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The Corne¬ Daily Sun Vol. 133, No. 26

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Ken Bolton discusses changing from his previous role as an air traffic controller to a research librarian. | Page 3

Jack Jones ’18 writes about the time his parents confiscated his IPod.

Cornell men’s hockey is starting this season right where they left off last spring.

| Page 15

| Page 20

Housing Search Hampers Study Abroad E.A.Supports Students call financial risk of not finding subletters a stressor, deterrant By JENNA RUDOLFSKY Sun Staff Writer

While losing a friend in the stressful process of finding a Collegetown apartment is on the list of 161 things every Cornellian should do, students studying abroad often have even more trouble securing housing. Kevin Rodin ’19, is in a much better place than many of his peers in procuring housing. Planning to go abroad next spring, Rodin said he will live in his fraternity house for the fall 2017 semester. “Since you don't have to deal with a landlord, and you know that you can have a room for a semester and then just leave, it is certainly easier to figure out living situations,” Rodin said. Although living in a Greek house is an option for a limited number of students who go abroad, many Cornellians venturing away

from campus struggle to find housing for just one on-campus semester. Over 388 students went abroad last spring, according to Cornell Abroad, and many of these individuals struggled to solidify a plan for their time at the University. Director of Cornell Abroad Marina Markott said that Cornell Abroad has started highlighting the need to plan ahead for housing at their information sessions for first year students, because so many found the process challenging. “The important thing is for students to start thinking about housing choices before they finalize plans for study abroad since leases may be signed long before abroad applications are due,” she said. See HOUSING page 4

CAMERON POLLACK / SUN PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

C-Town struggle | Students complain that finding subletters makes studying abroad difficult.

Transition to Carbon Neutrality By ANNA KOOK Sun Staff Writer

The Employee Assembly discussed the University’s plan to make Cornell a carbon neutral campus by 2035 with members of the Senior Leadership Climate Action Group at its Wednesday meeting. Sarah Brylinsky, the Sustainability Communications and Integration Manager of SLAG, summarized and shared with the assembly the newly released report “Options for Achieving a Carbon Neutral Campus.” The easiest part of achieving this ambitious goal has already been executed, as the University has introduced campus engagement programs and over 40 student clubs have started work on attaining sustainability, according to Brylinsky. “The hardest part that remains is the financial accounting on moving a large research campus like Cornell to a 100 percent renewable energy campus that’s in a really cold place without putting Cornell out of business,” Brylinsky said. The report explores 10 different potential means to reach carbon neutrality, factoring in the social costs of each alternative. However Brylinsky highlighted an important change in the report — a fourth “bottom line” aim to achieve, in addition to the first three, which represent prosperity, people and planet. “The additional fourth bottom line added is purpose. Purpose ensures that the project will advance Cornell’s academic purpose,” See ASSEMBLY page 4

C.U. Repubs,Dems:Trump’s Rigged Election Rhetoric‘Disgraceful’ By JEANNETTE SI Sun Staff Writer

DAMON WINTERS / THE NEW YORK TIMES

Trumped up | Students described the candidate’s comments as dangerous.

Before presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump battled at the final debate, Cornellians debated the efficacy of casting a ballot for a third party candidate at a forum designed to promote civil participation. After the debate, both Cornell Democrats and Republicans reacted with alarm to Donald Trump’s refusal to confirm that he will concede the presidency if Hillary Clinton emerges from Nov. 8 victorious — many accusing the candidate of undermining the democratic system their organizations champion.

Pre-Debate

Before the debate, the Cornell chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority hosted “Own Your Vote” — an event dedicated to educating students about the policy positions of each candidate — in tandem with Cornell Democrats and Cornell

Republicans. The event covered the political stances of candidates Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump and Gary Johnson. Jill Stein was excluded from the discussion because the Green Party candidate is currently polling below two percent, according to coor-

dinator Carlee Moses ’18, the chief education officer of Kappa Alpha Theta. Members of Cornell Republicans and Democrats addressed concerns many students raise about the utility of voting for a third party candidate. “Voting for a third party candidate is voting for your principles,” said Austin McLaughlin ’18 the executive director of Cornell Republicans and one of the night’s presenters. “If [neither] Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump embody the ideals that I embody, then in that sense I don’t think it’s a wasted vote to truly vote for who you believe in.” See DEBATE page 5

DAMON WINTERS / THE NEW YORK TIMES

Clinton initiative | Cornell Democrats praised their nominee’s performance.

2 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, October 20, 2016

Daybook

DAYBOOK

Thursday, October 20, 2016

A LISTING OF FREE CAMPUS EVENTS Today Systems Ph.D. Open House 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Baum Atrium, Duffield Hall Biotechnology in Mexico: A Story Not to Be Repeated 12:20 - 1:10 p.m., 160 Mann Library C.U. Music: Midday Music at Lincoln 12:30 - 1:15 p.m., B20 Lincoln Hall Inequaliy in the Promised Land: Race, Resources, and Suburban Schooling 1:25 - 2:40 p.m., G01 Uris Hall Tinker Thursdays 4 - 6 p.m., 112 Mann Library

Before the Flood Screening 4:45 - 6:45 p.m., Willard Straight Theater

A Taste of Family Business Networking Reception 3:30 - 5:30 p.m., Dyson Atrium, Sage Hall

Artist’s Talk: Masami Teraoka 5:15 p.m., Johnsom Museum of Art

Graduate Student and Postdoc Seminar 3:30 - 4:30 p.m., 622 Space Sciences Building

Racker Lecture by Michael S. Brown M.D.: Why Hearts Attack 8 - 9 p.m., Call Alumni Auditorium, Kennedy Hall

4-H National Youth Science Day 4 - 6 p.m., 102 Mann Library

Tomorrow

Coping With Waste: Copropolitics Ancient and Moderm 4:30 p.m., 122 Goldwin Smith Hall

Coding and Decoding Calcium Signals in Plants Lecture by Jeffery Harper 11:15 a.m., 404 Plant Science Building

Masquerade at the Museum 8 - 11 p.m., Johnson Museum of Art

Ezra’s Round Table: Jim Hall 12:15 p.m., 253 Frank H.T. Rhodes Hall

Undergraduate Queer Social 4 - 6 p.m., Bear’s Den, Willard Straight Hall

Improving on “Disease-in-a-Dish” 2:30 - 3:30 p.m., 226 Weill Hall

The English Lyric, Medieval to Early Modern 4:30 p.m., 132 Goldwin Smith Hall

Switching Colleges? One-on-One Assistance 3 - 5 p.m., Carol Tatkon Center

C.U. Music: Organist Anna Steppler 8 - 9:30 p.m., Chapel, Anabel Taylor Hall Fuertes Observatory Open House 8 p.m., - midnight, Fuertes Observatory Halloqueen 11:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m., Bear’s Den, Willard Straight Hall

THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, October 20, 2016 3

NEWS

Bolton Recounts Path From Air Traffic Controller to Librarian By ANNE DELWICHE Sun Staff Writer

After years of directing airplanes down a runway, Ken Bolton now leads Cornellians to research resources. A self-described “human search engine,” Bolton says his work as a librarian has been revolutionized by the internet age. Bolton said the dynamic work he conducts every day as a librarian is very different from the regimented and repetitive job he performed before arriving at Cornell. “A lot of people envision [being an air traffic controller] as being stressful, and sometimes it was,” he said. “But 90 percent of the time, it was very regimented. You had to do everything following a certain protocol, certain standards. Until a big electrical problem or a big thunderstorm rolls in, then it gets crazy.” Other than those few moments of variation, Bolton said that “most of the day was sitting at a radar screen directing airplanes. It just didn’t feel like something I wanted to do forever.” After those five years, Bolton made a monumental move from California to upstate New York, completely changing the direction of his career. While his wife attended Cornell, Bolton said he worked on obtaining his Master’s degree in library and information science

from Syracuse University. Now in his current role, Bolton said he does “a little bit of everything,” including working as a librarian, teacher, negotiator with publishers and a marketing team for the library. As he moved from air traffic controller to a librarian, Bolton said he was able to translate his skills of multitasking and accuracy to new challenges — although of course there were different risks involved. Bolton calls changes in technology the primary factor driving the dynamic nature of his job in the library, where, he says, “everyday is different” and multitasking is essential. While many students see librarians as someone “sitting at a reference desk waiting for someone to come ask them a question,” today librarians have to be be far more proactive, a quality Bolton considers imperative to the profession. PHOTOS BY Fewer and fewer CAMERON POLLACK / students are seeking SUN PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR assistance from the library in this traditional format because they “don’t think they need help or maybe, they don’t realize they need help,” Bolton said. “If you just leave it up to students to do [it] on their own, they’ll just do what they can,” he said. "Anybody with a phone can find information. Librarians can help with the next steps — evaluating,

applying, and protecting the integrity of that information." Bolton said students often struggle to find enough credible sources for their papers and projects, using only the information they find in the first page of a Google search. This makes it Bolton’s job to become what he refers to as a “human search engine.” “Only about five percent of the information on the Internet is actually available through a free tool like Google,” Bolton said. “Most of the information out there is somehow protected behind a firewall or some kind of registration process. This usually comes as a surprise to students.” To combat this problem, Bolton said he designed an entire course to help students find that other 95 percent of sources. This decision was additionally a response faculty members’ disappointment with the caliber of students’ research skills. Bolton pointed out that 15 years ago, everyone was a consumer of information that was created by some other authority. Therefore, in a world where students are both information-consumers and informationproducers, sifting through research to find credible sources can be a cumbersome task. “Mostly through social media, all of us are now producing information — with blogs, websites, Facebook posts, tweets, those kind of things,” Bolton said. The proliferation of information available on the internet has made it increasingly difficult to determine the credibility of authoritative sources, the librarian said. Bolton said his course was “an effort to help the students get through all the junk that’s out there in the information landscape and get to the good stuff that they need to help with their assignments to help with their career research as well.” From his various roles and unexpected career path, Bolton says his openness to change — both in his career and his life — led him to take on the dynamic role he has today. “Looking back at it now, it worked out great,” he said of this unconventional path. Anne Delwiche can be reached at adelwiche@cornellsun.com.

Comparing Candidates:Reed, Plumb Vie for New York Congressional Seat By DREW MUSTO Sun Staff Writer

Although it is one of the country’s most liberal cities, Ithaca resides in the second most Republican-dominated district in New York, according to the Cook partisan voting index. Since 2010, Republican Tom Reed (R-N.Y.) has represented Ithaca in the House of Representatives, but this year, he faces a promising challenger in John Plumb (DJamestown), who has garnered endorsements from Mayor Svante Myrick ’09, Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.). Early in his Congressional tenure, Reed gained a prestigious seat on the Committee on Ways and Means, which oversees all fed-

eral tax bills. Currently, Reed also participates in the manufacturing, natural gas, private property and diabetes caucuses. Before he joined Congress, Reed was the mayor of Corning, where his family has lived since the early 1920s. Last spring, he was one of the first congressman to publicly endorse Republican nominee Donald Trump for president. Commander Plumb, who holds a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder, spent six years on active duty in the U.S. Navy and served as director of defense policy and strategy at the National Security Council during the Obama administration. Before his work under President Obama, Plumb also worked as an aide to former Senator Ken Salazar (D-

Col.), served as the Pentagon’s principal director for nuclear and missile defense policy and was acting deputy assistant secretary for defense and space policy, according to The Buffalo News. The Sun has broken down the two candidate’s views on six issues that are at the forefront of this year’s election cycle: the economy, education, gun policy, healthcare, immigration and national security. Economy

REED: Small businesses are the cornerstone of the American economy, according to Reed. In order to protect them, the congressman wants to remove “burdensome and unnecessary” federal regulations and taxes that increase the costs of See CONGRESS page 5

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NEWS

Housing Complicates Study Abroad HOUSING

Continued from page 1

Financial Challenges

to sublet for a super reduced price due to the amount of apartments that will be available in the spring from other students going abroad,” Dubose said. Most students go abroad in the spring, making more apartments available at that time of year and giving an advantage in subletting to students who go abroad in the fall, according to Markott.

Facing financial pressure, Nora Rabah ’18, who is going to Copenhagen this spring, said she knew that she had to find someone to take over her lease in order to go abroad. “If I had not found a subletter, I honestly might University Resources not have been able to go abroad,” Rabah said. “It’s a For students who are interested in seeking lot of money to lose, and I don’t think I would be able Cornell’s help in the sometimes challenging process of to do it.” finding a subletter, the University offers an OffRabah said it can be difficult to sublet apartments Campus Housing database for students to find subletin advance, because students will not have access to ters or to find apartments to sublet. the apartment they want to sublet for an entire year, “The Off-Campus Living Office offers a variety of which can make interested parties unwilling to show resources for students looking for someone to sublet interest or commit to a lease. their apartment, including reference materials, an offWhile Rabah said she campus housing listing was able to successfully database, and an opt-in sublet her apartment, the “Essentially, I have no set plan and it’s email discussion list for financial concerns she Cornellians to discuss really stressful. My backup plan is faced to cover her costs and share housing expericouchsurfing.” while abroad is common ences and opportuniamong students. ties,” said Diane Jeff Mary Louise Dubose ’19 “Although we never Kubarek, senior director know all the reasons why of communications for students may cancel their plans to study abroad, we student and campus life. occasionally do have students drop out when they Dubose is currently unsure where she will be living find they cannot get someone to sublet their apart- in the fall 2017 semester, and said she is wary of using ment in Collegetown,” Markott said. University resources or housing. Markott added that the University does not know “I don't see Cornell as the best resource for finding how many families continue to pay rent for a vacant an off-campus apartment,” she said. “I feel like all the Collegetown apartment while students study abroad. University ever wants me to do is spend more money “Paying two rents is an untenable situation, and it than necessary. I just don't trust them to help me find is clearly not an option for most families,” she said. affordable housing options.” “The stress of finding subletters clearly adds an extra Even with these resources available, many students burden for students. Luckily, students who live on choose tol leave their housing to chance. campus do not face these issues.” “Essentially, I have no set plan and it's really stressWhile some students sign leases even while they ful,” Dubose said. “My backup plan is couchsurfing know they are going abroad, others, like Mary Louise ... Hopefully it all works out.” Dubose ’19, are too afraid of the financial commitment. “What makes [figuring out housing] even harder is Jenna Rudolfsky can be reached at that if I do get an apartment and try to sublet, I'll have jrudolfsky@cornellsun.com.

THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, October 20, 2016 5

NEWS

Cornellians React to Third Debate Congressional Candidates Reed, DEBATE

Continued from page 1

In his response to the same question, Kevin Kowalewski ’17, the president of the Cornell Democrats, said that he believes Trump and Johnson are both unqualified candidates, calling Johnson’s policies “extreme” and adding that they will have “negative effects on the economy.” This comment sparked a response from Cornell Republicans Chair Olivia Corn ’19, who replied that though Trump was “unfit for president,” this election had a “criminal on the Democrat side.” “[Hillary Clinton] literally has no idea what the hell she’s doing,” Corn shot back. “She did a horrible job as secretary of state. I don’t think she is the proper choice for president.” Presenters also discussed how Clinton has garnered a reputation for being an “untrustworthy” politician. “I believe there are certain components to that narrative of being untrustworthy,” said Gunjan Hooja ‘17, vice president of the Cornell Democrats. “One is the fact that she’s been in the public eye for decades, so there’s been all these trials, these scandals — but there’s also a component of misogyny and sexism.” Corn characterized Clinton’s narrative more critically, pointing to several inconsistencies within the former secretary of state’s political career, including the Benghazi terror attacks. “She had actually revealed to the

families the day after it happened that it was a terror attack; the next day, the [news] reports it and says it’s just a video,” Corn said. Post Debate

Although hailing from opposites sides of the aisle, Kowalewski and McLaughlin agreed that Trump’s refusal to confirm that he will concede if Clinton wins the election represents a dangerous threat to American democracy. “Trump’s divisive rhetoric incites violence, and his unwillingness to concede defeat if he loses demonstrates utter disrespect for the American democratic process,” McLaughlin said. “The most important story from this debate is that Donald Trump refused to say whether he would accept the outcome of the election,” McLaughlin said. “With this absolutely disgraceful answer, Trump launched an attack on the basic legitimacy of our democracy.” Kowalewski praised Clinton’s performance, saying that in each of the three presidential debates, “time and time again, in [these] high pressure situations, she has shined.” “Hillary Clinton delivered another commanding performance. Much like the previous two debates, she offered a comprehensive explanation of her policy agenda,” he said. It's nearly impossible to compare her detailed, nuanced answers to Trump's rambling nonsense.” McLaughlin said he believes that Trump’s performance at the debate reveals that “Trump has no foreign policy brief.”

“He argued with Clinton as if we are sending U.S. troops into Mosul,” he said. “In reality, the United States is only providing logistical support to Iraqi and Kurdish forces, not ground troops.” Richard Ulbricht ’18, who intends to vote for Trump on Nov. 8, said neither candidate presented comprehensive military or foreign policy strategies. “This debate was disappointingly unsubstantiated, and neither candidate proved their case for how the United States should conduct its foreign and military doctrine,” he said. “While Russia is running war drills with 40 million of its citizens and recalling its diplomatic officers, we talk about tax returns and immigration.” Highlighting his belief that foreign policy in the next presidency, Ulbricht said he was disappointment by the lack of foreign policy discussion. “The U.S. foreign policy doctrine is the most crucial to this election; I am dissatisfied that it was largely ignored, and when it was spoken of, used as a springboard for senseless namecalling from both Clinton and Trump equally,” he said. Corn said she believes Americans need to reconsider who they nominate for president after this election cycle, concluding “both parties need to do some major restructuring after this election fiasco.” Jeanette Si can be reached at jsi@cornellsun.com.

Plumb Propose Policy Plans CONGRESS

Continued from page 3

and taxes that increase the costs of business. He also warned against the potentially inflationary effects of hiked minimum wages that, in his view, would strain the middle class. On trade, Reed opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership — a free trade agreement among 12 Pacific Rim countries, saying that he “care[s] about protecting American jobs and workers.” Yet, Reed’s stance on trade is not a hard-line one; he has voted in favor of all three international trade agreements that have come before Congress since 2011, according to Politifact New York. P LUMB: Plumb’s economic

priorities are somewhat similar to Reed’s. Promising to fight bad trade deals for workers, Plumb said he would stand with unions in their opposition to the TPP. Plumb voiced his desire to attract business to the district by upgrading infrastructure, cutting unnecessary regulations and promoting high-speed internet and cell phone coverage, according to the his campaign website. Plumb also commented on the excesses of the federal government, saying it needs to “get its spending under control” and must stop passing the buck of fiscal responsibility to future generations. Drew Musto can be reached at dmusto@cornellsun.com.

OPINION

The Corne¬ Daily Sun

Gaby Leung | Serendipitous Musings

To See or Not to See

Independent Since 1880 134TH EDITORIAL BOARD

SOFIA HU ’17 Editor in Chief

LOUIS LIU ’18

PHOEBE KELLER ’18

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Letter to the Editor

Cornell refuses to light clock tower green, citing ‘tradition’ To the Editor: America’s Veterans are some of our nation’s bravest, hardest-working ladies and gentlemen. However, it can be difficult to show them the appreciation they deserve after they hang up their uniform. Greenlight A Vet is a campaign established to create a visible national support for our Veterans by changing one light to green. Green is the color of hope, renewal and well-being. “Greenlight” is also a term commonly used to activate forward movement. The simple action of changing one light to green will spark a national conversation regarding the treatment and recognition of Veterans and “green light” them forward as valued members of our communities. Recently, as president and co-founder of the Cornell Undergraduate Veterans Association, I requested to have the clock tower lit green for Veterans Day. The Cornell Chimes refused this request. Marisa LaFalce, the program coordinator for the Cornell Chimes, responded to Outlaw stating, “McGraw Tower is not lit for different occasions throughout the year, save for a handful of very long-standing university traditions.” This is the second year in a row that LaFalce has refused to support Veterans by participating in the “Greenlight a Vet program.” Since LaFalce broached the topic of tradition, I would like to discuss it further. As New York State’s Land Grant University, Cornell has a “long-standing tradition” of supporting our Armed Forces that dates back to our founding in 1865. During WWI, Cornell commissioned almost 5,000 officers, more than any other institution in the United States, including the military academies. An additional 4,000 Cornellians, including faculty, alumni, students, and staff, also served. During World War II, Cornellians had more than 20,000 serving in the armed forces and in every theater of war. As the only Ivy League University to host Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine ROTC programs, Cornell is one of three that offered continuous ROTC studies throughout the Vietnam era to today. While serving their country, Veterans wear camouflaged uniforms, but ironically, once they return home from service, these men and women are even more camouflaged. Of the 14,000 undergraduate students at Cornell, only 22 are undergraduate Veterans. Nationally, Veterans make up five percent of students on college campuses; and Cornell has less than one percent. Because of our small percentage, Cornell Veterans arguably need a light of support, now more than ever. As an institution that encourages research and innovation, I am shocked and disappointed that the Cornell Chimes would use “tradition” as a blanket to cover up their discrimination. Tradition has long been used as reasoning for not changing human behavior. If we maintained “tradition,” my mother and sister wouldn’t be able to vote, my uncle and his partner would not be able to get married, and Barack Obama would not be our president. Change can be difficult, but change is necessary. Without change, we breed stagnation and complacency. In this case, change is easy; it’s a light bulb. But this is so more than a light bulb; it’s a symbolic measure that Cornell cares about our Veterans, honors their service, and is committed to their future. David Outlaw, president of the Cornell Undergraduate Veterans Association

“‘B

eing here is a kind of spiritual surrender. We see only what the others see. The thousands who were here in the past, those who will come in the future. We’ve agreed to be part of a collective perception. This literally colors our vision.’” Although this observation comes from a fictional character in Don Delillo’s novel White Noise on how people react to a famous tourist attraction, it also supports my recent — and admittedly strange — obsession with how life may be a series of illusions created by society that hinders our ability to see things for what they really are. People have the power to shape what we see; the very reason behind the unseeing that occurs today. And what do I mean by that? In Delillo’s novel, two friends, Jack and Murray, make a journey to see what is called “The Most Photographed Barn in America.” As soon as the men arrive at the site, they see dozens of tourists attempting to capture the famous attraction with their cameras. But Murray comments that no one really sees the barn. After they have read the signs indicating the the barn is the most photographed in America and observe the tourists taking pictures, they cannot see the barn for what it is anymore — they never have the chance to see it. They don’t know what the barn was like before it was photographed, what distinguishes it from other barns or how it became famous. They don’t know why they want to see it in the first place, yet continue to take pictures because everyone else who visits the site does so. They are merely capturing something that has been captured thousands of times before, creating an image that is detached from personal human experience. The photograph reinforces and maintains the image of what the most photographed barn is supposed to look like. But when people look at the barn, they don’t see it; they see what society and expectations have shaped them to see. White Noise is a fictional piece, but its commentaries on the disillusionment of life are scarily relevant in today’s age. These commentaries followed me over fall break when I went to the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. MoMA is one of my favorite museums: it holds some of the most beautiful contemporary artworks by renowned artists as well as lesser known exhibitions by today’s artists. After seeing some new exhibits such as Teiji Furuhashi’s Lovers and Nan Goldin’s The Ballad of Sexual Dependency, I went back to the rooms that hold the Picasso’s, Matisse’s and Van Gogh’s; works of artists who make me feel comfortable and at ease. After the discomfort and unfamiliarity I felt with the new exhibitions I had viewed — the topics were heavy, and had evoked emotions I was not expecting — it was a breath of relief to find the same Gold Marilyn Monroe and Les Demoiselles d’Avignon in their place. They were artworks rooted in history — expected, unchanged, familiar. But as I made my way

through the rooms, I saw people I assumed were there for the first time taking pictures of the most “famous” paintings, most notably Van Gogh’s Starry Night and Matisse’s Dance. These artworks are magnificent — without a doubt. But so are many of the other artworks in the museum that don’t get even half as much attention as the swirly whites, blues and yellows of the famous night sky. What are people really capturing when they take pictures of the artwork? Are they appreciating the colors, the textures, the composition? Do they know why they want to take the picture? Is the notion that something is popular the only reason behind the hundreds of clicks of cameras? Are they able to see the painting as it really is, removed from how society views it and devoid of expectations? After walking the museum for a few hours, I found myself sitting in front of Chagall’s I and the Village, another “famous” painting. I sat there, taking in the magnitude of the artwork and allowing my eyes to roam. My exhausted legs kept me rooted to the bench, an unusual circumstance for someone who enjoys slowly passing through collections as opposed to sitting. But it gave me the time to observe and appreciate the painting I had studied in art history classes before. I had learned about it and heard about it so much. I had been to MoMA before and seen this very painting. But after seeing so many people take photos of other works of art without even first looking at the painting — their phones and cameras were whipped out before they had the chance to take in the masterpieces — I was conscious of how I viewed the bright colors in front of me. I knew that the painting was famous and taught frequently. I knew I had seen this very painting as an image printed in textbooks as well as here, hanging, already. But I didn’t allow any of that to distract me from what and how I saw in that moment. I viewed it as an artwork that was important, for a reason, in the history of art, taking in all the details and reveling in its beauty. I had the strangest sensation that I wasn’t just looking; I was seeing. Do so many of us go through life unseeing, blinded by expectations and unable to capture the real meaning of what it is in front of us? Have we grown so accustomed to technology, media, society, consumer culture and the rest telling us what is important and what we must see that we lose connections to objects and experiences? It scares me how easily we think we see things when in fact we are looking at them through what Delillo’s character Murray calls “a collective perception.” I want to know why the barn is so famous. I want to know why I even care that the barn is famous. I want to see the barn. Gaby Leung is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at gl376@cornell.edu. Serendipitous Musings appears alternate Thursdays this semester.

SEND US YOUR THOUGHTS Continue the conversation by sending a letter to the editor or guest column to opinion@cornellsun.com.

THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, October 20, 2016 7

OPINION

Kevin Kowalewski | Democratic Dialogue

Basic Integrity I

f Donald Trump wins, I’ll be beyond upset. But I will accept the judgment of the American people, and so will his opponent, Hillary Clinton. Further, despite his vehement disagreements with Trump, President Obama would quickly move to continue our nation’s long tradition of peaceful transfer of power. Of course, there would be widespread outrage and protest after Trump’s victory. However, the core players of our political system would respect the outcome and uphold our constitutional structure. The American political system depends on this respect for political norms. For the government to work, it must be viewed as legitimate. And since the American government is selected by democratic means, it necessarily follows that our elections must also be viewed as legitimate. The United States has built a robust democracy, but it should not be taken for granted. When the existing norms of society are rejected, rapid and often unexpected changes can occur. That’s precisely why Donald Trump’s recent rhetoric is so dangerous. Facing a large deficit in the polls, Trump has resorted to an assault on the basic integrity of the election process. To be certain, it’s not the first time he has raised the idea. Trump’s persistent flirtation with “rigged election” conspiracies forced Lester Holt to ask an unprecedented question: would Trump respect the outcome of the election? While Trump declared that he would support Hillary — if she wins — he’s now asserting that any such “win” would be illegitimate. He has experimented with this idea in the past, causing an unprecedented question from Lester Holt about whether Trump

would accept the outcome. it is now a core theme of his campaign. His accusations are many, and they are ridiculous. This is now a core theme of the Trump campaign. His accusations are as frequent as they are ridiculous. Through her vast design of machinations, Hillary Clinton is attempting to “rig” the election. Trump has actually put forth a threefold argument for why he can only lose through unsavory conduct. First, there is apparently a “metaphorical” rigging of the election by virtue of the media’s overwhelming bias against Trump. His evidence for this supposed favoritism is that the media has had the appalling nerve to ask him questions, fact check his speeches, and report on his own words. Even more, Trump claims that the sexual assault allegations made against him are a coordinated effort by the media to bring down his campaign. Trump’s attempt to defend himself may be pathetic, but it’s causing real damage. By urging his supporters to disregard this coverage, Trump encourages people to find refuge in their own informational bubbles. Nonetheless, Trump’s theory of a rigged election goes deeper. He has been absolutely clear that he believes the voting process itself will be manipulated. His supporters, therefore, should not trust the official election results. This charge is not only extremely harmful, but also simply bizarre. The administrative work of American democracy is decentralized, with each state tabulating its own results and the actual counting done by average citizens. Voting equipment has been tested over and over again to ensure manipulation is not possible. Moreover, the ballots are tallied in public, with observers and lawyers from both parties there to make

sure everything is done in accordance with law. Even if a presidential candidate genuinely wanted to rig the results, it would be simply impossible to do so. Finally, the third aspect of his conspiracy is a supposed belief in widespread voter fraud. This is entirely false; in the past 15 years, only 31 voter fraud cases have been reported out of billions of votes. Regardless, Trump has repeatedly stated that in-person voter fraud is extremely common and going as far to warn that the votes of 1.8 million dead people would be counted toward Hillary Clinton. To combat the risk of people — or zombies, I guess — casting illegal ballots, Trump has launched an “election monitors” program. More transparently, however, these volunteers are an attempt at voter intimidation. The glaring historical blight of our democracy has been the denial of the franchise, and arbitrary, oppressive restrictions on the right to vote should not be considered relics of the distant past. In fact, Trump’s rhetoric on voter fraud is not new. These exaggerated claims have been used by the Republican Party to pass voter identification laws across the country. Voter ID laws that are attempting to alleviate a non-existent problem end up having disproportionate effects on the poor, elderly and yes, AfricanAmericans and Latinos. Ironically, this is the closest thing to a “rigged election” that’ll you find. Voter fraud may be non-existent, but voter suppression — through unfair laws and a cadre of Trump supporters positioned at polling locations — is very real. But let’s return back to the main point. Trump’s claims of an unfair election process are both absurd and harmful. Consequently,

every responsible elected official should strongly condemn them. A few Republicans, such as Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) and Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), have done so. They should be commended for rejecting Trump and stressing that the outcome can be trusted. In equal measure, however, we should castigate those who stand by Trump as he attempts to bring our democracy down with him. We have to question whether, if he loses, Trump will even concede on election day. Or the following day, or even the following weeks. What damage will it do if Trump, driven by his own ego, refuses to ever acknowledge that a President Clinton was legitimately chosen by the public? How can she attempt to govern if tens of millions of Americans have been told by her opponent that she orchestrated a rigged election? It is a sobering, and disturbing thought. In an era that is already dominated by polarization and dysfunction in Washington, it could still become exponentially worse. In the end, I’ll quote a recent statement by President Obama. When asked about Trump’s voter fraud comments, Obama responded, “I’d advise Mr. Trump to stop whining and go try to make his case to get votes” Sadly, Trump is willing to damage our democracy merely to protect his own fragile ego from the prospect of having been legitimately defeated: he’s a sore loser before he’s even lost. Our election process is strong, robust and can be trusted. What lacks basic integrity is Donald Trump himself. Kevin Kowalewski is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. He can be reached at krk78@cornell.edu. Democratic Dialogue appears alternate Thursdays this semester.

THROWDOWN THURSDAYS Michael Glanzel | Cornell Shrugged

Paul Ryan Is Right

peaker Paul Ryan (R–Wisc.) has not had a good couple of weeks. Because of his rejection of Donald Trump, it seems as if most of the Republican Party is in an all-out rebellion against its highest-ranking figure in the federal government. Furthermore, Mr. Trump seems bent on destroying the Speaker’s reputation, as the Republican nominee has launched a massive attack on Mr. Ryan’s character, ability to govern and competence. Personally, I find these attacks to be disgusting — and I think it would be helpful to address each of the attacks on the Speaker. First, the pure hatred that Mr. Ryan has received in the wake of his rebuke of Trump is, quite frankly, unbelievable. Donald Trump literally stated that because he was a celebrity, he had the right to grope women — which, by all normal standards of basic human decency, is otherwise known as sexual assault. For those who wish to stand up and defend Trump’s comments as “locker room talk,” please stop. You sound ridiculous — and if that is how you talk in a locker room, then I would suggest that you simply stop talking. Donald Trump’s comments are beyond disturbing. There is no question that we face a growing plague of sexual assault within this nation — and any candidate that is willing to brag about his perceived prerogative to engage in the degradation of women deserves to be publically rebuked. For this reason, Paul Ryan was right to denounce Donald Trump. Yet I would like those who decry Paul Ryan to ask themselves a simple question: What if Donald Trump was referring to your daughter, sister or mother in that video? How could you possibly defend that? I am more than confident that Speaker Ryan would be unable to look his daughter in the face while defending a man that thinks it would be socially acceptable to grope her. Some have made the claim that Speaker Ryan’s comments are helping to elect Hillary Clinton. Well, I have some bad

news for you: Hillary Clinton won this election the day Donald Trump won the Republican Nomination. Today, Mrs. Clinton holds a seven point lead in the polls, in August she maintained a seven point lead, and in April she held an eight point lead. There is no way that Mr. Trump — the same man that denigrated Megyn Kelly, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Carly Fiorina, Rosy O’Donnell, Mexicans, immigrants, Muslims, Gov. Susana Martinez (R-N.M.) and a Latino judge — is going to defeat Mrs. Clinton. Paul Ryan will not elect Hillary Clinton — Donald Trump will. Furthermore, in the wake of Ryan’s conflict with Trump, many have resorted to declaring that Paul Ryan is not a “true Republican,” that he is a RINO (Republican In Name Only). First, and foremost, the American Conservative Union has ranked Mr. Ryan as one of the most consistently

Paul Ryan, and not the lunacy of Donald Trump, will be the future of the Republican Party — and it will be Mr. Ryan’s job to pick up the pieces of our party in the wake of what will be a historic loss. conservative Representatives in the history of the United States Congress. So, quite frankly, that argument makes no sense. Furthermore, I’d like these critics to take a look at the record of Donald Trump — a man that has supported singlepayer health care, called for some of the strictest gun control measures in American history, supported protectionist trade policies, argued for higher taxes and demanded more industrial and financial regulations. When looking at that record, I find Paul Ryan’s RINO label to be the height of deranged,

foolish hypocrisy. Yet what is perhaps most disturbing about Mr. Ryan’s public rebuke is the fact that he is truly the future of the Republican Party. Mr. Trump’s isolationist, anti-immigrant, anti-women, pro-Russia, protectionist policies are absurd and unelectable. No Republican will ever carry the White House with Donald Trump’s ridiculous platform. However, Paul Ryan presents a new and logical path forward for the Republican Party. In an attempt to directly heal the scars of poverty on this nation, the Speaker has put forward a comprehensive plan to tackle the issue. By reducing regulations, expanding access to quality education, and increasing work programs, Paul Ryan has provided a platform on poverty that will make a difference in the lives of millions of Americans and is politically feasible. Furthermore, Mr. Ryan has proposed a set of well-reasoned economic policies that will help to gear our nation towards the 21st century. By restricting the tax code, reducing illogical and burdensome regulations, and curbing federal spending, Mr. Ryan has put forward a plan that will help to build the American economy. This proposal is grounded in solid conservative principles and considers the complications America will face in the 21st century. Put simply, Paul Ryan is right. He is right to denounce Donald Trump (though I would like for him to finally renounce his endorsement), he is right to stop defending Trump and he is right on matters of policy. Paul Ryan, and not the lunacy of Donald Trump, will be the future of the Republican Party — and it will be Mr. Ryan’s job to pick up the pieces of our party in the wake of what will be a historic loss. Michael Glanzel is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. He can be reached at mg786@cornell.edu. Cornell Shrugged appears alternate Thursdays this semester.

8 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, October 20, 2016

Akshay Jain | College Stuff

On Myspace I

had a pretty normal childhood. I never learned to swim or ride a bike or throw a curveball (okay maybe I didn’t have a totally normal childhood), but I did pretty much everything else and remember almost always having a good time. I had my close circle of friends from school and around the neighborhood, my family was supportive and I was too young to realize I was ugly. Life was good. Among the many fun parts of my childhood, such as racing Razor scooters playing and driveway basketball, very few compare to staying inside on my family computer messaging friends I lived next door to. Just to elaborate, I’m not talking about AOL instant messenger. AIM wasn’t cool in my little Texas town because the little AOL running man mascot went against the inherently sedentary values of instant messaging, and Texas is all about upholding values. I’m talking about Myspace, as you probably already knew if you read the title of this column. Myspace, for those of you who actually had normal childhoods, was a social media site created by some guy named Tom in 2003. Tom was automatically friends with every new user on the site, unless you had no soul and immediately deleted him upon joining. Tom was my first friend on the Internet and was unsurprisingly a white guy in his mid-30s, both of my parent’s worst fear. In all seriousness, Myspace was a bizarre, sweeping craze in my middle school. Everyone heard of it through their older siblings and it quickly became a must have component of every Victory Lakes Intermediate School student’s social life. As I’ve already mentioned, Myspace allowed kids to have a simple instant messaging medium to talk their friends over. At first everyone used the feature to talk to their friends, something they could probably already do. Unsurprisingly, most kids also began to use Myspace instant messages to slide into other people’s D.M.s before sliding into your D.M.s was a thing. Another interesting feature of Myspace was the top

Among the many fun parts of my childhood, such as racing Razor scooters playing and driveway basketball, very few compare to staying inside on my family computer messaging friends I lived next door to. friends part of everyone’s profile. Essentially you chose a number, anywhere from four to 64, of top friends to display on your profile. This list was in order from first to last, so your hierarchy of friendship was uncomfortably clear. Everyone had at least one conversation with a disgruntled friend about his or her exclusion from your top friends. Also if you succeeded in sliding into someone’s D.M.s via Myspace instant messenger, you had no choice but to have that person as your top friend. This got tricky for people with best friends of the opposite gender, but all things considered, no one’s middle school romantic life mattered. While writing this, I wondered what had ever become of Myspace. Everyone at my school transitioned to Facebook in high school and never really looked back. After doing a little research, I learned Tom and his buddies sold Myspace to News Corp for $580 million in 2005 before Facebook began to completely dominate every other social media website. Newscorp ended up selling Myspace to Justin Timberlake and his friends for $35 million in 2012, who re-launched the site in 2013 to bridge the gap between musicians and their fans, whatever the hell that means. Time went on to buy Myspace this past February, seemingly by accident while acquiring ad-tech company Viant. While Myspace is kind of a joke now, it really was a huge part of my childhood. The strange instant message conversations and top friend arguments I had because of Myspace will always exist and stuff. And in all honesty, Myspace was a cool introduction to HTML for a lot of kids. If anything, I can definitely say Myspace had a weird impact on my life. Akshay Jain is a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences. He can be reached at aj265@cornell.edu. College Stuff appears alternate Wednesdays this semester.

OPINION

Web

Comment

of the day

“I think liberal arts departments need to give students guidance on their career options post graduation. That is what I think is lacking, and if more students were aware of how they could apply these degrees after graduation, they’d be better informed.” Justin Samuels Re: “Cornell Students Critique Culture of Careerism” News October 16, 2016

Paul Russell | Russelling Feathers

Gravity, Government and Google T

he final scene in the movie Gravity has always stuck with me. It’s beautiful: after 90 minutes of nail-biting space hullabaloo, viewers watch Sandra Bullock’s character swim out from the underwater wreckage of a spacecraft and gratifyingly tread up to the surface. It’s a long-awaited denouement, the moment when she finally reaches home. When her head rises from the water, you can hear mosquitoes and see the outlines of mountains in the distance. Her gargantuan breaths feel like a chorus of voices proclaiming the magnificence of earth and everything in it. I remember watching the movie on my couch in high school, glued to the screen as this 40 something in a pixie cut reminded me to appreciate where I live. But these final moments were only meaningful because of the hour and a half that preceded them — without a space adventure, it would just be Sandra Bullock swimming with her clothes on. Maybe this is an odd analogy to introduce a political topic, but the truth stands regardless: in both scifi screenplays and electoral campaigns, the outcomes are made far more interesting when one knows the trials and difficulties that enabled them to happen. So, in preparation for the upcoming end to this election journey, I’ve spent a lot of time this week looking at the inner-workings of the two major campaigns. It’s no secret the candidates have busy schedules — flying out to unexciting towns, talking about the same policy ideas and then flying back home to New York every single day. But the more meaningful moments in their story are the unexpected ones: when the tapes are leaked and the investigations are waged. These are the twists and turns that make our American story so intriguing, the did-you-

hear-abouts and the can-youbelieves we all discuss around our proverbial water coolers. Most importantly, however, these instances force campaigns to dramatically shift their talking points and strategies. As we approach election day and look back at the unexpected moments that have been thrust upon each campaign in this whirlwind of a general election season, one thing is clear: If Obama won his campaign because of the internet, this cycle’s runner-up will undoubtedly lose because of the internet. Whether it’s Clinton’s emails or Trump’s regrettable tweets, both candidates reveal their flaws most clearly online. It’s a race to make the public forget the past, and the person with the smallest pre-election digital footprint wins. Clinton and Trump aren’t the only people who have seen the world-wide-web turn on them: even the beloved Ken Bone was served a steaming slice of humble pie last week when his online comments about pornographic images and controversial topics were found and scrutinized. This is the major pitfall of the information age: because of our connectedness, if you aren’t squeaky clean, the public will soon find out. Even the content that isn’t generated online can be posted and consumed by an incredible percentage of the population in minutes. Nowadays, unflattering videos and sound-bites leak more often than my frat house bathroom sink and make waves with every drop. As a result, the Clinton and Trump campaigns often spend their time fighting not against each other’s tricks and tactics, but against the facts and rumors of the past and the tenacity with which they spread. We’ve come to a point in our political system where the

hardest blow to any candidate doesn’t come from their opponent at all. It comes from everyone else. This is a fundamental change to the way things work in elections. Don’t believe me? Take a quick Google search of the decisive moments in the presidential campaigns before the last decade. Chances are, you’ll see lists of policy points and quotes from debates and stump speeches. Investigative journalism about the candidates was around, but it was far more difficult and most stories about the past couldn’t be discovered, circulated and thoroughly analyzed by the populous quickly enough to ruin a candidacy. When scandals like Watergate occurred, only top newspaper journalists had access to the information and contacts necessary to get to the truth. If and when they overlooked or neglected key facts, even the most informed voters didn’t know better. Now, anyone can find or release devastating news on a whim. To be the next president, you don’t just need to pay careful attention to your choices after your candidacy is announced; you need to pay careful attention to your entire life. So, later this year, when presumably Hillary Clinton is elected president of the United States and takes a gargantuan astronaut-at-the-endof-a-long-journey-home breath, it won’t be a reflection of a wellplayed election season. It’ll be the culmination of a lifelong struggle, proof that she lived a life that was a bit more acceptable to the public than the competition’s and that the internet spared her just enough blows for her to squeeze out on top. And I guess that’s something to be proud of. Paul Russell is a sophomore in the College of Industrial and Labor Relations. He can be reached at prussell@cornellsun.com. Russelling Feathers appears alternate Wednesdays this semester.