The Anchor - September 24 2018 by The Anchor

Volume 92/Issue 3

THE

Rhode Island College

Established 1928

ANCHOR

The Miseducation of Cameron Post

Talib Kweli: activism acapella

Mike Dwyer Anchor Staff

Marisa Lenardson Online Media Manager

Professor Emily Danforth, Photo courtesy of Britt Donahue

hen we think of movies with gay main characters, we might think of a classic like “Brokeback Mountain” or of a recent hit, “Love, Simon.” However, “The Miseducation of Cameron Post” is not just a “queer film.” It is a movie that represents the universal struggle of feeling like something is wrong with you.

This past Friday, Sapinsley Hall was filled with an audience eager to watch a screening of “The Miseducation of Cameron Post.” Based on the debut novel by Emily Danforth, an English professor at Rhode Island College, the movie won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 2018 which is the festival’s highest honor. The movie is focused Continued Page 12

ast Thursday, renowned Brooklyn emcee Talib Kweli visited Rhode Island College to speak at the 2018 Freshman Lecture, bringing substance and style to the stage of Roberts Hall. The address served as another reminder of his linguistic abilities, during which Kweli read excerpts from a book he has in progress followed by a question and answer session with students. His salient observations on identity, race, the Internet and American society stirred the audience to moments of emphatic

Nike, North Smithfield and the nature of free speech A discussion

Jake Elmslie Sports Editor

he question of when one can or cannot invoke their right to free speech has been debated for centuries in the United States. Can activist groups protest and

September 24, 2018

attempt to shut down appearances by controversial speakers on college campuses? Can Christians refuse their services to same-sex couples on the basis of their own religious convictions? Does a private employer

have the right to fire someone over their political beliefs and how they express them be it in or out of the workplace? Regardless of the discourse surrounding free speech and how it relates to the way in which private

Talib Kweli, Photo courtesy of FACT Magazine applause, while his witty anecdotes on the vanity of Don Lemon, the pettiness of 50 Cent and what he perceives as the dangerous contradictions of Kanye West elicited waves of laughter and contemplation. However, for most of the nearly two hour event the audience of several hundred students and guests sat captivated, the only sign of their existence was the respectful and faint sounds of fingers snapping in agreement. Kweli’s music career spans more than two decades, in which time he has released 8 solo albums, dozens of mix-tapes, collaborated with some of the most high pro-

file names in the industry and in 2011 started his own record label, Javotti Media. In a genre often dominated and defined by materialism, Kweli made a name for himself through his gift of gab, becoming one of the most respected lyricists in hip-hop, infusing his rhymes with a wide range of social issues and personal thoughts, from police... brutality, public policy and systemic racism to love, vanity and fear. Recalling his long career, Kweli said that he felt blessed to have made such a contribution to the “vast canon of black cultural arts.” Continued Page 5

North Smithfield Council Photo courtesy of Providence Journal Continued on page 18

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928

Organizational Information Editorial Board

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Samantha Scetta | editorinchief@anchorweb.org

MANAGING EDITOR

Jessica Gauthier | managing@anchorweb.org

BUSINESS MANAGER

Lucille DiNaro | business@anchorweb.org

ART DIRECTOR

Samantha Malley | artsdirector@anchorweb.org

NEWS EDITOR

Tim Caplan | news@anchorweb.org

ASST. NEWS EDITOR

Erica Clark | asst_news@anchorweb.org

A&L EDITOR

Alec Ematrudo | lifestyles@anchorweb.org

ASST. A&L EDITOR

Jonathan Weaver | asst_lifestyles@anchorweb.org

OPINIONS EDITOR

Catherine Enos | opinions@anchorweb.org

ASST. OPINIONS EDITOR

Lauren Enos| asst_opinions@anchorweb.org

SPORTS EDITOR

Jake Elmslie | sports@anchorweb.org

ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

NOW HIRING | asst_sports@anchorweb.org

PHOTO EDITOR

Brittany Donahue | photo@anchorweb.org

ASST. PHOTO EDITOR

Thomas Crudale | asst_photo@anchorweb.org

GRAPHICS EDITOR

Wiley Sadowski | graphics@anchorweb.org

ASST. GRAPHICS EDITOR

NOW HIRING | asst_graphics@anchorweb.org

SENIOR COPY EDITOR

Charlotte Abotsi | senior_copy@anchorweb.org

ASST. COPY EDITOR

Ariella Jeter | copy@anchorweb.org

Staff

Aaron Isaac Mike Dwyer Alison Macbeth Joshua Magnone Evan Grenier Nikki Hewins Chris O’Connor Bancroft Love Kristy Sittinger Thomas Yakey

Editor-in-Chief

(401)456-8790 editorinchief@anchorweb.org

Angela DaSilva | copy@anchorweb.org SENIOR LAYOUT EDITOR

Jessamy LeBeau | layout@anchorweb.org

ASST. LAYOUT EDITOR

NOW HIRING | layout@anchorweb.org

ADS MANAGER

Lily Gallo | ads@anchorweb.org

TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR Victor Martelle | technology@anchorweb.org ASST. TECH DIRECTOR

NOW HIRING | asst_tech@anchorweb.org

ONLINE MEDIA MANAGER Marisa Lenardson | web@anchorweb.org CIRCULATION MANAGER Janelle Gomez | circulation@anchorweb.org

Professional Advisor Jim Hummel The Hummel Report

Faculty Advisor Michael Michaud mmichaud@ric.edu

The Anchor is student-run and published weekly during the academic year. Editorial decisions for The Anchor are made by a majority vote of its student editorial board. No form of censorship will be imposed by the college. Any material found to be unsuitable or unacceptable in the board’s opinion will not be published. The views expressed in The Anchor, unless otherwise noted, are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent those of The Anchor or of Rhode Island College’s faculty, administration or student body. The Anchor is not funded by and is independent from Rhode Island College. The first copy is free. Each additional copy is $2.25. Newspaper racks on the Rhode Island College campus are the property of The Anchor Newspaper. Only The Anchor Newspaper publication will be permitted on these racks. Any other publication or advertisement that is placed on the racks will be given one (1) warning for violating this policy. After two (2) violations, the business/publication will be billed at the rate of a full page advertisement. Copyright © 2016 The Anchor. All rights reserved.

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News

Gina Raimondo mistakens Providence for Cranston

Erica Clark Assistant News Editor

Throughout the 2018 election season Gina Raimondo has vowed not to let Rhode Islanders vote without seeing her campaign ads running throughout the state. Gov. Raimondo’s notorious ad blitz did not target Fung in any television ads until after the primary elections on Thursday, Sept. 13. During the Raimondo ad campaign discrediting Fung, it caught many Rhode Islanders eyes that the footage she was using visualizing the “distressed” streets of Cranston was indeed Providence, a section on Pocasset Ave. Cranston’s “worn out” case was set off by a decrease of property values in a 2014 revaluation. Raimondo also attacked Fung in her ad campaign on Sept. 13 for raising

Cranston taxes nine different times. Fung commented on this remark, claiming it was misleading. Raimondo also made a point to say she opposes Fung’s ambition for a $250-million state construction bond on the November ballot, while she says Cranston schools are still failing. The ad was produced by Putnam Partners, an advertising company, who has also created advertisements for other political parties including Barack Obama, Jason Kander, and Joe Biden. Throughout the 2018 election season Fung has not ran his mouth too much, but threw a verbal jab at Raimondo on various issues, including immigration or the Unified Health Infrastructure Project (UHIP). UHIP is a forty-eight different

federal and state benefit programs combined into one system that would deliver food, child care, medical and cash subsidies to over 300,000 Rhode Islanders. “We know he doesn’t have the courage to stand up to President Trump, who wants to take away Rhode Islander health care and drill off the coast of Rhode Island for oil,” Raimondo told ABC News. Raimondo believes advancing the idea of similarity between Mayor Fung and President Trump will give her a lead, in a state where Hillary Clinton won by just under 20 points. Fung said in a statement to ABC News said that he felt his opponent was running from her own record by focusing on his. In the coming weeks locals should see new ads on their television screens.

Photo courtesy of golocalprov.com Fung is expecting an admixture of more than one million from the state’s public matching-funds program. This means Fung should be back on the local broadcast, too. Mayor of Providence, Jorge Elorza, has yet to com-

ment on the Raimondo campaign mishap.

North Smithfield Town Council fumbles Nike resolution

Aaron Isaac Anchor Staff

After Nike’s newest advertisement featuring Colin Kaepernick, towns across America have moved to retaliate against Nike. A Mayor in Louisiana, a police agency in Mississippi, and now the town council of North Smithfield, Rhode Island have tried banning Nike products. North Smithfield’s town council passed a non-bind-

ing resolution three to two, asking the school and other town departments not buy Nike products. The resolution is not an enforced policy, but a suggestion by the council. The resolution brought a lot of surprise, confusion and anger among residents who came to the town meeting. Council President John Beauregard proposed the

resolution but did not release it to the public in advance. The resolution says Nike’s promotion of Kaepernick is an “insult and slap in the face” to police officers. The resolution also played on the wording of the ad saying police officers had “sacrificed everything when (in reality) he [Kaepernick] has sacrificed nothing”. There was only one person, out of twenty-one people who came to speak, who supported the resolution. Others who attended the meeting believed the proposal was an encroachment on their freedom of speech. Paul Jones, a school committee member said, “It is our responsibility to be guardians of free speech, not in judgment of it” and asked

the council to vote against the proposal. “This resolution is not who we are as a town,” said a twenty-two year resident of North Smithfield. Many residents felt that Beauregard was leveraging public funds for his own personal political agenda. A sophomore at the town high school criticized the council for failing to represent the town’s values. “This isn’t your town, it’s our town,” another resident said. Governor Gina Raimondo said the town had more important issues it should focus on rather than a resolution with “no impact on government.” Independent candidate, Joseph Tillo, supported the resolution saying it was “about time people stand up for the American flag.” Republican candidate, Allan

Fung, has given no comment so far. The public backlash made Beauregard reconsider the resolution claiming he did not want to bring businesses or residents into his own fight. However, he did not change his position against Kaepernick because he showed “disdain” for police officers. The council is scheduled to have a special meeting on Sept. 24 at the North Smithfield middle school where Beauregard has said he will rescind the resolution. It will be an open meeting at 6:45 p.m. and the Beauregard resolution is the only item on the agenda.

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928 |

News

Community service at Rhode Island College

Alex Darmetko Anchor Contributor

Though the weather may have been slightly overcast, spirits were high this past Wednesday in the Quad at Rhode Island College. On September 19, RIC held its Community Service Fair, which was open to all students on campus. Despite the initially low turn-out, the fair eventually saw a fairly reasonable turn-out of students interested in doing volunteer work. Within this fair, 10 different groups set up booths in the hopes of recruiting new volunteers. Represented organizations included Beat the Streets, Progreso Latino,

Providence City Arts for Youth, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Providence, the Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England, FIRST Lego League, the Roger Williams Park Zoo, the Slater Mill Museum, Boys Town and the Providence Children’s Initiative. All ten groups are interested in volunteers for various positions and have information posted on their respective websites. If you couldn’t make it to the fair, checking out the organization’s website is certainly a great idea as volunteering is a way to give back to the an organization of your choice as well as earn experience for resumes and job applications.

Photos courtesy of Thomas Crudale

Where have all the students gone? Aaron Isaac Anchor Staff

Did you attend the Constitutional Quiz Bowl on Monday, Sept. 17? In all likelihood you were not, because there were only four students who showed up to play the game. The low attendance left Political Scientist Professor Thomas Schmeling bewildered as to why hardly anyone showed up to the trivia game. Not even his own students had shown up. Every year, around Sep. 17, schools are required to teach the constitution or lose federal funding. This

requirement was proposed in 2004 by Senator Robert Byrd. Byrd carried a pocket constitution everywhere he went and felt frustrated that more people didn’t know much about the constitution. Last year the Political Science Department choose to teach the constitution in a trivia game. Each person who participated last year got a “disappearing civil liberties” mug. The mug had the Bill of Rights written on it which would vanish if warm water was put in the mug. A few participants who scored highly in the trivia game got amazon gift cards. Last year’s event attracted

25 students to participate, but this year was starkly different. Although advertisements for the quiz boasted “$400 in prizes” it was still difficult to attract students to the event. Nearly all the details of last year’s quiz were identical to this year’s except that last year the quiz was held on a Tuesday and this year’s quiz was held on a Monday. Students and professors at the bowl speculated that the low attendance was due to the quiz running at the same time as many classes. Others thought that having the event on Monday was

The Constitution, Photo courtesy of thedailysignal what caused the low attendance. The low attendance did make it easier for people to win prizes as there wasn’t a high amount of competition. The first place winner received a $100 Amazon gift card, second place won $75 and third place got $50. Each attendee also got a

mug with the preamble of the Bill of Rights written on it. If offers of easy money and free constitution themed mugs won’t attract students to such events, then clubs hoping to have events this year will have to think of innovative ways to bring in students.

| Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928

News

Continued from cover Mike Dwyer Anchor Staff Kweli began by recounting the motivations behind his transition to activism, sharing a moment of self-reflection that overcame him after visiting Mumia Abu-Jamal, a political activist and author who is serving life in prison for the 1982 murder of Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner. The encounter instilled a sense of duty in him, pushing him to question what it was that he could do beyond music. “Even the strongest mind can be seduced by convenience,” said Kweli, “but I cannot allow myself to become so comfortable that I no longer relate to the struggles of everyday people.” After reaching out to others, Kweli took part in a meeting hosted by Henry Belafonte that was “intended to connect artists to activists and organizations.” After this meeting Kweli was connected with the Dream Defenders, an organization in Florida created in response to the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin and subsequent acquittal of George Zimmerman. Kweli recounted the time he spent with the group as they were occupying the state capital and the accom-

Talib Kweli: activism acapella panying social media trends that led to the Black Lives Matter movement. Kweli then shared his first-hand account of the uprising in Ferguson, Missouri- an event that made him fear for his life. “While I certainly did not expect any special treatment in Ferguson, the possibility of being killed never crossed my mind,” said Kweli, “as much as I wax poetically about the realities of police violence online and in comfortable academic settings, as many times as I have witnessed state violence before, I had truly not been prepared to be staring at the barrel of a cop’s rifle in Ferguson with my life in his hands.” For Kweli, the incident had a chilling effect, saying it brought the struggle from “the abstract to reality…this was literally life or death for them.” The remainder of Kweli’s speech was a comprehensive analysis of his perspective on contemporary America, covering everything from white terrorism, liberal moderates, millennials, civil disobedience, black twitter, riots and socialism. He also highlighted what he believed to be the similarities between the past and present movements for civil justice and admonishing those who

Talib Kweli, Photo courtesy of FACT Magazine selectively quote Dr. Martin Luther King. Once he was finished speaking the lights came on in the auditorium and for the first time Kweli could clearly see the audience before him, and in the most casual and unassuming manner asked, “Ok, so what’s next?” His interactions with the crowd were personable and relaxed as he answered questions from students for the remaining hour. Those in attendance were observant and still thirsty for knowledge and advice. However, in one response Kweli reminded everyone present that “artists are followers,” that their reasoning and movement is simply a reflection of the people. Talib Kweli the artist, musician, lyricist, and activist informed the crowd that it is he who will look to them for inspiration.

Talib Kweli, Photo courtesy of Sophia Guerrier

Carolinas hit hard by Hurricane Florence as death toll rises Tim Caplan News Editor

Hurricane season seems to hit the south harder each new year. This year, Hurricane Florence had already claimed 42 innocent lives in its path by Sep. 20, according to CBS News. More than half of the lives lost to the hurricane have been in a car related accident. 12 different counties in North Carolina have been ordered evacuated since

Friday, Sept. 14, when the storm touched down near Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. The flooding throughout the states of South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia has ravaged towns and cities alike, setting records for flooding in these areas according to CBS News. The government of South Carolina has claimed that all of the damages caused by the storm will cost more

than $1 billion to fix when all is said and done. In 2017, Hurricane Harvey cost the residents in the states that got hit more than 180 billion dollars according to Fortune.com. The Governor of South Carolina claimed in a press release that this hurricane was the greatest natural disaster in the state of South Carolina’s modern history. On Friday, Sept. 21, the National Weather

Hurricane Florence, Photo courtesy of The Daily Campus Service predicted that the rain and water coming in from the ocean would reach flood levels on Saturday and Sunday, which prompted more evacuations from surrounding towns that could be in possible danger. Emergency workers and

residents are trying to begin clean up, but Hurricane Florence has yet to cease. North and South Carolinians have to do the hardest thing to do during a hurricane, which is to wait.

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928 |

News

This archived article is from the March 1, 1988 issue of The Anchor. Catherine Enos Opinions Editor Where there’s power, there’s conflict-- and when there’s conflict, drama follows. In the Student Community Government body of 1988, there was definitely plenty of power, conflict and drama to go around. SCG (which still exists today) has seen its ups and downs, but it seems as if 1988 was an especially tumultuous year. Speaker J. D. Walker didn’t want to stick around for what he called “a three ring circus,” so he called it quits. It isn’t very interesting that he resigned, but it is interesting how he did: he had a letter hand-delivered to the parliament president while she was eating. The position of speaker in a parliament body typically is the person who keeps order and makes sure that everyone is following procedure, so it’s ironic that he quit in a way contrary to procedure. It’s also quite ironic that he quit because he felt the meetings

were “disordered,” even though it was in his power to tell people, according to parliament procedure, that they were out of order. Another important point that the article saves until the end is that Walker had resigned before. Even though this time was his third time resigning, he wanted this resignation to send a message to the body. So, he resigned the day before the next meeting. This resignation was explained, but it makes one wonder what his other reasons for previous resignations were. It also makes you wonder: did he end up joining the body again? Perhaps joining and quitting three times is where he drew the line.

| Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928

Health&Science

A proof that 2=1

Victor Martelle and Samantha Scetta Tech Director and Editor-in-Chief We let A=B: If A is 1, B is 1. A and B are assumed to be real numbers AA=AB Multiply an A on both sides: A2=AB And this is the result A2-B2=AB-B2 Subtract B2 from both sides (A+B)(A-B)=AB-B2 Note: (A2-B2)=(A+B)(A-B)

Just the facts Bizarre Science with Mike Dwyer

Mike Dwyer Anchor Staff

“Just the facts” is a column written by our longtime news writer Mike Dwyer. The facts listed below are meant to inspire readers’ interests in bizarre scientific facts and possibly inspire a google search. One of the facts below is false-- if you can find the singular false fact, email editorinchief@ anchorweb.org and you will win a free ¼ page advertisement. Ingurgitate is to guzzle as sternutate is to sneeze.

(A+B)(A-B)=B(A-B) And now we factorize out a B on right hand side

Borborygmus is an ancient Greek onomatopoeia for the tummy wumbles.

A+B=B: As you can see, we divided both sides by A-B

A common psychological phenomenon known as pareidolia is the likely culprit behind cloud animals, the man in the moon and Jesus on toast. Both mice and men fall victim to the sunk cost fallacy and grimace when they are in pain.

Now, Since we said A=B B+B=B And if B is equal to 1? 1+1=1 Therefore, 2=1

Chimpanzees living in Côte d’Ivoire’s Taï National Park have distinct cultural differences in nut-cracking. French dolphins sleep talk in whale. Blue tits have learned to steal milk, while wigeons, ducks and skuas are known to engage in piracy. Pigeons are prone to problem gambling but the cause of avian divorce, particularly high among urban communities, is still poorly understood. The flat earth society has endorsed the science behind man-made climate change.

This proof that we have done demonstrates that 2 is equal to 1. How is this possible? From line 6 to 7, we divided both sides by A-B. However, we assumed A is equal to B. If this was the case then A-B=0. Dividing by 0 is never to be done in mathematics, therefore the proof is incorrect.

The popularity of the Japanese video game Space Invaders is thought to be a reflection of American fear and xenophobia while the game Tetris, a creation of Soviet science, has been used to correct lazy eye in older adolescents.

An assistant professor in Canada created kulturBot, a robot that is designed to tweet art criticism and hitchBot, a robot that successfully hitchhiked from Canada’s Maritime Provinces to British Columbia. HitchBot’s second transnational journey, this time from Boston to San Francisco, was cut short after the robot was found decapitated and disemboweled in a roadside ditch outside of Philadelphia. The development of Siri was funded by the Department of Defense.

A group of computer scientists in Singapore successfully downloaded the consciousness of a monkey to an artificial neural network but can’t get the digitized primate to stop screaming. Microsoft’s Tay, an artificial intelligence designed to speak like a teenage girl, was instead radicalized online and had to be shut down shortly after launch. The United States Air force is looking into how to handle Elon Musk’s pot use.

The earliest warning of the impending technological singularity was made in 1863 by Samuel Butler, an English author and satirist. The article appeared in a New Zealand newspaper and provided an ominous warning that machines were undergoing an evolution similar to that of humans and that “in the course of ages we shall find ourselves the inferior race.” Through his writing, Butler advocated for the cessation of mechanical progress and the destruction of any machine invention less than 300 years old which, ironically, would have included the steam powered printing press and newspaper itself.

Checking the facts with Dwight Myers: Unfortunately, no one was able to correctly identify the false facts from our previous issues. It’s time to reveal the falsehoods of the last fortnight. The aforementioned study from the University of Nevada, mentioned in our September 10th issue, did not link chronic fatigue syndrome to the XMRV virus. The immunologist who led the study was sacked from her job after being accused of image manipulation. Also, the mice used in the study did not suffer from bladder shyness. To the best of my knowledge, that was a complete fabrication, as was the claim of avian-Marxism from our September 17th issue.

Keep checking the facts in this week’s issue, and as always, there will be prize for the student who correctly identifies the false fact.

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928 |

Arts&Entertainment

Faculty Spolight: Dr. Mary Ellen Kregler Thomas Yakey Jr. Anchor Staff Studying music can lead to a fulfilling career of teaching the art to students. Dr. Mary Ellen Kregler was originally from Connecticut, and went on to receive a Bachelor of Music from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and a Master of Music as well as a doctoral degree in Musical Arts from University of Miami in Florida. All of her degrees have a concentration in flute performance. Dr. Kregler started her musical journey when she was only four years old when her mom enrolled her in piano lessons and a couple of years later, started flute in fourth grade. She started flute because she believes it sounds closest to the bird, and that has driven her to master the flute, piccolo and alto flute. Dr. Kregler is often contracted to play piccolo with symphonic orchestras, especially the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra. She has even played with the Florida Philharmonic and in an orchestra in the Bahamas. Dr. Kregler became involved with the Rhode Island College music department when one of her dear friends and clarinet professor Susan Nicholson encouraged her

to apply to be an adjunct professor to teach flute. This was her first major job in music and the start of her professional musical career. Dr. Kregler believes that anyone who encouraged her to pursue music were major influences on her decisions to fill her life with music, both professionally and personally. Even now as a music teacher of many years, Dr. Kregler feels she struggles in teaching ‘beginner flute’ because it comes so naturally to her. However, teaching the basics of music theory makes her feel gratified because she helps students understand music and believes that is truly rewarding. At the base level, Dr. Kregler believes that all forms of art, especially music, are a part of the human experience, because it is an important part of who we are. She hopes over the years that the RIC music department will gain more students and thrive. Outside of music, Dr. Kregler claims that her family and her children are her biggest motivators, and she loves encouraging her family. She said that her first memory in music was attending Catholic masses and hearing the singing and guitars. She still believes that

faith is an important part of her life. Her humility was shown when she commented that if she didn’t work as a music teacher, she would either work with senior citizens or children with special needs. Dr. Kregler has truly shown how down-to-Earth she is when she said, “listen if I’m home and it’s a Friday night and I’m going crazy with my kids, we aren’t putting on Beethoven Symphonies; We’re putting on MC Hammer and dancing around my kitchen. That’s what we’re listening to in my house.” Dr. Kregler also talked about herself saying, “some fun facts about Mary Ellen: My oldest brother has down syndrome, that’s one thing. My mother passed away this past Christmas and she was a nun for 15 years. I have three children: twin boys who are both autistic. I’m Italian and I can’t cook, that’s interesting.” “Rhode Island, I don’t know what you’re doing”, she said when asked about Rhode Island culture. “I’m very confused about Rhode Island.” Contrary to Rhode Island culture, she dislikes Del’s, coffee milk, party pizza and hot wieners. She does not see how they are appealing. When asked how she thought people would describe her in three words she said timidly, “nice, helpful, funny.” Upon asking her colleagues and students for words that describe her, the responses were all positive and included adjectives such as caring, fabulous, enthusiastic, bubbly, energetic and loving. The list goes on and on. This just shows how exceptional a person, teacher and friend Dr. Mary Ellen Kregler is to the RIC music department and how much of an impact she has on the world

Dr. Kregler, Photo courtesy of ric.edu

| Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928

Arts&Entertainment Jonathan Weaver Asst. A&E Editor It seems Disney is more than well aware of the fumble suffered by the theatrical release of Solo. It also seems the company is keen to avoid making the same mistake again. After Solo turned out to make the smallest profit of any Star Wars movie alongside the vocal disinterest in the spinoff movie by many fans, Disney is looking to step back and reassess its approach to the franchise. Disney CEO Bob Iger spoke to the Hollywood Reporter and told them all about Disney’s desire to slow down their approach to the film franchise. He also goes on to take responsibility for the recent overabundance of Star Wars films that

The Cantina Patience, you must have

Yoda, Photo courtesy of katiesparrow1, DeviantArt seemed to have put off more than a few fans. Within the past three years there has been four theatrical releases in the franchise. Prior to the Disney acquisition of Lucasfilm, there was roughly a three year gap between each movie release. Now that

there are Star Wars movies releasing four times more frequently, many fans have expressed concern the series will see a dip in quality due to too much material. “The Last Jedi” was released in December 2017 and was met with mixed

reviews. Solo then released only five months after, and while some fans consider it to have been a breath of fresh air after The Last Jedi, many others found themselves jaded by the quality of The Last Jedi and skipped Solo entirely, causing the movie to suffer, relatively. While it could be debated whether or not the frequency of releases is what caused issues with The Last Jedi, it is apparent that Disney sees it as a mistake and plans of reassessing their approach following the release of Episode IX. There is still a lot of content planned in the Star Wars canon, between various film trilogies and multiple shows. It seems, however, we may not see this content released as rapidly as we

have over the past couple of years. Regardless of where you stand on the issue, it is always good when a company listens to its fan base and plans to improve the experience. Not to mention this means we will not see an end to new stories from a galaxy far, far away for a long time to come.

Higher, further, faster: Captain Marvel joins the MCU

Britt Donahue Photo Editor

I feel like I’ve waited forever, but Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel is finally ready to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe! The trailer for the MCU’s upcoming “Captain Marvel” was released last week, and if you haven’t had a chance to check it out yet, here is what you need to know: while the eponymous Captain will most certainly save the day in the next installment of “Infinity War,” her first solo film is taking us back in time to the 1990’s. We will get to know Carol, a human being with Kree DNA who has been living on the Kree planet, Hala, after she crash lands on Earth, and teams up with some familiar (although significantly younger) faces. Captain Marvel is my favourite superhero (well, she’s tied with Squirrel Girl), so I have been following the news surrounding this

film since rumors started circulating five years ago, and now that it’s just a few months away I have to say I think it was worth the wait. Academy Award winning actress, Brie Larson is perfect in the lead role and she has an excellent supporting cast. Jude Law will be playing the Kree alien, Mar-Vell. In the comic book universe, MarVell was the first hero to use the name Captain Marvel, and was a friend and mentor to Carol. It is unclear what exactly his role will be in the cinematic universe, although Law has commented that Mar-Vell and Danvers do have a special relationship of some kind. There are some fan theories that speculate about Law’s role, wondering if he is actually playing the villain, Yogg-Saron. A lot about the plot of the movie is still unknown, but I can tell you that Captain Marvel is one of

the most powerful heroes on the Marvel roster. Even before gaining superpowers Danvers was an accomplished Air Force pilot and NASA security officer. Her time in the Air Force earned her the rank Colonel, which means she outranks Captain America himself. After surviving the explosion that altered her DNA and gave her powers, she gained super strength, speed and durability as well as the ability to survive in the vacuum of space, absorb energy blasts and shoot energy beams out of her fists. I bet that by the time Carol saves the day in “Infinity War” next May, there won’t be much argument over who the best Avenger is, but go see “Captain Marvel” on March 8, 2019 and see her in action for yourself.

Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928 |

| Rhode Island Collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928

RICFEST 2018

Homecoming and Reunion Weekend Free Student Events! RICFEST Kickoff Party Thursday, Sept. 27 7-10 p.m. Student Union/Ducey Media Center Outdoor Patio Rain Location RIC Student Union Ballroom Light bites, desserts from local food trucks, dancing and giveaways. Experience what it’s like to perform live with live karaoke band Maxxtone, the Northeast’s leading live show band. Prizes for karaoke contest winners provided! Registration required at RICFESTKickoff2018.eventbrite.com

Alumni and Student Volleyball Match & Outdoor BBQ Friday, September 28 Noon-2 p.m. Weber Beach Students and alumni team up. No experience necessary. Music and giveaways provided. Registration required at RICFEST2018Volleyball.eventbrite.com

RIC FLICKS Screening: “Tag” Friday, Sept. 28 7-10 p.m. Gaige Hall 100 (Auditorium) Sit back for a screening of the new summer comedy that features a small group of former classmates who organize an elaborate, annual game of tag that crosses the country. Registration required at RICFLICKS.eventbrite.com

RICFEST Homecoming Day-Long Activities Saturday, Sept. 29 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Recreation and Event Center • Caricatures • Henna tattoos • Pottery Workshop - Play with clay on the pottery wheels or create handmade pieces. Aprons and supplies provided. • Lunch Buffet and Food Trucks - Join us for a lunch buffet that includes hot and cold items, drinks, snacks and more! * Pick up your free lunch buffet and food truck tickets at the RICFEST Welcome and Info Booth in the Recreation and Event Center lobby. • Mainstage - Featured performers include The Billy Harpin Band and Ocean State Follies.

RICFEST Homecoming 5k Road Race/Walk Saturday, Sept. 29 8:30 a.m. Registration and Check-In 9 a.m. Race start Robert T. Black Track Homecoming T-shirt and lunch included. Cash prizes and trophies for top race finishers. Student registration $10 Registration required at g2racereg.webconnex.com/ric5k2018

For a detailed schedule of all events and activities, visit: ric.edu/homecoming

2018

RIC FEST

SEPT. 27-29

HOMECOMING REUNION

& We e k e n d

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928 |

Arts&Entertainment The Miseducation of Cameron Post Marisa Lenardson Online Media Manager Continued from cover on the last third part of the novel, in which teenage protagonist, Cameron Post, is caught kissing a girl in the back of a car during prom. Her aunt sends her to a Christian school that specializes in conversion therapy for homosexual individuals. Being there enables her to meet people like herself, but also forces her to deal with people who believe her homosexuality is a sin. Maureen Reddy, also a RIC English professor, introduced the movie with some statistics on conversion therapy. Currently, over 700,000 people in the U.S. have been subjected to conversion therapy. Shockingly, Rhode Island is one of only fourteen states that has outlawed conversion therapy

for minors. President Sanchez spoke briefly and described Danforth’s writing as “brave, real,” and “authentic.” The film received plenty of laughter and tears as it sheds light on some of the terrible, abusive behaviors and comments these teens are subjected to. Many of its comedic moments came from times when characters made such extremely derogatory comments about a character’s queerness, that it came off as ridiculous. Adam, a friend of Cameron in the Christian school, is told to keep his long hair out of his eyes because “there’s no hiding from God.” One of the operators of the camp compares homosexuality to cannibalism. This particular character, Dr. Lydia Marsh, also tells Cameron

that the reason she liked a girl is because she wanted to be like her and confused that for being with her. The movie was followed by a panel that consisted of moderator, Vince Bohlinger, Associate Professor of English and Director of RIC’s Film Studies Program, Emily Danforth, Malinda Lo, Boston-based novelist and critic, and Markus Kirschner, production designer for “The Miseducation of Cameron Post.” Danforth discussed the adjustment it took for her, knowing that the movie would only be adapted from the last third of the book. However, she trusted the director, Desiree Akhavan, and her artistic choices, especially because of her own understandings as a bisexual woman. The movie accomplishes a lot for being made on a $1 million dollar

budget. What is most unique about the story is that it is about a girl and is not attempting to be another “coming out” story. Most problem novels involve a protagonist figuring out that they are gay and coming out to the people around them. However, Cameron Post never denies her sexuality. She knows who she is and who she wants to love. Her journey is one of a “coming of age” story. GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defender (GLAD), is a non-profit legal rights organization and has conducted research on LGBTQ represenation in movies. It reports that only 14% of movies contained a gay character this past year. One third of those characters were female. After the panel, there

was a raffling off of some posters and copies of the book, a reception, and a book signing session with Danforth. People thanked her for the personal influence Cameron Post has had in their lives, and for telling a unique story about dealing with trauma when faced with disapproval about who you are. Another distinct quality about “The Miseducation of Cameron Post” is that her story does not have a happy ending. We do not leave Cameron and her friends in place of closure, but in a more realistic way. Their problems are not solved, but there is hope.

| Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928

Arts&Entertainment

The Abbey: best burgers in Providence Alec Ematrudo and Enrique Castaneda-Pineda A&E Editor and Anchor Staff

Located on 686 Admiral Street in Providence, The Abbey is a must stop spot for big and delicious burgers, as well as an amazing beer selection. While being known for its delicious burger menu, every burger is paired with one of their several beers. The Abbey has become a popular place for college students to eat, with it being less than five minutes from both Rhode Island College and Providence College. Alec and I were invited to come in and try some of the Abbey’s premium burgers and although The Abbey offers other delicious meals besides their signature burgers, their burger menu is something to behold. They have burgers stacked with

the craziest combinations of toppings, including ham and pulled pork, double patties, and a cuban burger/sandwich mix. To start off the meal, our server recommended bacon-aki, which was something we had never had before. This appetizer was an imitation of teriyaki skewers, but with extremely thick bacon and teriyaki sauce on it. The bacon-aki started the meal off with a bang, as our taste buds were shot up to the sky right off the bat. Following our appetizer, we both ordered off their premium burger menu, which had at least fifteen unique burgers on it. I ordered “The Handyman”, which had two beef patties, thick-

cut bacon, sauteed onions, pickles and your typical condiments. Alec ordered “The Roadhouse”, a 10 oz. beef patty topped with Wisconsin Gruyere cheese, onion rings, carmelized onions, bacon and garlic mayo. Not only did we have deliciously massive burgers, but each meal included a side of fries that were the perfect greasy and crispy compliment to our intimidating burgers. Alec absolutely loved his, but of course, with all the food, it became hard to finish the whole burger. Despite its size, the taste pushed both of us to finish our burgers, leaving us in a blissful food coma. There is nothing other than the word, “incredible,”

Burgers from The Abbey, Photos courtesy of Alec Ematrudo that could describe our meal there. We topped off the meal with one of their several craft beers, this time trying the “Two Roads’ Espressway Cold Brew Coffee Stout”, which tastes exactly how it sounds-- Beer and coffee is an unexpected yet wonderful combination. Not only was the food delicious, but the service makes you feel right at home with its chill atmosphere and friendly servers. Though we had our food to occupy us, we also had great conversa-

tions with the servers taking care of us, which is always fantastic. Overall, we could not recommend this place more! Take some time for lunch or dinner to try one of their sigature burgers. The menu is fantastic, and it’s definitely a place we will continue to go to in the future.

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928 |

Arts&Entertainment

Marisa Lenardson Online Media Manager

Thursday Sep. 27

Friday Sep. 28

Saturday Sep. 29

Waterfire Cherry Orchard Joan Jett - Bad Reputation Enjoy the burning fires while Watch RIC's production A documentary about Joan walking along the Providence about an aristocratic Russian Jett, who became famous River. family trying to hold on during for the number-one hit "I challenging economic times. Love Rock n Roll." 100 Canal Street, Providence Forman Theater Columbus Theatre FREE // 5-11 p.m. $5 // 7:30 p.m. $10 // 7-9 p.m.

Sunday Sep. 30

Walk to End Alzheimer's Walk to raise money for the Alzheimer's Association. Roger Williams Park FREE // 8:30-12 p.m.

Newsies See the hit musical, about a Burnside Music Series Lifeboat Opera TAG: RIC Flicks charismatic newsboy and Enhoy live music and dinner An immersive game, A comedy about amgroup of leader of a ragged band of from a food truck. This week performance, and survival friends organize an will feature jazz music from fantasy where the audience teenaged newsies, performed elaborate, annual game of by Academy Players of the Lonnie Gasperini Organ becomes active participants tag. Rhode Island. Trio. in completing the story. Burnside Park FREE // 4:30-10 p.m.

AS220 $20 // 8-9 p.m.

Doughnuts and Down Dogs Food Truck Friday Reward yourself after an hour Experience great local food yoga session with some of trucks and live music. Knead's fall flavored donuts. Roger Williams Park Knead Doughnuts Carousel Village $30 // 6-8 p.m. FREE // 5-8:30 p.m.

Joel Kim Booster See comedian Joel Kim Booster who has written for shows like "Billy on the Street" and "Big Mouth." He has appeared on Conan, Comedy Central, and truTV's Comedy Knockout. Comedy Connection $15 // 8-9:30 p.m.

James and Gloria Maron Cultural Arts Center $25 // 7-9:30 p.m. Big Drum Powwow Experience Eastern Woodlands culture, dance drumming, arts & crafts, and native food. Roger Williams Park FREE // 10-5 p.m.

Make Art Workshop: Influences Join for a night of celebrating the influences that make up the art people create.

Community MusicWorks A community picnic & performance featuring the Community MusicWorks ensemble.

Rooms & Works $10 // 7-9 p.m.

Southside Cultural Center of RI FREE // 2 p.m.- 5 p.m.

Gaige Hall FREE // 2-4 p.m.

Paddle Downtown Rent a canoe or kayak and enjoy the city from the water. South Water Street Boat Launch $15-$35 // 5:30-7:30 p.m.

4th Annual Ed Lang Car & Bike Show Check out cars and bikes and bring non-perishable food items to donate to the RI Community Food Bank 225 Niantic Avenue, Cranston FREE // 10-2 p.m.

Opinions

In defense of our Electoral College system

Tim Caplan and Jake Deblois News Editor and Anchor Contributor The 12th amendment to the Constitution was ratified by the required three-fourths of state legislatures 214 years ago in 1804. The relevant text of this amendment is as follows: “[Electors] shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for President… The person having the greatest number of [these] votes for President, shall be the President…”. More and more Americans seem to be finding issues regarding this method of electing our most executive office. Disgruntled portions of the American population, disappointed with some of the more recent elections, likely do not grasp the chaos that would result in abolishing this current system. The founding fathers who created this process saw the rapidly growing, hardworking voter base of The United States easily being caught

Jake Douglas Anchor contributor My first experience being on the Rhode Island College campus was roughly nine years ago. I came to Roberts Hall as a solo pianist to participate in the annual Ratings Festival. My piano class comprised of a whopping 11 students. We came all the way from Block Island on the 8 a.m. ferry and drove up to Providence in a group of “soccer mom” minivans and SUVs. We arrived through the Fruit Hill Ave. entrance and went over the numerous “speed humps.” After finding an open parking spot we walked across the street, past the roundabout. The sidewalk was littered with cracks that resembled spiderwebs. There were odd egg shaped structures placed throughout the courtyard. The shrubbery was sparse and somewhat lifeless for early spring. The

Graphic courtesy of megapixel.com up in their work, families and sometimes even survival, causing them to be too distracted for close following of politics and public policy to make informed decisions on policy and leadership. It is for this same reason that we have this form of representative legislature. Some may be correct in arguing that the average American voter may no longer necessarily work all day on a farm, and often need not worry about the harvest

this year and the resulting hardship for his family in the modern day. Nevertheless, this does not mean that a huge number of 21st century Americans are not also either too busy, too uneducated or simply just do not care about the election enough to become informed on the candidates/issues. Regardless of our political affiliation we probably all know at least one friend who just hears what parents, friends and professors say about

inside of Roberts Hall had old fluorescent light fixtures that gave off a yellow glow. I knew at 10 years old this building was old. Little did I know that there was a whole other world of old buildings beyond the hall. Fast forward to years later, Aug. 24, 2018: movein day. My grandfather was helping me with my luggage when he noted how similar the dorms were to a prison yard. We entered the main door into the suites. The lights flickered. The walls were white barren bricks. The railing for the concrete staircase is rusty. “Yeah this is definitely a prison,” I said. As I entered into the suite lounge, it was baffling to see new furniture and a smart T.V. I opened the door to my room. “This is pretty nice,” my grandfather told me. A nice carpeted floor, a semi comfortable bed, plen-

ty of wooden drawers for my belongings and a sturdy desk. “Yeah, I can definitely live here.” Regardless of how old this campus is, there is an old aesthetic vibe that it puts off that I like. However, some of the buildings just look outright depressing. For instance, The Forman Center looks old and grand because of the outside stonework. However, on the inside, the drop ceiling is covered in mold. The college is making an effort to change that though. What I think is great is how there has been numerous construction projects over the last couple of years. RIC’s “facelift” will hopefully make residential students and commuters want to stay on campus for academics and other activities. How the campus looked was one of my key deci-

candidates and just run with it, not caring to investigate the truth or context of the praise or criticism. Additionally, should the Union decide to use the popular vote, what would keep those candidates from narrowing their campaign to states and, areas where the largest concentrations of voters reside? People who live in different places generally live different lives, someone who lives in the populous upper east side of Manhattan is more likely than not to have a different set of beliefs and values than someone who lives in somewhat rural Mason City, Iowa. People who live in less populous places do not want to have to be subject to the laws and ideas of people who live in large metropolitan areas on the other side of the country. People across america do not wish to be disenfranchised and subject to a mob rule of the majority that isn’t concerned with their best interests at all. Without the Electoral College, candidates would find it more cost effective to only campaign in places

like California, Texas and Florida. And when Politicians adopt policies and take on issues only important to voters living in these areas? Populations in Wyoming, for example, could quickly find themselves with less representation for their issues within the White House. Lastly, those angered with the Electoral College, site faithless delegates, in nearly half of the states these delegates who switch their vote going against their pledge, can do so without penalty. However, to date there are only 167 in total (only 24 since 1912). Of these 167, 71 electors changed their vote because the candidates to whom they were pledged had died. The idea that these faithless electors determine elections is false; since 1789 only .67 percent of all electors have been unfaithful, which affects elections minimally. To end, the Electoral College has never truly worked the way it was envisioned and is in no way perfect, but compared to a popular vote, it is by and large, preferable.

sions in the college process. I knew that RIC was old, but I knew that they were making improvements to their infrastructure. I look forward to the renovations of the different academic buildings. I was particularly impressed by some of the rooms in Gaige Hall. The

projectors that drop out of the ceiling are almost futuristic. Hopefully, the more appealing the campus looks, the more students will want to stay on it. The more students that stay on campus, the higher the student morale becomes.

Rhode Island College’s facelift

The views expressed in The Anchor, unless otherwise noted, are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent those of The Anchor or of Rhode Island College’s faculty, administration or student body.

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Opinions

Another hurdle for education majors

Alison Macbeth and Lauren Enos Anchor staff & Assistant opinions editor A recent update to Rhode Island College’s requirements for the education program has created another hurdle for aspiring teachers. Students wanting to apply to the Feinstein School of Education need to worry about taking the PRAXIS if their high school SAT scores don’t meet the new high standards-- that being a minimum score of 540 for the reading portion and 530 for the math. This leaves the cut-off for an applicant to be at the 60th percentile. The administration has already announced that SAT standards will increase to the 67th percentile in 2020. So, if you thought you could forget about your SAT scores-- think again. The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE), among many others, are constantly changing their requirements for the accreditation of college education programs. This means that programs accredited by these associations face losing accreditation if they don’t adopt the changes they set forth. One of these changes is a raise in the required SAT

scores in order to be admitted to an education program. If you don’t meet that score, you either have to take the SAT again or take the math PRAXIS to reach the score needed for admission. I believe that these associations are overlooking an important piece of information - the SATs are taken in high school and don’t necessarily predict college success. While it is a good thing that education accreditation programs are raising academic standards, excelling college students should not be delayed because their test scores don’t meet a new standard. This is not contributing to immediate student success. Most established universities recognize that the SATs are a limited way of evaluating student. Additionally, not everyone is a good test-taker, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t smart or capable. For example: my friend is in her sophomore year, is an active honors student and has an excellent GPA. When she applied to be an art education major as a senior in high school, her SAT scores matched the requirements. This put her in a good place

Graphic courtesy of The Prospect to apply on a normal schedule as a college sophomore. But by the time she reached her sophomore year, the SAT requirements had changed, leaving her 10 points too low in the math section. The administration couldn’t do anything to help her, other than advise her to either take the SAT once again or the PRAXIS, all because of a 10 point margin. With the new standards for better scores on highstakes tests, they are discouraging, and possibly completely disinteresting, capable students who may be intimidated by having to

take high-stakes assessments again. The worse case scenario can leave students required to take high-stakes assessments over marginal low scores, preventing them from entering the program on time. This could in turn prevent aspiring teachers from graduating on time, which is already estimated to take five years. Let’s not make standardized testing an even more difficult obstacle that college students to have to navigate.

are just starting out so they don’t really have a budget to pay interns, but this is also a reason that many students may decide not to pursue an internship. In this economy, most middle-class or working-class individuals need to be compensated for their work in order to get by. These companies that think it’s okay to just not pay their interns because they feel the learning experience is enough compensation. These companies need to realize that their interns are still workers.

Interns, while different that regular staff members, are still longing to be valuable members of a team and deserve to be paid for their contributions. Companies should treat their internship postings just like job postings and make more of them available. Internships are such an important learning and networking experience for the college student. To make a long story short: I believe more internships need to be made available to college students and that those internships need to

Are internships actually helpful? Justine Lewis Anchor contributor Before I came to Rhode Island College I was a student at the Community College of Rhode Island, like so many other RIC students are. About the time I was preparing to graduate from CCRI was when I first started considering an internship for myself. I had a high interest in writing for social media and wanted to turn that into a career somehow. So, being that Providence was (and still is) the closest major city to where I live, I used every

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major resource I could get my hands on to try to find any internships that were open. I was surprised that unlike cities such as Boston or even New York City, Providence was home to next to no available internships for english majors like myself, or for anyone for that matter. What could be worse than the lack of internships in this major capital city? Of the internships I could find on sites like internships.com, all of them were unpaid. Don’t get me wrong, I get that a lot of companies

provide the worker with both a hearty learning experience AND the compensation they so desperately need.

Opinions

The fight against supremacists Derek Sherlock Anchor Staff A debate has arisen as we approach the one year anniversary of Charlottesville and with the various smaller white nationalist rallies across the country: should we give the white supremacists the ability to speak openly spreading their racist ideals? My instinctual answer to this burning question is a resounding “NO,” they should not be given the platform. Some people will say that it is their First Amendment right to be able to speak their mind, but does hate speech really deserve that platform? When you sprout out about how you are the “superior” race and that non-whites don’t deserve basic rights, then your First Amendment rights are no longer valid. During the white national-

ist rally in Providence on Aug. 4, I saw firsthand the blatant racism that both the racist groups as well as the police displayed. The white supremacists attacked the counter protesters and the police allowed them to do so without any regard to our safety. When we tried to defend ourselves in self-defense we were viewed as the villains and some of the counter protesters were even arrested. However, we were able to drive them away without them speaking their propaganda and infecting a newer generation to believe the way they do. It was a victory to us but the war against racism is never over with another rally being set up Sept. 29 at the state house. We as a community need to stand up to this infection and drive it

Supremacists Photo courtesy of Vice out of our community. I know the counter-narrative to this way of thinking would be: just ignore them-if you ignore them, they lose their power and they will go away. My response to that thought process is: look at what happened in Germany in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s. People ignored the rise of Nazism, and look what happened. Do I believe that if we ignore the white suprema-

cists here in America that it could lead to what the Nazis did? It is a possibility, and a possibility that should never be on the table. So, if we are able to cut the head off the snake, so to speak, and deny them the ability to ultimately recruit new members, we can avoid the rise of another Reich. This would be the easier way of doing this, the alternative to this would be what happened in Italy un-

der Benito Mussolini or for more contemporary times, what is going on in Syria with the People’s Protection Units (YPG) and the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ). We must continue fighting against a regime that is nationalist and fascist to uphold ideals of equality for all.

Let me enjoy my PSL in peace, would ya? Ariella Jeter Asistant Copy Editor Fall for most college students could honestly be a nightmare. You go from lounging around on the beach all day to two ten page papers due by last week. Or, you go from working 40+ hours a week all summer with no time to relax, to working 40+ hours a week on top of classes and those two 10-page papers as well. Fall is a stressful season for most. To make it through this stress, people like me (the “halloween actually starts August 29th” people), try to make the best of this season by enjoying those cliche “fall activities.” And you know what? It’s actually my reason to get out of bed in the morning. So please, stop hating on your local pumpkin spice latte girl. Nobody judges you when

you post 15 pictures of yourself in your bathing suit “thinking of better days” or your “beach day with the girliessssss.” No offense, but picking apples and then going home to make apple pie with said “girliessssss” sounds a lot better to me. There really is nothing better than having everyone over (or just yourself), making those halloween Pillsbury cookies and watching Halloweentown on repeat. People who don’t like fall do not even exist in my mind because not liking fall is something I could never understand. For all you fall haters out there, here is a short (but effective) list of things for you to try this fall: Pumpkin picking Pumpkin carving (pro-tip: use the seeds from your pumpkin to make homemade pumpkin seeds) Corn maze

Photo courtsey of Britt Donahue Hayride Scary movie marathon A trip to Salem (100% would recommend) Hiking Curling up next to the fire with a blanket and hot apple cider Spiking said apple cider Spooky crafts - especially candle making Six Flags Fright Fest

Canobie Lake Screemfest Bonfires and s’mores And, lastly, technically most important, haunted houses All of these options are definitely college-budget approved and can be done by yourself or with others. Not to mention, fall lasts about a month longer than “spooky season” (Thanks-

giving? Hello?) so you have plenty of time to complete each activity. I know, I know, you never want a PSL to ever touch your lips. But with fall being such a long and enjoyable season, I hope you are able to give it a shot despite your deep-rooted hate for Uggs and a $5 latte from Starbucks.

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Sports

Nike, North Smithfield and the nature of free speech Jake Elmslie Sports Editor Continued from cover citizens, businesses and institutions interact with one another since the first amendment was etched into the constitution, there has always been an understanding that at a minimum the notion of free speech protects these same private entities from retribution from the government for the expression of their own beliefs. This understanding was seemingly lost on the North Smithfield Town Council. To recap: on Monday, September 17th this legislature passed a resolution, written by their president John Beauregard that in essence urges all municipal departments in North Smithfield not to buy Nike products. This disdain was not brought on by Nike’s well documented usage of sweatshop labor nor the lack of a living wage for it’s stateside employees but rather due to the shoemakers decision to use former NFL quarterback and current social justice advocate Colin Kaepernick in their most recent advertising campaign.

Joshua Percy Anchor Contributor

municipal departments from buying Nike products, it simply requests that they chose other brands. Any sort of outright ban would be undeniably unconstitutional. The non-stipulative nature of this resolution though does not free it from these sorts of accusations. Steve Brown the executive director of the Rhode Island division of the American Civil Liberties Union when asked by The Anchor about the organization’s stance on this resolution said “we remain very concerned about the resolution and we’re disappointed that a majority of the town council voted on it we believe it’s designed to punish Nike for exercising the right to protest and shows real insensitivity.” When asked if the ACLU believed this resolution was inherently unconstitutional he responded that ”It’s certainly problematic, whether it rises to the level of unconstitutionality is something we’ll look in.” The story of this resolution took another turn on Wednesday, September 19th when President Beauregard released a statement that to

summarize stated his intent to hold a special meeting on the 24th to repeal this resolution. In his statement though he doesn’t mention limiting free speech, he doesn’t indicate that his stances on this matter have changed at all he merely condemns the outrage that followed this resolution. He attempts to paint himself and the Town Council as the victims in this situation, seemingly not realizing the irony in him complaining about being persecuted for taking a stand for what he believes in. Obviously the real financial impact of this resolution is next to nothing. Nike will not fold or really suffer any consequences even if they lost the business of all of North Smithfield. The North Smithfield Town Council will most likely not turn into a tyrannical force and attempt to dismantle the institutions of this country. However precedent is a tricky thing, if you allow the rights of a giant corporation such as Nike to be violated who is to say a point doesn’t come where citizens become desensitized to the oppression of those

that they may disagree with, simply cheering for any sort of retribution for their political opponents. When reached for comment by The Anchor, President Beauregaed replied that he “made a decision not to do anymore interviews.” For those that support the rights guaranteed in The Constitution rejecting the ideals of this resolution should be easy. It shouldn’t matter how you feel about Kaepernick kneeling for the national anthem nearly two years ago. It shouldn’t matter what he wore on his feet or what he thinks about the police. It shouldn’t matter that President Beauregard is a former state trooper and takes offense to these beliefs. What should matter is that in an increasingly divisive political climate, where growing scores of Americans are perceiving the world through their own personal senses of good vs evil is maintaining the civil liberties that remain one of the few objectively positive things about this country.

The WWE’s women’s revolution

For years now WWE’s women wrestlers have been used for one thing, their sex appeal. WWE used to have Bra & Panties matches, and the women were never taken seriously, until now. Starting in 2015, there was a #GiveDivasAChance movement. Because of this the likes of Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks, Paige, AJ Lee, Bayley and many others were given more time to shine. 2015 is where women's wrestling really started to improve, with matches like the first-ever Iron Woman match between Sasha Banks and Bayley in October 2015, Charlotte

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The resolution itself repeatedly mentions the ways in which Colin Kaepernick protested police brutality against African Americans, his views on the subject as well as the language used by Nike to promote Kaepernick. This resolution and by extension it’s writer John Beauregard paints each of these factors in a negative light, so negative that the final item on the resolution states that “Nike’s values do not reflect our values and Nike should not financially benefit from our business.” The North Smithfield Town Council voted 3-2 that protesting police brutality was so against their own values, and what they perceive as the values of their constituency, that they would prefer to see a private company that seemingly acknowledges and supports working against this issue suffer financially. In other words they do not believe in what Colin Kaepernick and by proxy Nike have said and therefore believe it is the role of the government to punish them. To be clear North Smithfield’s resolution does not legally ban the town’s

Flair vs Sasha Banks Main eventing Monday Night Raw and Main Eventing Hell in a Cell, while competing in the dangerous cage and Asuka winning the first ever all women’s Royal Rumble match in 2018. In 2016, the Divas championship was retired and replaced with a Smackdown and Raw Women's championships. In 2017, Carmella became the first ever to win a Women’s Money in the Bank ladder match, and in 2018 Alexa Bliss won the second ever Women’s Money in the Bank ladder match. There have been two tournaments involving women

fighting in bracket form to win the Mae Young Classic. The addition of the baddest women on the planet Rowdy Ronda Rousey from UFC has brought the biggest spotlight to women's wrestling ever. All the hard work, all the changes these women have fought for now has an end game. All the historical matches, title changes and title introductions leads to something incredible. On October 28th, 2018 there will be an all-Women’s Pay per View called “Evolution” which will see all 4 women’s titles defended (Raw, Smackdown, NXT,

and United Kingdom titles). The Mae Young Classic final round will happen on the pay per view, WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus will face Alexa Bliss and the only other confirmed match is WWE Hall of Famer Lita vs Mickie James.

With the first all-women’s Pay per View as the final mark for women’s wrestling, there will no longer be a need to call this the women's wrestling revolution, it should be called the evolution of women’s wrestling.

Sports

Women’s Soccer plays against Castleton State University

Jake Elmslie Sports Editor

The Rhode Island College Anchorwomen left their Saturday afternoon defeat at the hands of Castleton State University both with plenty to build off of and plenty to dwell on. RIC was defeated by the Spartans 4-2 in a game that was defined by missed opportunities. The Anchorwomen started off the game with a nifty display of ball movement. On their first possession RIC managed to set up team captain and leading scorer Brittany DeGrooth with a point blank shot on goal, Castleton’s goalkeeper, Loren Henderson saved it. Almost immediately following this the Spartan’s Taylor Mann scored on a freak goal in front the net a minute and 17 seconds into the game. The former event began a pattern for RIC with the Anchorwomen offense

lead by forwards DeGrooth and Soleil Galagarza generating quality shot after quality shot but being continuously unable to put the ball into the goal. Following a brief injury scare involving DeGrooth the Anchorwomen exited the first half down 2-0. RIC’s first possession of the second half was very reminiscent of their opening possession with the key difference being an unassisted goal scored by Galagarza 43 seconds into the half. After this it briefly looked as though RIC had shaken it’s first half inability to execute on scoring opportunities however this issue soon reared its head once again and the he Anchorwomen continued to miss well facilitated shots By the time Audra Gracis scored her first collegiate

#9 - Madeline McNally and #22 - Vanessa Costa Photo courtesy of Kaitlin Dobson goal in the game’s final minute on an impressive shot from deep in the midfield RIC had already been buried by two second half goals from Castleton. The Anchorwomen outshot Castleton 23-12 in the game with Castleton only being credited with

two shots in the second half. However due in part to their scoring woes and in part to an impressive performance from Henderson who recorded 12 saves in the game the Anchorwomen were never able to fully put things together on the offensive end.

With this loss RIC falls to 3-5 on the season and 1-1 in Little East Conference play. The Anchorwomen will look to rebound on the road Wednesday afternoon in another conference matchup with Plymouth State.

Rhode Island College fall sports preview: volleyball

Jake Elmslie Sports Editor

Often times a first year head coach is not facing an optimal situation with their new team. Coaching positions usually do not open up because team’s have been successful. Rhode Island College’s newest head volleyball coach, Sherri Heard, is not in this sort of position. Coach Heard has inherited a team with two winning seasons in the last four years, as well as one that recorded multiple playoff appearances under the now retired coach, Leo Bush. A lot of this success may not of been possible though without Coach Heard. Heard served as an assistant for four years under Coach Bush, being directly involved in everything from recruitment to match coaching. When asked about what the biggest transition was in moving up from assistant to head coach she told The Anchor “well you’re a lot more involved in every aspect the team and you

#2 - Jacqueline Jutras Photo courtesy of Kaitlin Dobson

need to be the final one who ensures everything is working well since it’s your team.” From a culture standpoint, Coach Heard has been more than pleased with her team. While new coaches in all sports regularly feel the need to change the culture of their new team to better facilitate winning, Coach Heard believes that the strong upperclassmen nucleus of her team has already created a culture of both accountability and hard work. Because of this, Coach Heard feels as though the team has been in a great place mentally from the very start of their preparations for the season. When asked about the strength of the Little East Conference, Coach Heard explained that the top seven teams in the conference, including RIC, are all very talented and that all inter-conference play should be extremely competitive as each team tries to carve a path to the playoffs.

The Anchorwomen are 7-5 as of the writing of this article. RIC student’s next opportunity to see the team at home will October 2nd when they face off against Eastern Connecticut State University.

#12 - Eden Anthony Photo courtesy of Kaitlin Dobson

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928 |

Sports

Charlotte Abotsi Senior Copy Editor

Serena Williams and the penalty for women’s anger

The U.S. Open Grand Slam Women’s Final on Saturday, Sept. 8 was slated to be historic. Serena Williams–who has seen success at the U.S. Open six times–was competing in her second Grand Slam final of this year. She faced 20 year old Naomi Osaka, representing Japan, in Osaka’s first Grand Slam final, whose hero is Serena Williams. In the first set of the match, Osaka dominated the Arthur Ashe Stadium courts, while Williams struggled. She lost the first set to Osaka, 2-6. Somewhere during the first set, Williams’ coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, gestured his hands while watching Williams. For those unfamiliar with tennis, there is no courtside for tennis players. The umpire of the night, Carlos Ramos, gave Williams a violation for her coach’s gesture, calling it a coach violation. Williams, confused at the allegation, kept playing. Later, during a water break, she explained to Ramos she was not being coached, and never has been coached while playing. She tried clarifying what she first saw as a misunderstanding and said, “I never cheat to win, I’d rather lose.” Serena Williams is the most

successful tennis athlete in the sport’s modern history. That isn’t hyperbole, it is fact. She holds 23 Grand Slam Championship Titles, and is known for winning multiple championships a year so often, that the feat has its own name–the “Serena Slam.” No stranger to the U.S. Open (it was the first major she ever won, at 17, in 1999), she is also no stranger to the frequent discrimination of the male-dominated, white world of tennis. Tennis as an institution, is elitist in its practice, usually deemed a sport played by those with privilege, power, and access. Serena Williams, a Black woman, disrupts this narrative. Yet, and maybe even because of this, she has faced sexist and racist-based discrimination throughout her entire career. As the second set of the match began, Williams was obviously bothered. However, she managed to hold her serve, and was close to breaking Osaka’s serve when she lost a point, and reacted in rage, smashing her racket on the court. This act of aggravation is common in tennis; however, there are written rules against anger. Usually the fine is a monetary one, but Ramos issued Williams

another code violation, docking her a full point and awarding it to Osaka, which altered the score to 4-2. Williams called Ramos a

liar and a thief for stealing the point from her. She said he owed her an apology for falsely accusing her of cheating. For this, Ramos “docked” another full point from Williams, resulting in a 5-3 score in the second set; Osaka in the lead with now two given points. Novak Djokovic, a male tennis player, has twice gotten into arguments with Ramos, going so far to even call him “crap.” Djokovic has never received a point penalty or code violation for his words. Nick Kyrgios, told Ramos his umping was “f***ing bullsh*t” and received no point penalty. Andy Murray onced shouted “stupid umpiring” at Ramos, and Rafael Nadal once argued with Ramos and neither of them received a game or point penalty. Ser-

ena Williams called Ramos a liar and she was fined $17,000. Naomi Osaka won the match. Even if the match had gone smoothly, she was set to win. She is a mighty player who has been surprising spectators since she was 16. She played her idol with the best she had, earning her win. She responded by putting her towel over her head and sobbing. There was melancholy in the stadium and onscreen. Williams had already shed her tears, telling the umpire “There are a lot of men out here who have said a lot of things and do not get that punishment. Because I am a woman you are going to take this away from me? That is not right.”

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