November 7, 2018

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See Inside Barrett scores 33 in rout of Kentucky Page 11

T H E I N D E P E N D E N T D A I LY AT D U K E U N I V E R S I T Y

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018 DUKECHRONICLE.COM

ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTEENTH YEAR, ISSUE 24

REPUBLICANS HOLD THE SENATE

DEMOCRATS TAKE THE HOUSE

Jeremy Chen | Graphic Design Editor

N.C. passes 4 of 6 amendments

By Mona Tong Staff Reporter

Voter ID requirements were one of the four constitutional amendments that passed in Tuesday’s elections, which saw Democratic domination in Durham, but Republicans kept a slightly weakened position in the state legislature.

All voters in North Carolina this year voted for or against six amendments on the ballot in what is known as a “blue moon election,” which happens once every 12 years and means there are no statewide races for U.S. Senate, and governor or a national presidential race. Amendments approved by voters will eventually be incorporated into the North Carolina constitution in some form, according to Mac McCorkle, professor of the practice in the Sanford School of Public Policy.

Voters passed four of the six amendments, including expanding constitutional rights for crime victims, creating voter ID requirements, establishing a constitutional right to hunt and fish and lowering the income tax cap.

Voters chose not to pass the other two amendments, one on judicial vacancies and other on the Ethics and Elections Board.

As for the U.S. House of Representatives, North Carolina maintained its ratio of 3 Democrat House seats and 10 Republican House seats. The key House races this year in

A Congress divided Duke Trustee wins governor, alums head to Congress

By Matthew Griffin Staff Reporter

The anticipated “blue wave” rolled through Capitol Hill Tuesday night, but it crashed with less force than Democrats might have hoped.

Democrats took control of the House of Representatives, commanding an approximately 20-seat majority, but failed to retake the Senate. In North Carolina, Republicans maintained control of both chambers of the state General Assembly, although Democrats likely ended the GOP’s “supermajority” in that had allowed it to override Governor Roy Cooper’s vetoes.

At a watch party early in the night, John Aldrich, Edmund T. Pratt, Jr. university professor of political science, said that predictions of a Democratic wave overestimated the impact of high turnout in this year’s elections.

“The original advantage [for the Democrats] dissipated because the Republican electorate responded to the challenge,” Aldrich said. He accurately predicted the night’s results, saying that Democrats would likely take back the House while the Republicans would pick up two or three seats in the Senate.

Indeed, this race saw higher turnout than most midterm elections. Thirty-six million people voted early, as compared to 27 million in 2014.

By Bre Bradham Editor-in-Chief

Several factors drove the races, but the economy hit close to home at Duke The election was driven by several major issues, none

Duke had an eventful night as the midterm election results rolled in Tuesday.

A trustee who recently promised to pay back $330,000 in taxes after he removed toilets from one of his homes won the race for Illinois governor, and the Associated Press called an Illinois congressional race in favor of a Duke alumni over an opponent who denies the Holocaust by 50 points.

But the Democrats did not get as large of a “blue wave” as many wanted, and Duke alums did not get a Duke Blue wave either. At least five of the 11 alumni who made the November congressional ballot fell to their opponents.

Aside from Congress, Democrat J.B. Pritzker—a member of Duke’s Board of Trustees—beat out incumbent Bruce Rauner in the Illinois gubernatorial race. Standing before a roaring Illinois crowd Tuesday night, the billionaire businessman celebrated his victory.

“That is Illinois—full of light that comes from the people who endure and overcome struggles. That light brought triumph tonight,” Pritzker said in his acceptance speech. “After all, we’re

See CONGRESS on Page 9

See ALUMS on Page 9

See AMENDMENTS on Page 9

Duke demolishes No. 2 Kentucky in historic win

By Michael Model Sports Editor

INDIANAPOLIS—Tre Jones made 3-pointer, Cam Reddish made 3-pointer, R.J. Barrett made layup, Zion Williamson made 3-pointer.

Those were the first four shot attempts for the Blue Devils Tuesday, as the nation’s top recruiting class did not disappoint, scoring in the order they committed and potentially foreshadowing the season to come.

No. 4 Duke throttled No. 2 Kentucky 118-84 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, shattering the Champions Classic scoring record. The Blue Devils used accurate shooting and lockdown defense to open up an insurmountable 21-point lead in the first nine minutes of play and

cruise to a season-opening victory, silencing a Kentucky-heavy crowd less than three hours from its campus.

“They’re really great kids and they want to be good all the time, so they’re easy to coach. This has been a really fantastic group to coach,” head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “They come every day, they really like each other, they have fun, they laugh at my jokes—whether they’re funny or not. So they make me feel good.”

Barrett, Williamson and Reddish combined for 83 points as Duke (1-0) quickly put to rest any doubts about its shooting ability, converting on 54.4 percent of its shot attempts, including 12-of-26 conversions beyond the arc. The Blue Devils carried over their selfless play from their preseason slate, accruing 22 assists as well.

INSIDE — News 2 | Sports 4 | Crossword 9 | Opinion 10 | Serving the University since 1905 |

See WIN on Page 12 @dukechronicle @dukebasketball |

Juan Bermudez | Sports Photography Editor Zion Williamson scored 28 points in the win.

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Students gather to watch elections A look at the DSG Judiciary’s most interesting cases

By Sean Cho

Senior News Reporter

Tensions ran high Tuesday as students anxiously waited to see the results of the 2018 elections with their peers at campus watch parties.

At the watch party at the Sanford School of Public Policy, students eagerly waited as polls across the country closed. Many students were excitedly talking to one another, but an overall feeling of nervousness was palpable. Sophomore Katherine Gan related to the general feeling of anxiety felt across the hall.

“For me personally, this is the first election that I’ve been actively following the results, and the first where I feel really involved,” Gan said. “The Trump presidency and the [Brett] Kavanaugh confirmation have been pretty depressing for this country, but...I’m really excited to see what happens, and hopefully, knock on wood, we take back the House.”

Nick Edge, a Durham resident who attended the Sanford watch party, chose to suppress his expectations in light of the past.

“I’m feeling optimistic, but after 2016 I’m

trying to wait until the numbers start coming in before I really calm down,” Edge said. “This is going to be a huge year for us—us being America. It’s probably going to be a close race, both with the House and the Senate, and I’m really excited to see what happens.”

Meanwhile, at the Rubenstein Library, students attended the political science department’s watch party. As the countdown for one poll closing approached zero, students rushed to hush each other as poll projections began to stream in and analysis of the results were presented. Students watched in silent but constant attention as they interpreted the results for themselves.

Michael Munger, professor of political science and the 2008 Libertarian candidate for North Carolina governor, stressed the importance of taking the elections in its entirety, especially regarding the presence of third-parties.

“It’s going to be interesting to see if third parties change the outcome of a number of states,” Munger said. “Watch to see how many races...third-party candidates can play spoiler enough to get attention.”

Elections docked 200 votes from then-junior Kristina Smith for violating the election rule that banned soliciting votes “while possessing The Duke Student Government Judiciary any laptop, tablet, or similar electronic device has been on the minds of many Duke that can access the ballot.” students recently as it recently declined to The specific violation involved campaign grant Hyde House—the proposed selective members using an iPad to play music outside social group—a new consideration by the Marketplace. Smith appealed the decision DSG Senate. Though this case is over, it was to the Judiciary, which decided that the rule not the Judiciary’s first significant case—or was unconstitutional because it was “overly the most interesting. broad” and could restrict free speech. The The Judiciary is charged with ensuring Judiciary remanded the matter to Bhatia, that “the Duke who determined that Student Government’s Smith had broken no actions adhere to the other rules. Smith Constitution, Bill of was officially elected Rights, and Bylaws that DSG president govern it,” according to for the 2018-2019 the DSG website. It has school year. “constitutional and Number of votes that was docked by “The scale of this statutory oversight the Board of Elections against then- case was absolutely over the Senate, the presidential candidate Kristina Smith major,” said senior Executive Board, Analese Bridges, [Student Organization chief justice of Finance Committee]” and other on-campus the Judiciary, who was an associate justice student groups. This mission requires the during the case. “Anything where we’re Judiciary to mediate disputes between and reaching a constitutional question—in among these organizations, with students this case free expression—in something bringing petitions to its justices. like an election case is something that will Here are some of the cases DSG Judiciary definitely impact the student body whether has heard over the years that have had the they realize it or not.” most impact on Duke students—or simply This is not the only case the Judiciary has the strangest. heard concerning on-campus elections. In 1998, the Judiciary determined that a voterElection hijinks incentive program by the Interfraternity One of the Judiciary’s most publicized cases Council had violated DSG bylaws but did not resolved the controversy on the 2017 election call for a new election.

Emily Qin | Staff Photographer for DSG president. Attorney General Shreya See CASES on Page 10 Watch parties were hosted by the Sanford School of Public Policy and the political science department. Bhatia, then a sophomore, and the Board of

By Matthew Griffin Staff Reporter

200

Dean’s Awards Nominate graduate students and faculty for The Graduate School’s Dean’s Awards: Excellence in Mentoring

Faculty who consistently serve as effective mentors to graduate students Graduate students who excel in mentoring undergraduates and early-stage grad students

—— Excellence in Teaching

Graduate students who best exemplify the characteristics of effective college teaching

—— Inclusive Excellence

Extraordinary achievements by departments and programs that help create an environment of inclusive excellence in graduate education

Nomination Deadline: November 12 gradschool.duke.edu/awards

We are pleased to announce the Class of 2022 Baldwin Scholars Mashal Ali Nora Benmamoun Anne Crabill Tyler Edwards Margaret Gaw Susana Gutierrez Caragh Heverly Sophie Hurewitz Elizabeth Loschiavo Clara Love Fernanda Machicao Dina Qiryaqoz Megan Rabe Cayley Ryan Madeleine Scully Samantha Streit Liyu Woldemichael Madeleine Yancy

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018 | 3

ACIR discusses divestment from fossil fuels at annual open forum

By Nathan Luzum Senior Editor

Duke’s Advisory Committee on Investment Responsibility held an open forum Tuesday to discuss the ongoing debate about the University’s investment in fossil fuels.

Lawrence Baxter, chair of ACIR, explained that the question of divestment is complicated by Duke University Management Company’s goal to optimize return on investment. He is also in talks with members of the administration and DUMAC about forming a subcommittee of ACIR and Duke Climate Coalition (DCC) members that would meet with DUMAC to discuss the issue. “[Climate change] has to be solved on a collective action basis—really by governments and parties all acting together,” he said. “And if Duke acts on its own, there is the risk that we make a hollow gesture that is perceived simply to be grandstanding while also putting a noose around DUMAC, which then has to worry about any company that might or might not have some fossil fuel involvement.”

Tracy Futhey, vice president for information technology and chief information officer at Duke, said that restricting DUMAC’s investments could harm tuition and financial aid. The challenge is to manage the “balancing act” between restricting its investments and ensuring a large return that will benefit the University, she said.

“I don’t say that to excuse making sure we have appropriate investments,” Futhey said. “The more we constrain them, the less they can return on the endowment and the more it could affect tuition or limit financial aid.”

This is not the first time the topic of fossil fuel investments has come before the committee. In 2014, ACIR recommended against divesting from fossil fuel investments. Former President Richard Brodhead and the Board of Trustees agreed with the decision, Baxter said.

The conversation’s renewal comes after Duke Student Government unanimously passed a resolution encouraging the University to divest its endowment and other assets from fossil fuels by 2024. The DCC also submitted a brief to ACIR to consider last fall, Baxter said.

Bre Bradham | Contributing Photographer Lawrence Baxter, chairman of the ACIR, talked about the committee’s history and relationship with DUMAC at the Tuesday night annual open forum.

Moving forward, Baxter said that he has talked with President Vincent Price about forming a subcommittee that would meet every three to four weeks until the Spring, when it would come up with a “defined course of action” related to divestment.

This would be ready to present to the Board of Trustees on graduation week in May, he added.

Baxter explained that the subcommittee is not yet official, but there is no indication that DUMAC would be “hostile” toward its formation.

He also said that the reservations toward divestment do not reflect ambivalence about the reality of climate change, but rather whether divesting is the best step forward.

“Scientific consensus is very strong that fossil fuels are contributing to climate change in a very negative way,” Baxter said. “The growing consensus is that these are controllable by

humans and that action has to be taken trying to curb the damage that has been caused.”

This divestment issue is different from previous questions that have come before the Board of Trustees for consideration, he explained.

For example, in 2008, the Board banned Duke from investing in any company with ties to Sudan, reflecting the concern over human rights violations in Darfur.

However, he added that fossil fuel divestment is more complicated because of how commonplace fossil fuels are in daily life.

This ties into DUMAC’s charge to “optimize returns” in its investments, so restricting its investments would risk “putting a straitjacket” on the management company, See FORUM on Page 10

Distinguished Speakers Series

Omar Ishrak Chairman and CEO Medtronic

Mary Barra (P ‘19, P ‘21) Chairman and CEO General Motors Company

Thursday, November 8, 2018 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM Geneen Auditorium The Fuqua School of Business

Friday, November 9, 2018 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM Geneen Auditorium The Fuqua School of Business

The university community is invited to attend.

4 | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018 | 5

VOLUME 20, ISSUE 24 | NOVEMBER 7. 2018

music collaborations Duke professor’s new book centers around music history’s greatest partnerships, page 7

‘american vandals’ cancelled Netflix cancellations hint at future of streaming service, page 8

‘patriot act’ premiere Hasan Minhaj steps into late night television, page 8

R

6 | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018

recess editors Good band names?

Christy Kuesel .........the jeff goldblums Sarah Derris................nicht mein bier

Will Atkinson .................... lemon juice Nina Wilder ..................5th ave freaks Selena Qian ........................ astrobeef Eva Hong.............................buzzkilled Alizeh Sheikh ........ non-specific ocean Lexi Bateman ............... unicorn killers Sydny Long ............. spring awakening Ashley Kwon .............beto & the cru(z) Jessica Williams ................ the mums Bre Bradham...................outdoor cats

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At the end of each year going back at least to early high school, I’ve compiled a master playlist of my favorite songs of the year. Early on, as the aspiring music critic I was (at least in my head), these tended to be attempts at the definitive “best-of ” list, the rankings dictated as much by what I felt I should enjoy as by what I actually did.

Lately, weary of that compulsion to quantify and sort, I’ve changed my tactic. Rather than answer the question, What was the best music of this year?, I instead answer, What was I listening to this year? The result is a mix of old and new releases, spanning decades and genres, loosely organized by my own internal chronology, more travelogue than meticulously-sequenced mixtape. As a personal document, it’s as revealing as a traditional journal or photo album — or, for that matter, whatever algorithmically-curated playlist Spotify drops in my library at the end of the year.

There’s no doubt that the primary draw of a playlist like this is its seemingly endless capacity as a well of nostalgia, the illusion it offers of revisiting a year of life in the form of the songs that made it up. Yet this very defensiveness that comes with that word, nostalgia — whose context is, more often than not, pejorative — says a lot about how we’re accustomed to thinking about this ubiquitous state (I hesitate to call it an emotion, because it’s not) and, by extension, how we treat the past.

We at Recess are no strangers to nostalgia: What, if not nostalgia, is the driving force behind so much great culture? I’ve written on the topic, in some way or another, in these pages many times before. But in our culture at large, we seem to have every reason to be skeptical of nostalgia. Critics themselves are averse to the term; if a work is “nostalgic,” that’s code for derivative, inessential, uninspired. On the other hand, at its most cynical, nostalgia is a marketing tactic. And it’s one of the most prevalent ones at that, because, quite simply, nostalgia sells: It’s the reason why we don’t

EAT A BURRITO

have new franchises anymore and why, instead, we have Greta Van Fleet. The term has more pernicious connotations, too: Nearly every nativist or nationalist movement that has cropped up around the world in recent years is driven, at some base level, by a longing for a past that never was, and a desire to return there through power and force.

On the micro level, nostalgia is generally seen as a wasteful habit, antithetical to a futurefocused modern world. It’s synonymous with idleness and self-indulgence, a wholly unproductive use of energy. The past, after all, can be comforting, and it’s easier to pretend you can return there.

staff note But to me, nostalgia’s power lies in this essential impasse. Unlike many other psychic states, the object on the other end of nostalgia is fundamentally illusory; art historian and critic Jennifer A. Gonzàlez calls it “a desire for desire itself,” explaining the peculiar union of melancholy and comfort the sensation provokes. It’s only when the gap between the past and the narrative constructed around it is believed to be navigable that nostalgia becomes especially dangerous. If one reconciles with the irreconcilability of past and present, nostalgia can be a creative, and indeed, celebrated, process.

For one, it’s the means by which most people construct their sense of self and relate to their own history. We naturally favor certain memories over others, and with the value we invest in each moment — by way

of nostalgia — a coherent narrative emerges, even if it’s constantly shifting over time and across experiences. Gonzàlez also points out that these personal narratives, manifested physically in souvenirs and other objects endowed with nostalgic significance (which she calls “autotopographies”), help save these stories from the impersonal sweep of “history,” where they would otherwise be trampled, forgotten. If, as Joan Didion wrote, “We tell ourselves stories in order to live,” then nostalgia may be our single greatest tool for survival.

Nostalgia, then — and the objects we keep to store it — act as protective mechanisms against the destructive processes of time and history. I like to see my playlists, insignificant to an outsider as they may be, as doing much the same. For me, they’re a reminder of the past that I can revisit from time to time. For the songs themselves, they’re a sort of protection of cultural artifacts that are supposedly obsolete, past their sell-by date.

I suppose that previous generations would have turned to records or tapes for the same purpose. Having been raised in a post-iTunes world, I’m less sentimental about the physical product — an MP3, to me, has nearly the same tactility as a 12-inch vinyl, in its own way.

Equally well, those playlists fulfill their purpose as a personal record and as a vessel for nostalgia: our reminder that the past is neither worthless nor worth returning to.

—Will Atkinson

on the cover: The festival of mums by: Lily El Naccash.

Admission is always free for Duke students.

Across County Lines

Contemporary Photography from the Piedmont MENU SAMPLING Old School Veggie Burrito Regular Chicken Burrito Cheese Quesadilla Chicken Quesadilla Chips & Salsa

$2.86 $5.65 $1.41 $3.59 $2.06

1920 1/2 Perry St. @ Ninth Street Just a block from East Campus

On view through February 10, 2019 D.L. Anderson, Tube Socks from the series N.C. PRIDEASCOPE (detail), 2014 (printed 2018).

Archival pigment print, 10 x 14 inches (25.4 x 35.56 cm). Courtesy of the artist, Durham, NC. Across County Lines is supported by the Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Family Fund for Exhibitions and Parker & Otis.

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018 | 7

campus arts

Duke music professor releases book on magic of collaboration

By Joel Kohen Staff Writer

Like many of their artistic peers, famous composers are commonly panned as egocentric monomaniacs obsessed with their own genius. To challenge this myth, Duke professor Thomas Brothers recently published “Help! The Beatles, Duke Ellington and the Magic of Collaboration,” a new book dedicated to the methods of collective composition. Citing two seemingly unrelated groups — the Beatles, a British rock band, and Duke Ellington’s famous jazz orchestra — Brothers explores the various ways in which their music was a lot more than the product of singular brilliance.

“I often say that I’ve been working on this book since I was eight years old,” said Brothers, who became a lifelong Beatles fan after their performance on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1965.

A professor at Duke since 1991, Brothers got his doctorate in music at the University of California, Berkeley in that same year and serves as director of graduate studies within the music department.

His work focuses on popular music and he has previously written about Louis Armstrong.

The new book’s title already indicates Brothers’ main point: “Help!” is the title of the Beatles’ fifth studio album, as well as of one of their most famous songs. Written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon, its lyrics allude to the necessity of help, which may apply to life in general, but also to the particular endeavor of composition.

“When I was younger, so much younger than today/ I never needed anybody’s help in any way/ but now these days are gone and I’m not so self-assured,” Lennon and McCartney sing, emphasizing how, inevitably, we all require assistance at some point in our maturation.

“The only people who worked as closely as Lennon and McCartney were those two people at the bottom of the cover — Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn,” Brothers said.

Paraphrasing art sociologist Howard Becker, he writes that both the Beatles and Ellington’s works “could not have been achieved by a solitary composer, no matter how much coffee he drinks or how early he gets out of bed.” Both relied heavily on an easy flow of ideas and came out of a specifically African-American tradition of communal music-making, which had also shaped such virtuosos as Louis Armstrong, Aretha Franklin and James Brown. Their method is to be sharply distinguished from the previous ways of classical music, in which a single composer’s notation had given each musician precise instructions. Brothers stresses, however, that neither method should be lauded as superior. Instead, he writes, “we should seek to understand their differences.”

Beginning with detailed historic treatises, the book traces the two groups’ respective foundations and their workflows, which Brothers calls a “division of creative labor” that has since become the norm for popular music. Ellington, for example, is often exalted as the greatest American composer of the 20th century, but Brothers points out the importance of trumpet and cornet player James “Bubber” Miley, of whom little is known. Comparing them to painters Pablo Picasso and and Georges Braque, Brothers argues that their work is in fact almost inseparable, with each one continuously imbuing the other.

“He’s at the center of the process but he’s not necessarily the guiding vision,” Brothers said of Ellington’s approach to writing.

Brothers likens Ellington’s decentralized work scheme to that used for the 1939 movie classic “The Wizard of Oz.” Instead of being dominated by a singular “auteur,” the movie employed 10 different screenwriters and four directors, who each contributed their own perspectives.

“Ellington was in charge, but an egalitarian spirit was in place,” writes Brothers, concerning the orchestra’s shaping arrangements, although he could be more assertive in pieces that were less connected to jazz or dance. In a subsequent chapter, Brothers explores the interplay of Ellington and fellow composer Billy Strayhorn, who was well acquainted with Martin Luther King but remained an elusive figure because of his open homosexuality.

Brothers also devotes extensive attention to the unique cooperation of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, who worked together so closely that they decided to cosign every one of their compositions, regardless of each one’s individual contribution. The author sketches the group’s evolution from its early Hamburg years to its later struggles with megacelebrity, as well as drug-fueled episodes of excess and provocation. Another focal point is record producer George Martin, who had an enormous influence on each Beatles album and set the example for the now ubiquitous producer’s role.

In spite of its academic subject, Brothers’ prose flows smoothly and eschews the terminological obscurities that characterize many book-length works of criticism. Rich with quotations from acquaintances and appropriate imagery, the reader is drawn back into the ‘60s and its notorious debauchery, with remarkably cogent storytelling elucidating their artistic and social conditions. The myriad of copyrights surrounding the Beatles’ legacy, however, complicated the book’s development, as Brothers was not allowed to directly quote lyrics or use photographs without explicit permission.

For a semester-long experience in similar musings, interested students can spike up their spring bookbags with the matching class, since Brothers will be teaching a course on the Beatles and the 1960s.

Joel Kohen | Contributing Photographer Duke professor Thomas Brothers recently released his book “Help! The Beatles, Duke Ellington and the Magic of Collaboration.”

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With ‘American Vandals’ cancellation, Netflix moves to focus own material

By Sydny Long Student Life Editor

When Netflix abruptly cancelled its awardwinning original program “American Vandals” shortly after its well-received second season, there was understandable confusion. After all, Netflix is a streaming service with a theoretically infinite capacity for shows and films, not a primetime network that might have to axe a successful show to free up its slot for something more ratings-friendly. Fans of the charmingly disgusting series were offered no explanation for its sudden cancellation: Netflix merely announced it would not be returning for a third season and offered a broad word of thanks to its committed cast and crew.

This cancellation seems like an odd decision for a company that prides itself on the variety of original programming it offers to subscribers.

But a peek into the financial machinery that keeps the nation’s most popular streaming service running smoothly reveals a rather unsurprising motivation: money. Although “American Vandals” is billed as a Netflix original, the company does not technically own it; rather, the show is licensed through CBS. As streaming becomes increasingly ubiquitous, Netflix is striving to move its production inward, distancing itself from partnerships with outside studios in order to funnel more money into itself. According to Business Insider, Netflix now has the means to make its content in-house and is exercising the same trigger-happy instincts as its primetime competitors when it comes to axing shows that are not coming straight from their studios.

Although Netflix has yet to totally self-

source its programs — the recent hit “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” hails from Warner Bros. and several of its hallmark series from outside studios like “House of Cards” and “Orange is the New Black” are still marching on — the company appears to be preparing for a huge leap in that direction. Several other companies, most notably Disney, are rearing to launch their own subscription-based streaming services based on Netflix’s model, prompting a scramble to purge content that might end up coming from a financial competitor. Netflix’s early deal with Marvel, a Disney property, to produce six original series is already dissolving with the cancellation of “Iron Fist” and “Luke Cage.” At this rate, Netflix may have removed all of its Marvel programming by the time its partnership with Disney expires in 2019.

All of these decisions make rational sense on a financial level. Netflix is a company at the end of the day and despite its indelible cultural presence, it values a profitable quarter over quality entertainment. The service still provides some truly great offerings, both original and acquired, but this migration away from building a diversely-sourced library of content might end up harming the company in the long run. With most of its content coming from its own studios, Netflix sets itself up for a programming slate of safe, unvaried shows and films that lack the experimental weirdness and creativity of its outsourced programs.

Will we ever get another “American Vandals” or “Bojack Horseman” if Netflix completely closes itself off from other studios?

Netflix’s latest decisions are indicative of an even larger problem in the entertainment industry that has arisen with the seemingly

relentless expansion of the Big Three networks (ABC, CBS and NBC) and the push to acquire as much creative property as physically possible.

Disney’s momentous growth in the last decade with its acquisition of rights to the Marvel and Star Wars franchises indicates that no brand is too big to avoid being swallowed up by an even bigger media conglomerate. And Netflix is growing at a similar rate, squeezing out streaming competitors and constantly pumping money into its company to keep its production schedule chugging along.

This homogenization of entertainment not only makes it more difficult for smaller, independent projects to compete with the mighty powerhouses, but reduces the ability of artists to create with no strings attached.

If everything is eventually controlled by one company or another, the power of media to teach, transform and enlighten will move from

the creator’s hands to those of a committee.

Entertainment will no longer exist for some greater purpose, but exclusively as a means of making more money for the parent company.

Programming will be crafted to fit a specific algorithm of success, closing the margins for the unconventional thinking and unfiltered creativity that has led to so many fun, ambitious projects.

The brutally abrupt cancellation of “American Vandals” struck a chord with its fans for good reason. It is emblematic of the path Netflix is taking, a departure from diversity in favor of self-investment. Although the streaming service is still hanging onto its successful out-of-house programs, it may only be a matter of time before another beloved program is up on the chopping board, ready to be sacrificed in the name of profit.

Photo Courtesy of Netflix Netflix cancelled “American Vandals” after two seasons, drawing backlash from its fans.

Hasan Minhaj’s ‘Patriot Act’ helps diversify late night comedy

By Jack Rubenstein Staff Writer

Hassan Minhaj’s “Patriot Act” is not original. The show is one of dozens populating the now bloated late night talk show format.

But what the show lacks in originality, it makes up for in being sharper, funnier and more engaging than most of its competitors.

“Patriot Act” feels like a cross between a late night show and stand up comedy.

Minhaj is standing the entire time, delivering a monologue with limited cutaways and no interviews or guests. Like Minhaj’s previous stand up comedy show “Homecoming King,” “Patriot Act” is available exclusively on Netflix.

In the second episode, he aptly described the show as a “woke Ted Talk” (his Steve Jobsesque outfit fits the bill for this claim). The set is essentially floor to ceiling projectors, which Minhaj jokes makes it “look like Michael Bay directed a PowerPoint presentation.”

Outside of these small changes, the show is clearly closely modeled after John Oliver’s brilliant “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.” The format is nearly identical: Both shows air on Sunday nights, and inject comedy into in-depth coverage of a serious political topic for 20 minutes. There is even a cutaway at the end of “Patriot Act”’s second episode that feels beat for beat like a segment on John Oliver’s show, and if it was stuck into one of his segments I might not be able to tell the difference. These similarities are not a bad thing: John Oliver’s show is critically revered and deservedly so. Oliver has mastered the art of dissecting his topics and consistently brings gut busting laughs alongside informative topical discussions, but after watching “Patriot Act,” it is clear that the original reigns supreme.

This is not to say Minhaj’s show is bad

or that it even falls into the tired comedy tropes some late night hosts seem to rely on these days. He produces quality material and breaks from the mold by providing jokes deeply rooted in his identity, something other white late night hosts cannot really do. The topics of his first two episodes, affirmative action and Saudi Arabia, are closely linked to Minhaj’s Indian heritage and Muslim religious beliefs: Asian Americans filed the lawsuit that has recently put affirmative action back in the spotlight, and Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam.

The jokes rarely miss, as Minhaj has always been in the upper echelon of comedians, especially when harnessing his identity to contribute to the comedy. The pieces are more compelling than most in the genre because

Minhaj tries to avoid many of the tired, generic jokes that other late night hosts make about popular topics, particularly concerning the Trump administration.

The show is not perfect by any means, and it clearly has some flaws in this initial stage. The jokes, though different than most on late night, do end up feeling a bit repetitive by the end of the segment. In the first episode, multiple jokes make fun of colleges based on their academic rigor, with decreasingly marginal returns.

His delivery is also a bit off: His erratic hand motions can be distracting throughout the episode, and he sounds a bit too enthusiastic when discussing somber topics.

The projectors can be similarly distracting, as they are constantly changing and take up most of the screen. But they do allow Minhaj

to put up interesting infographics that could not exist on other late night shows. Finally, the editing is atrocious. The camera angles switch every 10 to 15 seconds, and sometimes they do not even line up with which camera Minhaj is looking at. It is distracting, sometimes even headache-inducing.

Despite these flaws, it is important to remember that Minhaj’s show does not have to be perfect or even as good as “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.” The show is substantively better than most of the mainstream late night shows from people like Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon and James Corden, and it is an important step in diversifying the field of late night comedy.

The show is a tremendous feat for Minhaj and Netflix and is off to a promising start.

Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Hasan Minhaj, host of the new Netflix series “Patriot Act,” performs during a comedy show for the 2016 USO in Washington D.C.

The Chronicle

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018 | 9

AMENDMENTS FROM PAGE 1

Selena Qian | Staff Graphic Designer

North Carolina included District 2, District 9 and District 13, which all eventually turned Republican, with George Holding, Mark Harris and Ted Budd maintaining Republican House seats, respectively.

However, in the state legislature, Democrats looked to have broken the Republican party’s previous supermajorities of 75-45 in the House and 35-15 in the Senate—assuming results stayed as they were as of 1:15 a.m. Wednesday.

As for Durham representatives, U.S. House of Representatives incumbents and Democrats G.K. Butterfield and David Price won their districts, while Democratic state senators Floyd B. McKissick Jr. and Mike Woodward rolled their way to easy re-elections. Democrats MaryAnn E. Black, Marcia Morey, Zack Forde-Hawkins and Robert T. Reives II also won their races for seats on the State House of Representatives.

In Durham, Democrat Satana Deberry, who defeated incumbent Roger Echols, took district attorney, and Democrat Clarence Birkhead, who defeated incumbent Sheriff Mike Andrews in the primaries, became Durham County Sheriff.

Birkhead, who had no other challengers besides a potential write-in candidate, won with 92 percent of votes, and Deberry took 100 percent of votes, with no write-in challengers. In other contested seats for district court judgeships, Democrat Dave Hall overthrew Democrat incumbent Fred Battaglia Jr. and Democrat Clayton Jones defeated Republican Jim Hall.

CONGRESS

majority in the chamber as of 2:15 a.m. Wednesday.

FROM PAGE 1

FROM PAGE 1

the land of Abraham Lincoln and Barack Obama.”

In Congress, both of Duke’s Alabama Republicans emerged successful.

Bradley Byrne, Trinity ‘77, is a two-term incumbent Republican Representative in Alabama’s 1st District who won his third term Tuesday night. At Duke, he was a member of the student government body that is now Duke Student Government. His district has been Republican for over 50 years. Mo Brooks, Trinity ‘75, is a four-term incumbent also in Alabama who also won another term. The Republican representative faced a challenge from Democrat Peter Joffrion for the 5th District’s seat.

In California, a pair of Democratic Duke alumni were projected to win their races as of 2:40 a.m. Wednesday. Mike Levin, Law School ‘05, is a California Democrat in one of the nation’s most-watched House races.

Five alums Scott Peters, Trinity ‘80, is a three-term Democratic won or were in California’s 52nd District. incumbent leading D their a n Lipinski, Ph.D. ‘98, is an incumbent races. representative for Illinois’ 3rd District who was projected to win. The Democrat has been in office since 2005, and recently returned to campus to discuss partisanship in congress.

Aside from alumni, Democratic incumbent David Price—professor with tenure at the Sanford School of Public Policy and in the political science department—held on to North Carolina’s 4th District.

Dan McCready, Trinity ‘05, was within one point of Republican Mark Harris to represent North Carolina’s 9th District, and the race had not been called as of 1 a.m. Harris delivered a victory speech, but McCready had not yet conceded as of 1 a.m.

Not all Blue Devils on the Congressional ballots fared so well.

Jesse Colvin, Trinity’ 06, was testing the political waters for the first time, running for the House as a Democrat in Maryland’s 1st District. He lost to Republican Andy Harris.

Seth Grossman, Trinity ‘71, is a Republican in New Jersey’s 2nd District. He has drawn criticism for racially charged, controversial social media posts that caused the National Republican Congressional Committee to withdraw its support for him and call him a “bigot.” He was projected to lose the race.

Paul Wright, Law School ‘75, fell in his race as a Republican to represent North Carolina’s 12th District, which weaves up through the state from Charlotte to Greensboro. Democrat Ken Harbaugh, Trinity ‘96, lost his race to represent Ohio’s 7th District. Todd Litton, Trinity ‘92, was the Democratic nominee for Texas’ 2nd District but lost his election.

Photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

of which are new to American politics. Healthcare reform, immigration and a booming economy have dominated the headlines in the past few years. Meanwhile, many voters viewed the election as a referendum on President Donald Trump.

For some Duke students, the economy was the biggest concern.

“My current hopes right now are that the status quo remains unchanged,” senior Elliot Lin said as results began to come in. “We have seen explosive job growth; we have seen a GDP growth rate that has averaged over three percent.”

Sophomore Liam Nolan, on the other hand, said that many of the supposed economic gains have gone to the richest Americans.

“I hope that the Democrats take control of the House and the Senate,” Nolan said. “You have to think about who the economy is working for in these kinds of situations.”

What does Democrats regaining control of the House mean?

The Democrats took a projected roughly 20-seat majority in the House of Representatives.

Some analysts predicted a “blue wave,” in which Democrats would easily take control of the lower chamber of Congress.

However, Democrats’ house gains reflect a common trend in American politics. Since the Civil War, the president’s party has lost an average of 32 seats in the House in mid-term elections and two in the Senate.

In a speech late Tuesday night, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi condemned political division while thanking America’s veterans and children.

“A Democratic Congress will work for solutions that bring us together because we have all had enough of division,” Pelosi said.

Pelosi was the first female Speaker of the House, a position in which she served from 2007 to 2011. It remains to be seen whether she will regain the position now that the Democrats have a majority in the lower chamber again.

ALUMS

Democrats lose key Senate races The Democrats hoped to pick up Senate seats in several competitive races, but their hopes ultimately fell short.

Republican Ted Cruz defeated insurgent Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke in Texas to win another term in the Senate. Meanwhile, the Democrats lost seats in Indiana, Missouri and North Dakota, all of which Donald Trump carried in 2016.

However, Democractic Senator Joe Manchin kept his seat in West Virginia, which President Trump also won.

Manchin notably defied his party last month to vote for the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.

The Democrats faced an uphill battle in the Senate from the beginning. They had to defend 26 seats, 10 of them in states that Trump won in 2016. Republicans, on the other hand, only had to defend nine seats. At the end of the night, Republicans picked up a projected two seats to give them a projected 53-47

Democrats break the Republican supermajority in North Carolina The results here in North Carolina brought few surprises.

Republicans kept control of both chambers of the State’s General Assembly, which they have maintained since 2010.

However, they no longer have a super majority in the state House of Representatives and Senate, assuming results stayed as they were as of 1:15 a.m. Wednesday.

Of the six constitutional amendments on the ballot, four passed and two failed.Voters rejected amendments that would have changed how judicial vacancies are filled and allowed legislative appointments to the state’s election board. They approved amendments protecting the right to hunt and fish, expanding victims’ rights, mandating photo IDs for voters and capping the state’s income tax rate at 7 percent.

Emily Qin | Staff Photographer At one of the campus watch parties Tuesday night, students wrote reasons that they vote up onto the wall.

10 | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018

asserted that “if the Duke Student Government regarding reasonable accommodations for initially had any credibility, it [lost] it all with students in K-Ville.”

FROM PAGE 2 the judiciary’s ruling.”

“That one was crazy, if you will,” Bridges said. “Because it just seemed fairly standard The initiative promised to waive IFC dues K-Ville Craziness in that you had a tent that had missed a tent for the fraternity with the highest percentage This spring’s showdown about check, a very normal occurrence in K-Ville. of members who voted, which the Judiciary Krzyzewskiville policy began with a missed tent When you really start peeling back the found to unfairly favor candidates that the check and ended with the Judiciary ruling that layers, we saw that at the time K-Ville policy IFC endorsed. The Judiciary’s response the policy itself was unconstitutional. did not have a disability policy, so they to the election tampering makes this case At 2:30 a.m. on Feb. 14, Tent 74 missed a had no way of officially accommodating unique. Despite punishing the IFC, no new tent check, despite a line monitor calling for disabilities.” election was held. them with a blowhorn. The tenters appealed Despite the Judiciary ruling in their “We do not see that IFC’s behavior affected the decision, claiming that two tenters had favor, Tent 74 was not allowed to return to the outcome of the election,” said then-junior been present but had missed the check K-Ville after the decision. The line monitors Josh Shaffer, a justice at the time. because one was deeply asleep and the other determined that the evidence provided did The decision prompted outrage for some had hearing difficulties. not prove the tenters had been there during students on campus. A column in The Chronicle The Judiciary found that K-Ville’s policy the check.

by Minh-Thu Pham, Trinity ‘98, voiced violated the DSG Constitution Bill of Rights displeasure with the Judiciary’s decision and because it did not “include specific language Judiciary vs. the Senate Another serious case came in the form of the 2016 dispute about the PASH Reform Act, which reduced funding approved by the PASH Responsibility Act. The original act allotted $17,252 to the center, and the subsequent act cut the funding to $12,762. Both acts were passed in April 2016.

Bridges said that the case was unique because of its complexity. The petition cited the Senate’s House Rules and By-Laws, as well as the DSG Constitution.

“I remember us deliberating for quite a long time over the intricacies of the case, thinking about constitutionality and house rules and student by-laws and all these different things,” she said.

The Judiciary said that the PASH Reform Act was “null and void” because it violated the earlier law’s clause that forbade any future changes to itself, except for complete repeal.

Bridges recalled that the case particularly resounded within DSG. “PASH was, I would say, pretty controversial Michelle Tai | Staff Photographer on campus at the time,” she said. “In particular, The Judiciary’s first case of the school year was when Hyde House sued the Duke Student Government in Duke Student Government, it seems that people had very strong opinions about it.”

Senate.

CASES

The Chronicle

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FORUM FROM PAGE 3

Baxter said.

Baxter suggested that there might be more beneficial ways to address climate change aside from divesting, as other investors would buy up the assets Duke would drop in a divestment scenario.

“We’d also look somewhat hypocritical in that we’ve taken an action that most people would recognize to be the easy way out,” he said.

Investing in alternative energy is one possibility as the investments become more lucrative, he added, and encouraging the University to support solar energy are ways Duke could produce a more tangible benefit.

Senior Ethan Miller, a member of the DCC who attended the event, argued that symbolic gestures can be powerful—Duke would not alone.

“Duke acting alone does not mean that Duke is not acting in a broader framework,” Miller said.

Martin Smith, George M. Woodwell distinguished professor of environmental economics and an ACIR committee member, said that divestments’ benefits are still up in the air but taking direct action to fight climate change would have more tangible results.

“Divesting from fossil fuels may cumulatively, collectively have some effect. We don’t totally know what that effect would be—it could have an effect,” Smith said. “But weighing that against the actions that individual people or the University could take by deliberately engaging in more green initiatives on campus, those are measurable things.”

The Chronicle

Sports

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The Chronicle

THE BLUE ZONE

OBSERVATIONS AND STATS FROM DUKE’S WIN dukechronicle.com

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018

Juan Bermudez | Sports Photography Editor

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018 | 11

CATS CRUSHED

Jack White’s toughness on the boards, veteran presence helps spur blowout season-opening victory

By Winston Lindqwister Sports Managing Editor

INDIANAPOLIS—With two freshmen breaking Duke’s previous debut scoring record in one night, it’s easy to keep all eyes on the Blue Devils’ younger players.

One of the biggest keys to Duke’s statement win against Kentucky DUKE 118 didn’t come from the 84 Class of 2022, though, UK but rather a junior who rarely saw the floor in his first two seasons.

For the Blue Devils, Jack White was there to keep them together. On both sides of the

floor, on the glass and on the perimeter, the junior captain was locked in and hungry.

Thanks to White’s timely rebounds, pinpoint shooting and leadership, Duke shut down one of the most dangerous offenses in the nation and set the tone for what looks to be an explosive season.

“The untold hero of our team was Jack White,” head coach Mike Krzyzewski said.

“Jack had 11 rebounds and guarded [Tyler] Herro and played tough, just played really tough, so we’re proud of the win. I shouldn’t say I’m surprised at how well these guys played because I see them, but to play on this stage right away against Kentucky was a little

Juan Bermudez | Sports Photography Editor

Jack White used his length to play effective defense on Kentucky’s backcourt and pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds in his first game as a captain.

bit surprising.”

Facing a Kentucky squad with twin towers in Reid Travis and E.J. Montgomery, the Blue Devils needed all the help they could get grabbing boards and controlling possession, and White delivered. Of his team-leading and career-high 11 rebounds, six of them came on the offensive glass, helping Duke score on a majority of its possessions.

White also showed off the defensive acumen expected of a three-year veteran, locking down Wildcat perimeter threat Herro with ease.

The Australian came away with two steals and forced Herro into taking tough shots all night. In fact, the Kentucky freshman finished just 1-for-6 from long range and 4-for-11 overall, ensuring Duke’s early lead was never threatened due to hot shooting from the Wildcats.

“It was a lot of fun,” White said of locking down Herro. “He’s a very talented player as are all the players on their team. Chasing him around screens, it’s tiring but it’s a lot of fun.

He’s a great player and he’s a great challenge to defend.”

And to complete the package as Duke’s go-to glue guy—and making a strong case for why he would be a suitable fifth starter for the Blue Devils—White’s ability on offense was smooth and versatile. The 6-foot-8 forward ended the night with a career-high nine points and showed up as a deep threat in addition to a finisher at the rim. Along with his three assists and a plus-minus of 35—the highest on the team—White’s ability to keep Duke’s offensive momentum going should not be overlooked.

Having a captain that can provide valuable minutes on both ends of the court will be crucial for the Blue Devils, as a lineup

composed primarily of freshmen could run into some mental errors in truly hostile environments. Duke experienced a taste of how loud opposing fans can get at the start of the contest, as a horde of Kentucky fans descended upon Indianapolis, transforming Bankers Life Fieldhouse into Rupp Arena lite.

Although the Blue Devils’ early lead quickly silenced Big Blue Nation, Duke will need a vocal leader on the court to keep everyone’s heads in check for ACC road games.

“They told us that every game we go to is going to be like that,” freshman R.J. Barrett said of the leadership White and fellow captain Javin DeLaurier provided. “We have a big target on us, and every environment we go to is going to be like that, so just to get used to it.”

Duke’s fifth starter alongside its four star freshmen was junior Marques Bolden Tuesday, and though he made a couple of impressive plays in the post, he struggled with foul trouble.

The same could be said of DeLaurier’s night— he picked up three fouls in the game’s first 11 minutes and didn’t score a single point.

Although White may not fit the mold of a typical fifth man for a Duke lineup and doesn’t have many minutes under his belt from previous seasons, don’t be surprised if he spends a majority of his time on the floor. The Blue Devil junior is sharp on defense, aggressive on the glass and efficient on the offensive end, making him one of Duke’s most crucial pieces in its dominant performance.

“They’re a very confident group, and they’re very talented, but also our upperclassmen have gotten better, so it’s a nice mix,” Krzyzewski said. “What Jack White did today, that’s what he’s been doing in practice and exhibitions, but there’s nothing like doing it in a game on a big stage.”

12 | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018

WIN FROM PAGE 1 The freshman-led Blue Devils looked unfazed by the big-game atmosphere in the first half, spurting out to a quick 3211 advantage. The Wildcats (0-1) would not go down without a little bit of a fight, however, taking advantage of a four-minute scoreless stretch from Duke to cut the lead back down to a dozen, but the Blue Devils recovered, entering the locker room with a 17-point edge.

“At the start of the game, we hit everything,” Krzyzewski said. “I want my guys to play loose and play hard, and I thought defensively, we played really well. I think we’re going to get into high-possession games, and if we do, we’ll have a better chance of winning.”

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Barrett once again carried Duke’s offensive load with 20 points in the first 20 minutes, and 33 overall. The nation’s top recruit was one of few Blue Devils to avoid foul trouble in the first half, with Duke picking up 16 fouls in the period. Williamson and Reddish both picked up two early fouls and were held to just 10 and 11 minutes on the court, respectively, before the break.

Junior captain Jack White impressed with his physicality in the paint during Williamson’s absence. It’s not easy to replace the 285-pound force that is Williamson, but the Australian helped keep the Blue Devil lead intact with seven boards in 14 first-half minutes. Duke put up 20 more shot attempts than Kentucky after winning both battles on the boards and turnovers.

Williamson and Reddish rejoined the

Juan Bermudez | Sports Photography Editor

R.J. Barrett poured in 33 points, including 20 in the first half, to lead the Blue Devils in his collegiate debut.

scoring barrage in the second half, bringing their respective totals to 28 and 22 as the Blue Devils opened up a 30-point lead less than six minutes into the half to put the game out of reach.

“My nerves were pretty calm because in high school I got very excited about it, but when you get to college, you really just learn from the upperclassmen,” Williamson said about his poise Tuesday. “If you go in too excited, things will not go your way, so you have to go in calm and just play very hard, and I think that’s what we did.”

Jones once again controlled the offense as the distributor, racking up seven assists in the contest. The Apple Valley, Minn., native suffered a scare midway through the second half after appearing to bang knees, but he returned minutes later.

The Chronicle Perhaps the most impressive part of Duke’s dominance Tuesday was its ability to shut down the Wildcat offense. The Blue Devils held Kentucky to a mere 44.1 percent conversion rate from the field and just four made 3-point attempts in the contest. Guard Keldon Johnson and big man Reid Travis carried the offensive load with 23 and 22 points, respectively, but a lack of help from the supporting cast hampered the Wildcats’ chances.

“There was resistance every play. [Travis] is so strong,” Krzyzewski said of the Wildcats’ presence in the interior. “They didn’t play as well as they’re going to play and we played great. If we play them again, they can beat us and we know that. We respect them. Things went great for us tonight.”

Following Tuesday’s victory, Duke will host Army Sunday at 1 p.m. in its home opener.

Aaditya Jain | Staff Photographer

Zion Williamson needed just 13 shots to score 28 points, which would have been the most in a freshman debut in program history, if not for R.J. Barrett’s 33.

The Chronicle

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018 | 13

MEN’S SOCCER

Duke set for semifinals vs. rival North Carolina

By Glen Morgenstern Staff Writer

Duke barely scraped by 11th-seeded Pittsburgh in penalty kicks to advance to the semifinals of the ACC tournament Sunday.

Now, a fatigued Blue Devil offense will have to pick up the pieces and return to form in order to beat the nation’s top defensive team.

No. 3 No. 3 seed Duke Duke vs. will face secondseeded North Carolina No. 2 Wednesday at 7 p.m. at UNC WakeMed Soccer Park WEDNESDAY, 7 p.m.

WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. The Blue Devils lost their last Cary, N.C. matchup against the Tar Heels, a mostly deadlocked 1-0 game two weeks ago in which the usually-potent Duke offense struggled to produce in the face of a dominant North Carolina defensive front.

“We played them a couple weeks ago, so we know how good they are and how well they press and how potent they are,” head coach John Kerr said. “We took some notes from the last time we played them, so hopefully we can give them a really good game on Wednesday night.”

The Blue Devils generated an abundance of shooting opportunities this season, averaging a conference-best 15.3 shots per game. Sunday, they got off 18 shots against Pittsburgh—six of which were on target. None of them found the back of the net, however, even against a relatively weak Panther back

line, and sophomore goalkeeper Will Pulisic’s penalty kick heroism was required to end the marathon match.

The Tar Heels will not offer Duke so many chances, as North Carolina’s unyielding defense has performed at the highest possible level this season. The Tar Heel back line, composed of senior Alex Comsia, junior Mark Salas and sophomore John Nelson, has surrendered a Division I-low six goals in 16 matches on the year. Their 3-0 win against Virginia Tech marked the team’s fourth straight shutout.

In the most recent match between the Tobacco Road rivals, Duke took only four shots. Especially against North Carolina’s defensive might, the Blue Devils’ characteristic inefficiency will certainly not benefit a stagnating offense.

Injuries and soreness will also likely factor into Wednesday’s game. Duke sophomore midfielder Kristofer Gardarsson, the team’s assists leader, left the quarterfinal game early with cramps. And while the Blue Devils played 110 minutes plus penalties, the Tar Heels took care of business against Virginia Tech in just the 90 minutes of regulation.

“We have to heal quickly and find out who is going to be available,” Kerr said. “We got a couple of knocks, and we’re going to discuss that as we go.”

The North Carolina defense can take most of the credit for the team’s No. 4 ranking, but the Tar Heel offense is red-hot, too. In particular, junior midfielder Jack Skahan has notched six goals and two assists in the past

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ACROSS

four matches. And although Duke (10-5-2) takes over three shots more per game than North Carolina, the Tar Heels (13-2-1) operate much more efficiently—each team scores about 1.8 goals per game.

In addition to Gardarsson’s injury, senior midfielder Ciaran McKenna received two yellow cards Sunday night, forcing the Blue Devils to make do with only 10 men for the majority of the second half. To have a chance at redemption, Duke needs stricter

discipline in the box. If the Blue Devils fall behind early, it will be difficult for junior forward Daniele Proch and the rest of the Duke offense to break through.

Despite the unpromising circumstances, Duke has proven its ability to bounce back all season. Ultimately, both of these top-10 teams have boatloads of talent, and regardless of Wednesday’s result this Wednesday, both are likely to earn high seeds in the NCAA tournament.

The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 David Xian | Staff Photographer The NewFor York Times Syndication Sales Corporation Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 Junior Daniele620 Proch will hope to penetrate North Carolina’s top-ranked defense in the Avenue, New November York, N.Y. 10018 ForEighth Tuesday, 6, 2018 nation Wednesday toRelease lift Duke into the1-800-972-3550 ACC championship.

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T H E I N D E P E N D E N T D A I LY AT D U K E U N I V E R S I T Y

The Chronicle

“

Bolsonaro and the fascism of ‘tough on crime’

L

ast month, international attention turned to Brazil as far-right candidate, Jair Bolsonaro, was elected the country’s 38th president. A former military general under the regime of dictator João Figueiredo, Bolsonaro ran a populist campaign promising to overhaul Brazil’s corrupt government. His victory comes during a period of wavering faith among in federal institutions on the part of the Brazilian people.

In recent years, the country has struggled to cope with a severe economic downturn and noticeable upticks in crime in addition to scandalous revelations regarding bribery— allegations which have resulted in some leaders of the exiting administration facing impeachment and criminal corruption charges. Bolsonaro positioned himself as the solution to these issues during his campaign.

In his platform, he called for numerous radical changes, including liberalizing gun laws, rolling back affirmative action for black Brazilians and removing land protections for indigenous tribes in order to exploit the economic resources of the Amazon rainforest.

While this election marks a turn towards

onlinecomment “Quition has *only* risen by 43%... SMH.” —Julie A. Guest, responding to “Letter: Price restates Duke commitment to financial aid” via Facebook on Nov. 1, 2018

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14 | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018

”

a deeply frightening and uncertain future for Brazil in many ways, perhaps one of the most unsettling implications of a Bolsonaro presidency come in the realm of criminal justice. Bolsonaro, like many “tough on crime” military hawks, ran on the promise of eradicating crime through violence. He has promised to allow police officers to “shoot first, and ask questions later” and said that those who use “10 or 30 shots [to kill] need to be decorated, not prosecuted.” While this type of campaign rhetoric is disturbing in its

Editorial Board own right, the coded message it conveys is even more troubling. Bolsonaro’s advocacy for extra-judicial murder is not intended to preserve community; his intent is to declare open season on poor Brazilians, specifically Afro-Brazilians who continue to suffer due to the country’s social apartheid.

It’s easy to paint these issues of militarism and violence against civilians as problems endemic to a fascist regime in Brazil, but to do so would ignore the rapid spread of these repulsive sentiments across the globe. Rodrigo Duterte, a violent populist elected as president of the Philippines in 2016, is under investigation by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity for his role in directing police officers and ordinary citizens to hunt and murder criminals in a self-styled “war on drugs.” He, like reactionary warmongers in various other nations spouting similar proposals, has used crime as a justification for genocide against the poor.

Given President Trump’s own use of crime rates as a basis for racist and xenophobic immigration and law enforcement policy, it comes at little surprise that the current American administration is supportive of figures like Bolsonaro and Duterte. The use of statesponsored violence against citizens in the name of “preserving” the general welfare is not reserved solely for governments that we consider to be fascist. It exists in our own communities.

American proponents of militarized responses to prevent crime often justify those responses’ inhumanity by arguing that severe punishment is the best deterrent for crime. They point to the brutality of murderers and abusers to justify harsher sentences and aggressive policing, ignoring the fact that one in five inmates are incarcerated for nonviolent drug offenses.

Calls for harsher sentencing and policing to address crime ignore data that show formerly incarcerated people—as a consequence of employment and housing discrimination—have a high likelihood of being rearrested, suggesting that time incarcerated is not an effective deterrent.

These draconian policies also obscure heavily influential sociological contexts surrounding crime.

Crime has never existed in a vacuum; offenses like drug distribution and theft are situated in specific economic and social realities. State neglect, historical economic disenfranchisement, systemic and generational poverty, hyper-policing and lack of robust reentry support programs for people released from prison or jail all contribute to propensity towards crimes of survival or necessity. Any policy meant to actually reduce crime must be based in addressing historical inequities dealt onto black and brown communities as well as adopting a restorative justice framework that focuses on rehabilitation and education opportunities.

Bolsonaro’s election as president marks a frightening step towards the normalization and perpetuation of state-sponsored murder of the most underserved citizens. While reversing such a global shift feels futile, we as individuals all have the capacity to prevent fear mongers like Bolsonaro, Trump, Duterte and others from continuing to hold power. Support for policies that promote violence are based on the spread of misinformation. It is our responsibility to learn about and understand the inhumanity and demonstrable ineffectiveness of “tough on crime” policies and reject the alarmism used in their advocacy.

Direct submissions to: E-mail: chronicleletters@duke.edu Editorial Page Department The Chronicle Box 90858, Durham, NC 27708 Phone: (919) 684-2663 Fax: (919) 684-4696

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The Chronicle

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018 | 15

How do we fix politics?

A

nswer: Just like healthcare.

We like to think that being in an impressive place destines us to do impressive things. This hope is nothing new.

The Romans had their cursus honorum— literally, the “course of honors.” Fortunate sons would move up a chain of offices increasingly less provincial and more powerful, setting their sights on high office. The Chinese for centuries regulated entry into the imperial civil service through a grueling examination in Confucian texts and theory. And do we not hope that an internship yields a full-time offer, or that a

Tim Kowalczyk

to do to make the world a better place in the years it will take us to get to The Thing?

Life gave us an answer: exactly what we did to partially reverse the University’s decision to cut healthcare from certain financial aid packages.

I write this before, and because of, the midterm elections. My last edits were submitted Tuesday. I have no idea what we woke up to today. But we would be remiss if we failed to realize that whatever we must do now, whatever the political way forward is, we have a playbook for activism and engagement written by our collective actions

COLUMNIST single test score will open every door?

We embrace the same hope: enter elite pipeline, make big difference. In any given week, we’re invited to hear a plethora of speakers, whose collected resumes would yield a small book. Inside our majors, our courses are neatly lined up in a safe and sure progression. But this hope leaves us wanting: how do we fix those ills staring us in the face now, when we order our lives in pursuit of “then?” Talk to anyone you please. Ask them why they’ve chosen the path they have. Their reply will likely be, “I’m so frustrated because of ‘x,’ and I think ‘y’ will be the perfect way to fix it. ‘Y’ is The Thing that will make a difference.”

We’re left with a question: what are we going

during these last two weeks.

Fear: Engaging with the problems of the here-and-now will keep me from getting to The Thing where I can make my difference.

Fact: Engagement is not an either/or choice.

I can both do my work and give help where help is needed. No one for a moment stopped being a student when they started caring. No dedicated student group was formed. We talked about this online and in person, as we were able. We put pressure on those accountable, as we were able.

We demonstrated our ability to be fulltime students, fully involved in our own governance. Why should our approach to

civic engagement be any different?

Fear: There is no way I can remain engaged—impactfully engaged—until change occurs. Fact: You can. You just did.

We did not let this go. There was not a day discussion about health insurance wasn’t heard of over coffee or on the C1. We named names and we focused on the issue. Will political problems have timelines longer than two weeks? Absolutely. Consider this conditioning: you are increasing your fitness as someone civically engaged.

Fear: Once I’m in this fight, I’m in it for the long haul. Fact: That’s the only way to win. As President Price’s letter makes clear, this partial walk-back guarantees healthcare for current undergraduates on aid only. For as long as we have left, whether a few months or three years, securing more and better for our peers will remain our concern. The work is never finished. All we can do is leave less to those who come after us.

Fear: As if the powers-that-be would ever listen. Fact: They did. We start to lose—to lose our fight, to lose fitness as citizens of anything—when we think of “the powers-thatbe” as anything other than people. We learned that people listen to good arguments made in good faith. We made no ultimatums. We forced no action. We postured ourselves as partners in progress and in dialogue, as full members of this community to be respected as such. We let the might of right speak for us. We let truth and not thunder make our case. We took the

moral high ground and held it. We gave no one the least reason to dismiss us.

And it is a fact that many of us fear, and have cause to fear, what the months ahead will hold. Whatever happened at the ballot box, hold on to this moment. Know that you have the drive to make the change you can and the ability to make that change reality. Take a moment to appreciate what so many students did. Students. We are not yet doing The Thing that will leave our mark on the world. The Thing is a hope.

What we achieved for our peers is reality.

What we did by engaging in the moment, by caring and mobilizing and committing to something, is real.

So, in these coming months, keep your convictions and keep your playbook to hand.

Do not fear that doing what you can is not enough. It was enough for your peers, and it can be enough for your neighbors if you choose to make it so.

I close with the words of the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. “Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright/ Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,/ Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”

However bleak the situation seems, press on. You made your stand in whatever way you could, and the powers-that-be relented.

Do that again, politically.

Tim Kowalczyk is a Trinity senior. His column runs on alternate Wednesdays.

Crippling apathy

A

s I laid in bed on a Monday mid-afternoon, I envisioned studying biology, doing my English homework, or even editing this column.

“Envisioned” is the key word. These things did not happen, and not because I didn’t think they are important or would be particularly difficult to complete. I just couldn’t do them—it was easier to sleep or watch Netflix or simply lay there and think. Ever since coming to college, I feel chronically unmotivated.

Camille Wilder COLUMNIST

environment of college has created this apathetic overtone.

I hear this cycle of unmotivated time wasting followed by hyper-productivity recounted to my by other students over and over. There are a lot of people at Duke who can manage their time efficiently, but I notice a growing trend of people who work and feel like me.

The cause of my apathy could stem from many sources.

One that particularly stands out is the availability of easy socializing. In high school, I went from 7:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. classes to cross country practice to my house where I would shut myself in my room and do homework until late at night. I was structurally prevented from socializing instead of studying. I could have made plans to work with people after school, but the added hassle of driving somewhere and coordinating dissuaded me. Now all my friends are only a text and a couple dorms away. I could walk into the common room and find people to waste time with. I feel tantalized by the possibility of so many fun social activities in a way that I never was in high school.

I didn’t think the phrase “burned out” would apply to me as a college student. I remember working hard in high school, but not to the point where I felt unable to continue working harder in college. I don’t think unmotivated students are burned out per se; we are instead coming to see the things that our lives lacked previously.

The amount of free time I have has increased exponentially.

As I inch closer and closer to “real” life, I begin to use this time to doubt my life plans. Do I want to be a doctor? A person I know recently realized that they don’t have to be a doctor, causing me to wonder for myself. Do I care about having a lot of money? That seems like a pretty shallow priority. Do I care about being as high-achieving as I was in high school? I know less hard-working friends at lower-ranked schools who are doing fine and will be successful.

What you realize in college is that things don’t matter as much. Sure, your grades and resume matter for employment.

But being the best no longer matters as much as being good enough. And good enough changes day to day: from straight As pre-med to passing-herclasses. There isn’t one way to be good enough, and that is what college has taught me.

Friends and sleeping more than five hours a night are really nice! It’s hard to resist these things to sit in a sad study room and memorize facts when you spend half of that time questioning whether the sad study room and facts will even get you somewhere you want to be, and the other half internally screaming, “Do your damn work, or you will eliminate any chance of medical school!”

I also know a lot of students with hard and fast goals, who work to the extreme for these goals, and seem satisfied. To those people, I raise my glass— you are the envy of many at Duke. But for the rest of us, those crippled by apathy and indecision, you are not alone.

I know a lot of other people who also suffer from this apathy.

“I can’t do this [homework or studying]” is a pretty common thing to hear amongst my peers. We are all high achieving students. We arrived at Duke with the same mentalities that brought us from high school with excellent resumes.

But somehow a disconnect arose, and many of us choose procrastination over efficiency and productivity.

I am not outright failing; my grades, while not the straight As of my high school years, are decent. Bouts of crippling apathy are punctuated by periods of high stress and extreme dedication where I write quality ten page papers in four hours or learn three chapters in a day. I know that this is a terrible study method.

After every stress-fueled session, I vow to change my ways and work hard. But then this lack of motivation seizes me and commands that I go out or have a three hour brunch.

Chalking this behavior up to laziness seems incorrect. I procrastinated a bit in high school, but I was always doing assignments ahead of time and studying extra, Camille Wilder is a Trinity Mary Helen Wood | News Photography Editor junior. Her column usually as opposed to my current scrambles. Something about the Some students punctuate long periods of apathy with intense study sessions. runs on alternate Thursdays.

The Chronicle

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16 | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018

CAN’T MISS EVENTS NOVEMBER 7-18

DUKE THEATER STUDIES PRESENTS

Dancing at Lughnasa Thursday, November 8 to Sunday, November 18 Sheafer Theater, Bryan Center Brian Friel’s comic and touching play, set in 1930s Ireland, features a cast of talented Duke undergraduates directed by Theater Studies Professor Ellen Hemphill. The music-filled play follows the struggles of five quirky sisters as they cope with the changing times, a child born out of wedlock, and a brother who is a disgraced priest. $10 student tickets; for more info: theaterstudies.duke.edu. (photo by Alex Maness)

PEOPLE GET READY: BUILDING A CONTEMPORARY COLLECTION Saturday, September 1-Sunday, January 6 Nasher Museum of Art

VISIONARY APONTE: ART & BLACK FREEDOM Wednesday, September 19-Saturday, November 17 Power Plant Gallery

ONE HURRICANE SEASON Thursday, October 11-Sunday, February 17 Kreps and Lyndhurst Galleries, Center for Documentary Studies

LIFT PRESENTS: THE MADVO COLLECTION COMMISSIONING PROJECT Monday, November 12 7-8:30 pm Rubenstein Arts Center, Film Theater

RARE MUSIC CONCERT: CPE BACH @ 230 Tuesday, November 13 7:30 pm Nelson Music Room, East Duke Building

NOVEMBER DANCES 2018 Friday-Saturday, November 16-17 7:30 pm Reynolds Industries Theater

Brought to you by Department of Art, Art History and Visual Studies, Center for Documentary Studies, Dance Program, Music Department, Master of Fine Arts in Experimental & Documentary Studies, Nasher Museum of Art, Program in the Arts of the Moving Image’s Screen/Society and Theater Studies.