpe “Larry.” Not “Sharpe” (the typical way to for governor of New York. reference a politician), not “Mr. Sharpe” but instead, “Larry.” I think this is mainly because he is just like you and me. He is human; he will speak to you one-on-one; he is a New Yorker who cares about people and loves his state. Larry wants a fighting chance for all of us, including himself, to live in New York. The By Hugo Castro, Politics Editor main difference? Larry is taking it into his own Brett Kavanaugh, now Justice Brett hands; he just needs your vote. Larry is the only KavanAs the midterm elections quickly candidate who is out there shaking hands and approach, the nation has had their eyes peeled making his rounds throughout the entire state on critical races in sharply divided states. New of New York. Just look at his website for a road York is one of those states. According to the map of where he has been and will be up until New York Times, Democrats must flip at least election day. Unlike the corrupt politicians 23 Republican-held seats to retake the House (who are quite popular in NY politics), I have in November. Currently, there are 73 highly met Larry a number of times now and have competitive seats, two of which are in districts heard him speak; he is genuine, honest, and 19 and 22 where John Faso and Claudia Tenney
Why Larry Sharpe is the ONLY Choice for New York
New York Congressional Elections
November 2, 2018 are incumbents, respectively. In the 27th district, what was supposed to be a cakewalk for incumbent Chris Collins, has become quite the struggle since he was accused of insider trading. Collins’ popularity received a significant obstacle, but as a recent poll conducted by the New York Times has shown, he still has an advantage for the upcoming midterm election. Chris Collins is at a surprising 44 percent, while Democratic opponent, Nate McMurray lags behind at 40 percent, with 13 percent undecided. In the NY-19 district, Democratic candidate Antonio Delgado was reported to lead incumbent John Faso by a slight 5-point lead, according to a poll conducted by Monmouth University. The latest poll stretches from the Capital Region into the Hudson Valley, with Delgado at 49 percent and Faso at 44. In September, Delgado led Faso by 3 points, according to an earlier poll done by Monmouth University. “Faso has never trailed in a poll conducted by the Siena Research Institute, which gave him a 1-point margin earlier this month,” commented the Times Union. GOP ads have focused on Delgado’s past as a hip-hop artist, in a desperate effort to display him as a candidate “out of touch” with the district he is running for. As the polls have shown, this has not had much of an effect on Delgado’s numbers. In an even tighter race, Utica Democrat, Anthony Brindisi, struggles to gain a significant lead over incumbent Claudia Tenney in New York’s 22nd congressional district. According to Siena College polls, Brindisi only has a 46 percent edge over Tenney’s 45 percent. In more recent polls, voters in the district approve of President Donald Trump and his performance as chief executive but view Tenney in a negative light. This negative response has most likely to do with Tenney’s past, controversial statements that have caused media outrage throughout the nation. Delgado and Brindisi have campaigned heavily to win over these incumbents, but the results of their efforts are yet to be seen and will not be seen until after the critical midterm election on Nov. 6. Intense efforts have been made on both partisan sides to get their respective political parties elected. With a tense past couple of years since the presidential election, this midterm election season is critical in determining the political environment in both the House and within the electorate. As the nation awaits the results of the midterm elections, both Democrats and Republicans are making heavy attempts to ensure their selected candidates take home the seats next week.
Witch Hunt or Legit Investigation?
By Sean Buff, Staff Writer On Oct. 5 last year, the New York Times publis After the 2016 presidential election, there has been the recurring question on whether the Russians meddled with the election. Both sides of the aisle claim or deny any evidence of Russian meddling in the election. Aides to President Trump have been indicted on collusion charges and Mueller failed to produce any evidence of collusion on the part of President Trump. Now, this raises the question on who is right and who is lying? Four of President Trump’s campaign officials have been indicted. These individuals
The Promethean include Paul Manafort, Rick Gates, George Papadopoulos and Michael Flynn. Former campaign chairman Paul Manafort faces 25 criminal charges, including fraud, conspiracy and obstruction of justice. Former campaign chair Rick Gates was charged with 23 counts, including conspiracy and making falsified statements. Both national security adviser Michael Flynn and campaign adviser George Papadopoulos have been charged with making falsified statements to the FBI. Thus far, Special Counsel Robert Mueller has failed to directly link President Trump to any Russian collusion in the 2016 election. About fifteen Russian nationals and four of President Trump’s aides and advisers have been indicted on various charges. What Mueller is missing is a connection between President Trump and those who have been indicted to collude with Russians. Special Counsel Robert Mueller was appointed by the Senate Judiciary Committee in May 2017 to take over the Trump-Russia Investigation. Many people also question how Mueller was tasked with investigating the Trump-Russia Probe. According to Fox News, many people, particularly Democrats, wanted somebody outside of the Department of Justice to handle the case. That is how Robert Mueller ended up being appointed. This is not the first investigation handled by Mueller. Robert Mueller led the FBI at the time of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Also, current Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from the Trump-Russia Probe. Recently, there have been talks to have Special Counsel Mueller interview Trump about possible Russian collusion in the 2016 election. However, Trump’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, has advised Trump not to talk to Mueller, unless both Mueller and Trump’s legal team could agree on conditions to question President Trump. Some of these conditions include having some answers handwritten by Trump and excluding any obstruction of justice questions. So far, nothing has been found directly linking President Trump to Russian collusion accusations, other than a few indictments of those who worked on his campaign. Mueller’s investigation, which has been running for a year and a half, is expected to be shut down after the midterm elections.
Sandra Day O'Connor Announces Dementia Diagnosis
By Samantha DeRagon, Assistant Editor On Oct. 23, 2018, former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor announced in an open letter that she would no longer be participating in public life due to the progression of a form of dementia, which she speculates to be Alzheimer's disease. Sandra Day O’Connor made history in 1981 when Ronald Reagan nominated her to the Supreme Court. When she was confirmed by a vote of 99-0, she added to her mark on history by becoming the first female Supreme Court Justice in U.S. history. O’Connor served on the court until she made the decision to retire in 2005 to care for her husband who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. O’Connor’s career on the court
P o l i t i c s |8 was impressive regardless of her sex. Following her announcement, her colleagues were all quick to praise the former justice. Justice Stephen Breyer wrote, “You, my friend, will take your place in history, not just as the first woman appointed to the United States Supreme Court, but also, as one of it’s great justices.” O’Connor ruled on cases that ranged from the topic of abortion to the right of Congress to regulate campaign finance to the rights of states in conflicts involving the federal government. It is often said that O’Connor had a “pitch-perfect” ear for politics, meaning that she knew just how far the court could go to maintain public confidence. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg goes on to say that O’Connor “has done more to promote collegiality among the Court’s members and with our counterparts abroad, than any other justice, past or present.” When she was serving on the court and in years after, O’Connor attested to the challenges of being the first woman on the Supreme Court. In an interview with NPR’s Terry Gross in 2013, she recounts the extra pressure that she felt whenever she made a decision, the feeling that the future of women in the legal profession rested on every decision she made. It wasn’t until 1993 when Justice Ginsburg was confirmed to the court that she finally felt that she could be just one of the nine justices and in an interview with NPR’s Nina Totenberg that it was a “welcome change.” Despite retiring from the Court, O’Connor remained active in promoting public participation in government and other forms of civic engagement. She started a program to encourage youth to be involved in their government, iCivics, that uses games online to promote active participation in government. O’Connor is often credited with saying, “It is not enough to understand, you’ve got to do something.” She is also a firm believer in active participation in government for all people, the promotion of which dictated her actions during the post-Supreme Court chapter of her life. In her open letter, she highlights the importance of democracy and of each person's participation in government. In 2009, President Obama awarded her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor, for her commitment to the cause of civic engagement. In a quote responding to former Justice O'Connor's announcement, the current Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Roberts, shared his sadness to see O’Connor facing the challenges caused by dementia that many Americans face. He also praised her for focusing on promoting the good of the nation, even in a statement about something deeply personal. Sandra Day O’Connor should be remembered as one of the great Supreme Court Justices of our time, not only because she set the stage for women to become more involved in the legal profession but because she truly stood for the principles of freedom and democracy.
9| Sports
Sports
Siena Exceeds Expectations With Record Performance at Cross Country MAAC Championships
By David Le Blang, Staff Writer Last Saturday, the Siena Saints competed in the 2018 MAAC Cross Country Championships, which for the first time ever was held at The Crossings here in Colonie, NY. This seemed to have a high amount of influence on the Saints’ level of confidence, as both the men’s and women’s teams set or tied numerous program records, and had multiple Saints named All-MAAC. This also marked the culmination of many season-long goals set out by the Saints at the very beginning, which proves to be very promising for the future of Siena Cross Country. For starters, the men’s team set the program record for best finish with a secondplace finish in the men’s 8K. Junior Evans Kibet finished in sixth place with a time of 25:29.8, only 28 seconds off from first place. Only 13 seconds behind him was junior Stosh Davis, finishing 11thwith a time of 25:42.3. Finishing two places further in 13th was senior William Randall, with a time of 25:46.2. Rounding out the top 30 for Siena was senior John O’Hara who finished 21st with a time of 26:06.0, and junior Michael Rautter in 26th with a time of 26:11.2. The collective efforts of the Saints helped them to score a total of 77 points in this event, which put them behind Iona to earn a second-place finish in the event. Over on the women’s side, they finished third overall in the 6K championship race, which ranks second-best in program history. Finishing in 10th place in the 6K was senior Sarah Forman, with a time of 22:12.4. This time marks the tenth best finish in program history, which now nets her six of the top ten times in Siena’s record books. Four other Saints finished within the top 30; sophomore Monica Strain in 22nd with a time of 22:42.8, junior Sydney Johnson in 26th with a time of 23:05.3, junior Carolyn Pellegrini in 27th with a time of 23:10.3 and sophomore Morgan Serkes with a time of 23:18.1. To top all of this off, eleven men’s runners and twelve women’s runners earned recognition to the MAAC All-Academic team. For the men, Michael Carroll, Stosh Davis, Chris Estremera, Jacob Greski, Ryan Holland, Matt Jacques, Jason Linendoll, Jack O'Hara, Michael Rautter, Michael Stoker and Peter Wagner would all be elected to the team. For the women, Holly Bednarek, Allison Hill, Sydney Johnson, Camryn Johnson, Carissa Kahn, Meghan McDonough, Mary McNally, Carolyn Pellegrini, Anya Schmitt, Morgan Serkes and Abbi Wright would all earn the honors as well. In terms of a program finish, head coach John Kentworthy said, "The goal all year has been finishing second for the men and third for the women. So today was just a great
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culmination of a season-long commitment to big goals. We knew we had great opportunities and have set ourselves up well all season, but the MAAC will never make it easy. So to come away successful on both sides was a lot of fun. I'm extremely proud of our student-athletes and thankful for such a supportive community that came out to cheer us on at home." Although the Saints enjoyed big program finishes in the local championship, Iona would be the ones to take home both the men’s and women’s championship win, marking their 28th straight team championship, and their 18th straight individual championship. While the Saints have some catching up to do in order to go toe-to-toe with Iona, these finishes mark the sign of immense progress in the school’s program, with hopefully more successful seasons to come in the future.
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November 2, 2018
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However, it’s so unbelievably worthwhile, you will learn so much about the world and yourself. If you are looking into studying abroad my advice would be to challenge yourself because it is when you are uncomfortable that you learn and grow the most.
Study Abroad
If It Doesn’t Challenge You It Won’t Change You
By Kennedy Walsh Studying abroad in Zanzibar has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences of my life. Zanzibar is a small island off the East coast of Tanzania in East Africa. I wanted to challenge myself and travel off the beaten path. I was looking for a program that would allow me to dig deep into the community that I was living in more meaningful ways than a traditional tourist. Zanzibar was a challenge to me first because I had never traveled to Sub Saharan Africa before. Also, the community here is overwhelmingly Muslim, over 90 percent of the population practices Islam. Studying in Zanzibar allowed me to challenge my preconceptions of what Sub Saharan Africa and Muslim communities are like. I couldn’t tell you what my “average” day looks like because every day is different. Some days I attend four-hour long Swahili lectures or lectures at the local University. Other days we spend traveling and doing field work in the many reefs and coastal forests around the island. For the last month of the program, I make my own schedule and conduct my own independent research. Our home base when we aren’t traveling with the program is Stone Town, Zanzibar. The Zanzibar Archipelago was a major port for Indian Ocean trade, so it is influenced by mainland Africa, the Middle East, India and South East Asia. This trade history is especially noticeable in the architecture and food. Stone Town has many narrow corridors similar to what you may expect in Morocco with indirectly carved Zanzibari doors. The food here is excellent with lots of fruits, fresh seafood and curries. The Zanzibar Archipelago is diverse ecologically with coastal forests, mangrove forests, seagrass beds and coral reefs. As an environmental science major, I appreciate this program’s focus on coastal ecology and the human environment interface. I am lucky
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to have spent more than half my time here outside exploring new environments that are unique and beautiful. I’m incredibly lucky to stay with the same host family for two months while in Stone Town. My host family is one of the best parts of the whole study abroad experience. They have been welcoming to me and take me on excursions to the local amusement park or gardens and show me how to cook. Staying with a homestay gives you a different perspective on the community you are living in and gives you a small window into what people’s lives are like. The connections I’ve made with my host family and other members of the community here in Zanzibar will last the rest of my life. With all of the benefits of staying with a homestay come a good deal of challenges also. Here in Zanzibar, western toilets and toilet paper are rare, hot water is even rarer. Even in the 90-degree heat, I wear long pants, a t-shirt and a head covering to be respectful. Cheese and many other American foods are not available. Internet connection is uncommon and unreliable. Sometimes the locals will shout “Mzungu!" (white person) at you and laugh. You might get woken up every day at 5 a.m. by the call to prayer or chickens. However, despite all these challenges I wouldn’t want to study abroad anywhere else. I believe that these challenges have made me appreciate the luxuries we take for granted in the States and give me a larger context in which to think about our world. Right now our program is on an excursion in mainland Tanzania. I’m writing this while looking out at the savannah that surrounds our accommodation inside the national park. This program is so diverse. If you are looking to study abroad and want to learn more about Sub Saharan Africa and challenge yourself this might be the program for you. I’ve swum with whale sharks, seen elephants and lions, hiked with monkeys, and fallen in love with the community in Stone Town. I’m not saying that this program is easy, it comes with a lot of growing pains and is uncomfortable, like sitting in the back of a pickup truck with twenty of your homestay family members uncomfortable.