The Leader — December 5, 2023 Issue by Elmhurst University - The Leader

ELMHURST UNIVERSITY ISSUE 6 DECEMBER 5, 2023 ELMHURSTLEADER.COM

EU staff and students work towards

understanding the Israel-Palestine conflict READ ON PAGE 2

COVER BY Rachel Fratt

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EU STAFF AND STUDENTS WORK TOWARDS UNDERSTANDING THE ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT issue.”

Adriana Briscoe (she/her) Editor-in-Chief In their webinar “Understanding the Israel-Palestine Conflict,” Timothy Hazen, political science professor, and Inamul Haq, religious studies professor and Muslim chaplain, helped students understand the conflict from multiple perspectives. Hamas’ unprecedented surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7 sparked a retaliatory campaign and ground operations from Israel. While the Oct. 7 attack served as a wake-up call to many non-Muslims in the West, the Israel-Palestine conflict has a complex history of over 75 years, so Haq and Hazen aimed to educate students on this history. Hazen focused on offering an “academic, political science” angle to supplement mainstream media coverage and provide an opportunity to educate the student body and the university. Then, Haq shared his reflection on the current conflict, focusing on a humanist perspective. He felt it was important to address the conflict for students to help them make sense of what’s going on since he said it’s a “hard, contested

In the lecture, Hazen defined a state as a defined territory with a government that oversees the citizens of that territory. Citizens within that territory perceive the governing body as legitimate, and there are also people outside the territory who see the government as legitimate. Israel is recognized as a state by approximately 160 countries in the world. Palestine is not fully seen as a state, but many countries, about three-fourths of the world in areas such as the Arab world, Africa, Latin America, and South Asia recognize Palestine as a state. However, Palestine doesn’t have the same measure of state legitimacy as Israel. This raises the question of what happens when individuals in world politics, such as Hamas and national militaries, commit crimes. Hazen’s definitions of statehood and other relevant terms gave students an academic lens to look at the conflict. From the humanistic lens, Haq wanted students to understand the complexity of the issue and the importance of investing in a solution that is humane and doesn’t dehumanize any group.

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EDITORIAL BOARD Adriana Briscoe (she/her) Editor-in-Chief Ilana Garnica (she/her) Managing Editor, Chief Copy Editor Rachel Fratt (she/her) Head Graphics Editor Abbey Mark (she/her) Head Social Media Graphics Alyssa Kuehne (she/her) Assistant Copy Editor Eve Hvarre (she/her) News Editor

Tyler Ptaszkowski (he/him) Staff Writer

Sabrina Scola (she/her) Social Media Manager

Michael Nicholson (he/him) Staff Writer

Marty Munguia (he/him) Photo Editor

Jennie Bosas (she/her) Staff Editorial Cartoonist

STAFF

Salvador Ceja (he/him) Elmhurst Student

Lily Morgan (she/her) Staff Writer Samuel Shulman (he/him) Staff Writer

“From my point of view, the key problem right now in Palestine is abuse of Palestinians,” Haq said. “That is, in my opinion, the key issue, that Palestinians, for the past 50 years since they occupied these territories, that Israel is neither taking them in nor letting them go, and they are stateless people.” Haq noted that he traveled to the Middle East with Jewish and Christian friends and saw what was going on. He mentioned that none of his friends supported what was happening and said his Jewish friends were “more angry than I am.” “They were not supporting it,” Haq said. “Because you have people who have the right of basic human dignity. Basic human dignity. They virtually have no rights.” He also went to the military courts and saw how children are “just in prisons for long long long times and their lives have been ruined.” In addition, he observed that one can tell a Palestinian town from a Jewish town because in Palestinian towns, every home has a tank of water on its roof since Palestinians get water only a few

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Sarah Glees (she/her) Multimedia Editor

Gabriel E. Galindo (he/him) Staff Writer and Spanish Translator

Haq said the most fundamental issue, in his opinion, is that Palestinians are not being given basic human rights.

ADVISER Eric Lutz (he/him)

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hours a week and must store it. Jewish homes get 24-hour running water of the same water, so they don’t need to store it. Palestinians also pay a much higher price for the water — which is coming from Palestinian territory — despite not having access to it nearly as often. All of these oppressive practices are part of an apartheid structure, according to Haq. “What you have there is actually an apartheid structure, and that is what is creating this anger and militance,” Haq said. “And I think that if you dehumanize a population, then it loses its sanity, it cannot think rationally, it responds in anger, and it gives a counter to humanization.” Hazen also spoke about the power imbalance and noted that it needs to be addressed. “If individuals really want this to change, there needs to be a change to the power dynamic or at least to the actors involved in it,” Hazen said. Both Haq and Hazen agree that a third-party actor would need to intervene to resolve the conflict; however, they also both agree that there is a long way to go before that solution even becomes close to happening. In the U.S., interfaith tensions have increased, and this has led to an increase in Islamaphobia and anti-semitism. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a warning that the intensification of Israeli airstrikes on Hamas and a

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potential ground incursion into Gaza could keep the U.S. in a “heightened threat environment in the near-to-mid-term.” Furthermore, the Anti-Defamation League Center on Extremism reported that 312 incidents of harassment, vandalism, and assault were recorded between Oct. 7 and Oct. 23, and more than half of those (190) were directly linked to the Israel-Hamas war. In light of this, Haq emphasized the importance of trying to understand the other when dealing with international conflict. “I think we need to recognize each other’s opinion,” Haq said. “It is very important, and listen to each other’s narrative. It doesn’t mean we agree, but at least we should listen to what is the narrative, so I think in that sense that we never did a good communication between two communities that they should understand each other’s narrative. That will humanize the other and create a mental acceptance of the other.” Both Haq and Hazen shared a few important points they want students to keep in mind as they follow the news of this conflict. Haq wants students to know that political conflicts are always complex and have “historical baggage,” and he emphasized the importance of looking for the facts to understand them.

“They should look for the facts because facts cannot be denied, and we can reasonably agree on facts,” Haq said. “We cannot agree on interpretation of the facts, but we can reasonably agree on the fact.” Haq also said it’s important for students to understand that we should never deny another’s humanity. “The Jewish life, the Palestinian life, the Christian life, are all equally sacred and respected,” Haq said. “That is non-negotiable. So, this is important. If we don’t have facts, then we are just lost in prejudice and opinion.” Hazen wants students to be mindful of where they receive news, as “tremendous amounts” of misinformation on Jewish and Israeli propaganda have emerged on social media. “I think using traditional media is important — not that it’s perfect because there are many problems with it — but … just the aspect of having that formal mechanism, that hierarchy, that editor, I think it’s very important to not lose sight of traditional media,” Hazen said. He also encourages students from the U.S. to look at the Israel-Palestine conflict from international angles, such as a European and/or Middle East view, to gain multiple perspectives on the issue. PHOTO BY The New York Times

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HEY NEIGHBOR! KARAMO’S CONVERSATION WITH ELMHURST UNIVERSITY Brown detailed how he studied social work in college, to which Petty asked, “How did that start?”

Samuel Shulman (he/him) Staff Writer “Turn to your neighbor and say ‘love should never be tough.’” Karamo Brown, a three-time Emmy-nominated reality TV star and best-selling author, brought a fresh new look to being the culture expert on “Queer Eye” and to EU’s campus on Nov. 14 for the annual Quest Lecture. This exciting visit and lecture add to EU’s history of important figures gracing the stage of the Hammerschmidt Memorial Chapel. Before the lecture began at 7 p.m., there was a special meet and greet at 6 p.m. in the Prospect Room in the Frick Center. Many campus students and faculty had the immense pleasure of meeting Brown, exchanging a hug, small words, and a nice photograph to commemorate the experience. I had the amazing opportunity to meet Brown during this time and got to speak to him about EU’s queer student history. Another student who had the opportunity to meet Brown was sophomore Mallory Draper. “When I was in high school, I struggled with anorexia, and I really relied on Queer Eye because it was a feel-good show,” Draper said. She told Brown about her experience and how much the show meant to her. “He had a huge impact on me,” Draper said. Draper explained that Brown told her he was “so proud” of her and that Brown was “so sweet,” and she tried very hard not to cry. After the meet and greet, a wave of students, faculty, and community members filled the chapel pews for the highly anticipated Quest Lecture. This lecture, in honor of Robert Quest, class of 1936, began in 1996 and has introduced many famous figures to campus. This lecture, in a unique conversational style, was on mental health matters and moderated by NBC Health and Wellness reporter Lauren Petty. Petty introduced Brown to the crowd of eager listeners and began the conversation.

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Brown said it started in high school because he loved getting out of class. Being the youngest of four sisters, he became a good confidant. “People naturally come to me,” he said, and so he took up peer counseling and loved it. When he went to college, he didn’t have a declared major. His college advisor suggested social work, and Brown fell in love with it. Being able to work with people and “knowing they’re being heard is a gift of a job.” Petty replied, “We all want to be heard.” Switching over to Brown’s start on television, Petty talked about his time on the MTV original reality show, “Real World,” which debuted in 2004. Brown detailed that he “wanted to be on TV” and specifically “always wanted to be on MTV.” This love of TV stemmed from a mantra Brown adopted from his grandmother, which was “you have two ears, one mouth, one should be doing double time.” Brown took the time to discuss his growth from 2003 to the present and said it “shows that if you keep reflecting, you can grow.” Brown still used his grandmother’s mantra combined with a growth mindset to “help as many people as possible” on his new talk show, “The Karamo Show.” “Too many reality TV shows focus on fighting,” and Brown cited popular shows like “The Jerry Springer Show,” which became iconic for the fights among guests. Brown stated that when he was allowed to have his own talk show, he said to producers, “The only way that I would do it is if there’s a breakthrough at the end. I’ll stay on that stage until there’s a breakthrough.” Petty segued over to the effects social media has on mental health. Brown stated that “looking at someone who has a good life” is particularly draining for one’s mental health. “Instagram is bad for this,” Brown said. Brown spoke about growing up poor and how his mother “went to the next town over”

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because she didn’t want people she knew to see her use food stamps. “She was ashamed because she was poor,” Brown said. “Never be ashamed.” Brown also talked about how there was domestic abuse in his household and that it would be under the guise of “tough love.” “Love should never be tough,” Brown said. Brown then told the audience that they were going to participate in a practice that he did in church growing up, where one turns to their neighbor and repeats a phrase. “Turn to your neighbor and say, ‘neighbor, love should never be tough.’” The audience in a cadence passed the peace, and Brown continued with his lecture. Brown spoke about his experience as a first-generation child of Jamaican descent and how he knew nothing about homosexuality. He talked about a popular Jamaican song that was about killing a gay man and was heard at every family gathering. Brown stated that his family “had an education from people who didn’t have the education or empathy.” There were no conversations conducive to growth that he saw growing up, and so this in turn led him to not harbor negative feelings inside. “Holding it in hurts,” which leads to “pain becoming normal” and the perception that that’s “how it’s always been and how it will always be.” Brown’s feelings were often dismissed by his family, and so he decided to “get more constructive” and find “who will listen.” Tying back to mental health, Brown stated that mental health today and back then “still looks the same,” with people’s self-esteem being broken down. Social media in particular, Brown said, breaks down people’s self-esteem every day. “We forget what we deserve and what we should be getting,” Brown said. This comes from comparing oneself to what they see on social media—the people with the “good life.”

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“Comparing yourself to others is a thief of joy,” Brown said. “Turn to your neighbor and say, “Comparison is a thief of joy.”

most people in middle school and leads to biggest takeaway was “switching your mindset.” For junior Melanie Rogel, her biggest takeaway “negative self-worth.” Brown gave an example about how his friend was “how to get out how you feel.”

Brown explained, “Social media often does this,” to which Petty asked, “How do you navigate it?”

and co-star Jonathan Van Ness would come Many students found the lecture to be enteronto set critiquing his looks, to which Brown taining and inspiring, and they heavily enjoyed would tell him to walk out and walk back in Brown being on campus. and say something positive about himself. A major takeaway from the conversation I found

“I hate it—it’s good for a laugh, but I intentionally leave my phone out of sight,” Brown said. Brown then detailed the addictive effects of social media and how “what someone else posts seems to be more important than what is going on in your own life.” Brown continued by talking about the “practice of self-worthy self-esteem,” for example, “not waking up and self-critiquing.” This self-critiquing practice, Brown stated, begins for

The lecture ended with a Q&A where Brown is what Brown calls your “inventory of people.” answered some fan questions as well as Look at how the people around you treat you questions relating to the lecture itself, such and others. People, friends and family included, as how to find a good therapist or which of can bring you down with what they do and say, his co-hosts he would let plan his wedding so take inventory and surround yourself with (he said Bobby). those who bring you up. For the student lecture-goers, there were many “Hey neighbor, it’s okay to set boundaries,” positive takeaways from the conversation with Brown said. Brown. Freshman Emily Deboo said that her

PHOTO BY Elmhurst University

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ELECTION DAY RESULTS PROVIDE TIPS TO BOTH PARTIES AHEAD OF 2024 Tyler Ptaszkowski (he/him) Staff Writer On Nov. 7, 2023, several high-stakes elections were held across the United States in accordance with the country’s annual Election Day. The wide variety of elections included gubernatorial races in Kentucky and Mississippi, as well as elections to every seat in the Virginia state legislature. Voters in Ohio also decided on a couple of ballot initiatives concerning abortion and marijuana. A total of three gubernatorial elections took place in the U.S. in 2023. Republican Jeff Landry, the incumbent Attorney General of Louisiana, received an outright majority of votes in the state’s October primary, eliminating the need for a runoff. This left voters in Kentucky and Mississippi to select their next governors. In Kentucky, incumbent Democratic Governor Andy Beshear won re-election to a second and final term in office, defeating Republican nominee Daniel Cameron, who declined to run for a second term as Attorney General of Kentucky. Despite Kentucky’s political status as a solid red state, Beshear was considered by many to be the favorite to win due to his high approval ratings among multiple voting demographics. Beshear’s opponent, on the other hand, may have been hindered by his controversial decision not to charge any of the police officers involved in Breonna Taylor’s killing during his tenure as the state’s attorney general. The remaining gubernatorial race took place in Mississippi, where incumbent Republican Governor Tate Reeves narrowly won re-election to a second term in office, defeating Democratic challenger Brandon Presley, a second cousin of rock-and-roll icon Elvis Presley. Although Mississippi also has a reputation as a comfortably conservative state, the gubernatorial race was expected to be close due to Reeves’s low approval ratings, caused in part by his response to a water crisis in Jackson, Miss..

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Additionally, during Reeves’s governorship, U.S. News & World Report ranked Mississippi second to last in the country in both economy and health care. On Nov. 8, 2023, former President Donald Trump, who endorsed both Daniel Cameron and Tate Reeves in their respective gubernatorial bids, suggested in a Truth Social post that Cameron’s defeat was caused by his association with Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell. In the same post, Trump congratulated Reeves on his victory, which he appeared to take credit for. Trump also stated that Reeves “surged to a win” after his involvement, despite Reeves’s performance being the worst for a Republican in the state in over two decades. Despite weak performances in the gubernatorial races in Kentucky and Mississippi, Republicans won the concurrent secretary of state and attorney general races in both states, as well as the lieutenant governor race in Mississippi, by sizable margins. All 140 seats in the Virginia General Assembly were also up for grabs this year. In the end, Democrats narrowly maintained a majority in the Virginia Senate and regained control of the Virginia House of Delegates, giving Democrats control of both chambers of Virginia’s legislative branch, which may heavily restrict what Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin can accomplish during the remainder of his term in office. And in Ohio, voters determined the outcomes of two ballot initiatives. One initiative established a right to abortion in the state constitution, while the other legalized the recreational use of marijuana by adults in the state.

Philadelphia. The results of these races varied, especially because many were nonpartisan and therefore did not recognize the political affiliations of any candidate. Although several different types of races took place on Election Day this year, they should all offer some insight, if not warnings, to both major political parties ahead of the 2024 elections, which include a highly anticipated presidential race. As shown by the results of the gubernatorial races in Kentucky and Mississippi, even in states with a dominant political party, candidate quality cannot be overlooked. Additionally, candidates cannot rely on endorsements from other political figures, especially polarizing ones. Moreover, the success of the ballot initiatives in Ohio indicates that support for some extent of the legalization of abortion and marijuana has become more mutual, which may require some candidates to adopt more moderate viewpoints on these topics if they want to be elected. After all, if candidates from any political party really want to “surge to a win,” they need to listen to the voters themselves and respect the will of the majority. And with a competitive presidential election just around the corner, this could not be more important. Elmhurst University is home to students and staff from states all around the country, as well as other countries. As the nation prepares for and gets closer to the 2024 Presidential Election, it is important to keep up with where different states and regions stand in their politics, as these decisions affect everyone.

Although Ohio is also widely recognized as a red state, both initiatives passed with over 56% of the vote, continuing a trend of voters supporting the legalization of abortion and marijuana, even in swing and conservative states. In addition to the statewide elections, mayoral races were held for 13 of the 100 most populous cities in the U.S., including Houston and

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Cre fromated by a the Nou inul mu

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“WHAT YOU WILL, OR THE TWELFTH NIGHT” EMBODIES PLAYFULNESS AT ITS PEAK Adriana Briscoe (she/her) Editor-in-Chief “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them,” Duke Orsino. I don’t know which of those three statements was true for the actors and producers of “What You Will, Or The Twelfth Night,” but each actor was great at bringing their comedic characters to life. Elmhurst University’s Theatre Department production of “What You Will, Or The Twelfth Night” stood out as a playful play, with creativity infused throughout every aspect. All of the actors owned their characters and played up their humor. Their animated acting was amusing; dramatic falls, funny faces, dancing, and silly accents made each character

entertaining to watch.

how expansive the actors’ movements were.

I also enjoyed watching the characters bond with each other. For example, there were a couple of drinking and party scenes, and watching the characters laugh, slap each other on the backs, and dance together lifted my mood.

The characters’ costumes and makeup were just as playful as their animated acting. Several characters were decked out in vibrant pinks, oranges, purples, reds, and yellows.

The actors also embodied a playful attitude by taking up space and making full use of the theater. For example, in one scene Malvolia, played by Amelia McNeil, was hung, and a couple of the crew members tied her up in one of the curtains as she wailed and cried. In another scene, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, played by Regan Bobich, latched onto one of the poles next to the front row and reached out in desperation; if someone had been sitting in the seat next to the pole, they may have been clawed, but that just goes to show

In addition, Viola, played by Finley Hopmann, had beard-like makeup that looked quite realistic, and towards the end of the play, Malvolia entered the stage with black makeup running down her cheeks. Not to mention, many of the characters were just flat-out hilarious. Sir Andrew Aguecheek was the classic Jester archetype. Feste, played by Maddux Masopust, also had a goofy presence and reminded me a bit of King George from Hamilton; both characters offered that much-needed comic relief. I left the theater jovially; if that’s not a sign of the play’s greatness, I don’t know what is.

PHOTO BY Theatre & Dance Department

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GRAPHIC BY Rachel Fratt

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THE BALLAD OF UNDEVELOPED CHARACTERS AND AN UNSTRUCTURED PLOT: A REVIEW OF THE HUNGER GAMES PREQUEL Sarah Glees (she/her) Multimedia Editor From 2012 to 2015, culture was dominated by the first four Hunger Games films. They were huge box office hits, collectively grossing nearly $3 billion worldwide. It’s no surprise that years later, culture is once again consumed by the world of Panem as the new prequel film hits theaters. “The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” takes place 64 years before the infamous Katniss Everdeen volunteered herself as tribute. The story focuses on a young president Snow trying to get ahead

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in the Capitol, and his opportunity to do so is presented when he is assigned to mentor the District 12 tribute, Lucy Gray, in the 10th annual Hunger Games. I’ve heard both good and bad things about the differences between the Susan Collins novel; however, I went into this viewing blind and with only the knowledge of the first four movies. Spoilers ahead. This new prequel brought with it fantastical costume design and set designs rivaling that of the original films and the sheer spectacle of this dystopian future. The world-building made

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this feel like what I expected of a “past” Panem. Also, getting to see life in the Capitol was something that sparked the curiosity of the Hunger Games fan within me. Unfortunately, the characters begin speaking, and the plot attempts to create structure, leading to a lackluster viewing experience outside of these stunning visual elements. Starting with the main character of this film himself, the undeveloped and inconsistent Coriolanus Snow. I’m all for an unreliable narrator or someone with multiple facets to themselves. If anything, this can make for a very interesting

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narrative. However, Coriolanus Snow is someone fans of the series have a specific image of in their minds.

between the two characters was cringy and furthered my curiosity as to why these characters were together in the first place.

It’s hard to see someone extremely narcissistic and self-serving to the point of evil in their intent, suddenly made sympathetic. Not to mention that his kinder and humanizing actions often directly contradict the elements in the movie that set him up to be the villain we know him as in the original films.

There seemed to be a battle in this film with the writing of Snow’s character in figuring out a way to honor the person he is in the future, while also trying to make him someone audiences can root for. The biggest problem with this was the fact that I didn’t want to root for this character. Then, they made this narrative worse by pairing him with a character with so little development that by the end of this film, I wasn’t rooting for her either.

It also didn’t help that there were these constant long takes of the camera just focusing on Snow “experiencing emotion.” It was always way too long and always ended up confusing me more because his sad, angry, and contemplative faces were all pretty much the same. The other main character of the prequel is Lucy Gray, who seems to only exist in this film to further Snow’s storyline. As a result, she has no character development and unclear motivations. Her character works best in moments when she’s just trying to survive. All of her actions towards Snow can be seen as attempts to just try and make it out alive. It’s when the games are over that her character really falls apart. It’s unclear why she continues to spend time with him, especially when the dialogue

The next biggest issue with this film is the structure itself. “The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” follows the new formula for sure-fire box office hits for some reason being two-and-a-half hours. I have no problem with a longer film if that length is warranted by the story it’s telling. Yet, there was nothing in this Hunger Games prequel story that warranted that length. The story is broken into three parts; however, going in I was unaware of this, so as soon as Lucy Gray wins the tenth annual Hunger Games, I’ll be honest I thought there were maybe fifteen minutes left in the film. I was wrong.

When the games ended, it felt like the ending was both rushed and way too drawn out. They have these long scenes where nothing happens; yet in this drawn-out time, no character development occurs until all at once, where Snow is suddenly evil. This drawn-out nature was to the point that by the end they had to add extra lines of exposition to the on-the-nose state theme for everyone, which was necessary as it got lost within the third act. This is unfortunate because one of the themes of this film, which follows the idea of how far people are willing to let things go to be entertained, is fascinating and something I felt could’ve been really powerful if explored properly. That being said, even with the dull impact this film had on me, it did make me immediately want to go back and rewatch the original films.

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“THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE” It’s not only the best in the series, but I feel it might be one the best dystopian films period. Production values for this film were unmatched. The costuming, set pieces, and world-building, in general, took everything that was revolutionary and exciting about

the first film and expanded on it. The story itself also rivals the first film as it adds new twists and allows the characters to develop even further as they’re once again thrown into the games. It’s one of the best sequels I’ve seen and a must-watch for dystopian fans.

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“THE MARVELS” AND THE LIMBO OF THE MCU Gabriel E. Galindo (he/him) Staff Writer

Up to this point, Danvers has always flown solo, a personality that we as an audience have seen in her solo film and in “Endgame.”

The new MCU installment of Phase Five, “The Marvels,” had gotten a mixed reception in terms of quality and tone, leaving the cinematic universe in the continuous state of limbo that it has been in since the fallout of “Quantumania.”

Kamala is a total fangirl who always wanted to be up to the status of her idol, and Monica just doesn’t seem to accept her superhero status given her powers. These three heroines manage to grow and develop beyond that here.

The Marvels not only serves as a sequel to the film “Captain Marvel,” but also the Disney Plus shows, “Ms. Marvel,” and “Wandavision,” given that it includes the characters Kamala Khan/ Ms. Marvel, played by Iman Vellani, and Monica Rambeau, played by Teyonah Parris.

The antagonist of the film is the Kree, the alien species that first appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy and who are responsible for creating Captain Marvel. The last time we heard of them, their empire was ruined, and it heavily implied that Danvers was responsible for its downfall. They’re led by the warlord Dar-Benn, played by Zawe Ashton.

This film has them team up with the titular Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel, portrayed by Brie Larson, to fight an alien threat, while trying to figure out how to control their respective powers now that they’re interconnected through unknown means. The film picks up where Ms. Marvel ended, in Kamala’s room when she suddenly switched with Carol. Recurring characters include Kamala’s family and Nick Fury, portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson, as they aid them in figuring out how to solve their situation.

They’re out for revenge against Captain Marvel, and she’s hellbent on reviving the glory days of the Kree’s conquests. The tone and pacing of the film are cliché in terms of a Marvel movie, almost like “Guardians of the Galaxy” given its outer space setting.

GRAPHIC BY Rachel Fratt

The overall tone of the film sets it as a superheroine team up, and it nails it perfectly. The chemistry between Larson, Vellani, and Parris works well with their character development and growth. While at moments rushed, it never feels forced or out of the blue, given that they must learn to team up and work together to stop the alien threat.

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As entertaining as it was, the movie dragged through some of its runtime on filler moments, such as the scene where the Marvels travel to the musical water planet of Aladna, where K-Drama actor Park Seo Joon’s character Prince Yan makes his appearance. It felt comedic, but awkward in the sense that it threw off the film’s tone and filled up its plot for no reason. The characters themselves don’t even return or become relevant to the story later. In addition to that, the pacing of the film felt fast. This is the first MCU film with the shortest time duration. Most films last two hours and 30 minutes. This film lasted one hour and 45. As much as I enjoyed their chemistry, the plot could have used more build-up in terms of setting and character development, especially with the antagonist. The Marvels became a box office bomb and the lowest-grossing MCU film to date. Is it bad? Not as much as “Quantumania.” Is it good? Well, it’s entertaining, and it does offer hints at what is to come of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Overall, it’s an addition worth watching, but it’s no Endgame or Winter Soldier. Great acting, but it lacks a plot and possesses a rushed pacing.

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“WISH” MEETS BUT DOESN’T EXCEED DISNEY FANS’ EXPECTATIONS Aisha opens the door for her family, exclaiming the star granted her wish, to which they all find Valentino training a bunch of dancing chickens. The credits were also really creative, showing characters from every animated Disney feature up to this time barring The Rescuers for whatever reason. There’s a lot here for Disney animation fans to admire for sure. That being said, I don’t know if I could call it a new favorite, even though I indeed liked it more than “Strange World” and “Lightyear.” It’s really hard to match such impactful films as “Tangled,” “Frozen,” and even the now two-years-old “Encanto.” The story was also a bit confusing for me in some spots. I can’t wait to watch it again for that aspect so I can watch it with subtitles. Some of it also felt like a blatant rip-off of other Disney films. For example, the opening song about the kingdom of Rosas is a blatant rip-off of “Welcome to the Family Madrigal” from Encanto in the way it is filmed and sung. Another song, “You’re A Star,” has some lines to it where the animals singing it try to sound cool, which doesn’t match the context of a once-upon-a-time setting.

Michael Nicholson (he/him) Staff Writer As a longtime Disney fan, the movie “Wish,” the 100th anniversary celebration for the company, was a pretty fun time at the theater. It was great to see an animated musical from them again. The film featured great music, animation, and acting; however, it lacked cohesiveness and impactfulness in some areas.

Chris Pine did a great job as the villain, King Magnifico, known for some previous live-action Disney roles including Cinderella’s Prince in “Into The Woods” and Nicholas in “The Princess

It’s great to finally see a real Disney animated villain that’s not just a twist villain again. I also really enjoyed this animation style, which was a great blend of the different and the familiar. I also really enjoyed the nods to other Disney films. The opening was a direct nod to “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” and references to “Peter Pan,” “Mary Poppins,” and “Bambi” were noticed as well. The pet goat, Valentino, is also a really funny side character, played by Alan Tudyk, known for other Disney-animated film roles such as King Kandy in “Wreck-It-Ralph,” Duke of Weselton in “Frozen,” and his parody character in “Zootopia,” Duke Weaselton, and Alistair Krei in “Big Hero 6.” One of the fall-down funny scenes is when

Despite the villain being voice acted wonderfully, it’s really hard to match the impactfulness of characters like Frollo, Gaston, Jafar, Mother Gothel, etc. A good villain, but I don’t know if I’d say one of the greats. In short, while I enjoyed this movie, I don’t think I’d put it with Disney’s finest animated features. I’d say I got what I asked for, but wasn’t expecting an experience on the level of, say, Tangled. It would take a lot to get that again, and I knew going in that probably wouldn’t happen. If you’re a die-hard Disney animation fan, you’ll get your fill for sure, but, in my opinion, don’t expect the “next big thing” from this.

DECEMBER 5, 2023

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GRAPHIC BY Rachel Fratt

In terms of the music, my favorite song is the one Aisha sings when she’s wishing on the star, and my second favorite is the villain’s song, “This is the Thanks I Get.”

Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.”

Except for the two songs I previously mentioned, the songs don’t possess the same impact that other films’ songs did. They’re catchy and all, but again, hard to match, and something about the story was a bit confusing and lacked some of the cohesiveness that made the classics so great.

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EDITORIAL

ISSUE 6

EDITORIAL INVEST MORE TIME IN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON Young adults report feeling twice as lonely as older adults. 79% of adults ages 18-24 report feeling lonely compared to 41% of those ages 66 and older, and 42% of adults ages 18-34 report feeling left out compared to 16% of adults ages 55 and older, according to a study by The Cigna Group. This holiday season, take extra care to spend quality time with your family or friends. While this may sound obvious, many of us have become accustomed to spending much of our time alone in our rooms on our computers or phones. We live in an individualistic, post-pandemic, and highly digital society where it seems like, for many of us, schoolwork, social media, and Netflix and/or YouTube have almost become our default activities next to eating and sleeping. Consciously choosing to have a more socially connected holiday break will benefit you and the people around you in several ways. Humans are social beings, and as such, social

connections are good for our health. According to the CDC, people with strong social connections have a 50% increased likelihood of survival than those who lack social bonds. Social connections also promote overall wellbeing and decrease the risk of developing serious illnesses. In addition to promoting health, investing time in your relationships allows you to make meaningful memories that will last you a lifetime, and winter break is a perfect time to do this. Whether it’s playing games, taking walks, watching movies, or making food together, engaging in activities with your loved ones will allow you to get closer to them and share quality experiences. Taking part in activities with your loved ones will also help you and your relatives feel supported. In a 2023 study of 370 participants, the number of social support providers one had had a significant indirect impact on depression symptoms and a significant direct impact on resilience, according to Scientific Reports.

The link between social support, decreased depression, and increased resilience suggests that investing in social support helps us feel better able to manage our day-to-day stressors. With all of the benefits of social connection in mind, here are just a few ideas of activities you can do with loved ones that may naturally lend themselves to having meaningful conversations and making memories: Cook or bake together Decorate the house Take walks or bike rides Volunteer in the community Go shopping together Connections and experiences are some of the most precious gifts life has to offer, so give the gift of quality time to your loved ones this holiday season.

Letter to Editor Submissions

GRAPHIC BY Rachel Fratt

Letters to the editor can be submitted below or sent to leadernewsec@gmail.com. Letters must include your full name and Elmhurst University affiliation. All letters should be 300 words or less in length. The editors retain the right to edit letters before publication. Don’t forget to spell-check. The Leader is the student-run newspaper speaking to students, faculty and administrators of Elmhurst University. The Leader is not submitted to any person or organization for prior approval. The contents are the decision of the editor in agreement with the editorial board. Opinions expressed in The Leader do not necessarily reflect those of the paper or its staff, and are not intended to represent those of EU at-large. All text, photos and art cannot be reproduced without direct permission of The Leader.

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DECEMBER 5, 2023

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EDITORIAL

ISSUE 6

RUFFLED FEATHERS: STUDENT STRESS IS SNOWBALLING Jennie Bosas (she/her) Staff Editorial Cartoonist

DECEMBER 5, 2023

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OPINIONS

ISSUE 6

THE COEXISTENCE OF RELIGION AND THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY ON EU’S CAMPUS Salvador Ceja, Eve Hvarre, Lily Morgan Elmhurst Student, News Editor, Staff Writer Religion and the LGBTQ+ community are two communities that often see clashes and disagreements; however, the coexistence of faith and queer identity is important for many on Elmhurst University’s campus. In an effort to get a better sense of the climate amongst the student body when it comes to this topic, we conducted a survey and distributed it to our peers. The data was collected completely anonymously from 43 students and asked them their feelings about the coexistence of LGBTQ+ students and religion on campus, as well as the overall safety of LGBTQ+ students on campus. In collecting this data, we received a lot of interesting information and some strong opinions. A majority of students who identified as LGBTQ+ felt the same; on the surface, the campus is mostly a safe space for them, but this safety is highly dependent on where they are at any given time. Bluejays who identified as religious but not LGBTQ+ overwhelmingly felt that the campus was a safe place for queer students, and almost every single one of them stated that they had zero issues coexisting with queer students on campus. Of those who did state they had qualms about sharing the space with their LGBTQ+ peers, the main reason cited was incompatibility with their beliefs. “Their actions go against my religious beliefs,” said one anonymous student. “It is one thing to tolerate them, but Elmhurst promotes this behavior and elevates it.” When asked about the discrimination faced by LGBTQ+ students within EU, and religious-affiliated schools all over, one anonymous adjunct professor said, “I do not think that any school should be permitted to discriminate against a student because of his or her sexual orientation ever... A lot of private universities are still governed by federal and state laws, and there’s simply no religious justification

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for discriminating against students because of sexual orientation.” While the dissenting voices are few and far between, they are still very much prevalent. This is why some of the personal experiences shared via the anonymous survey left us disappointed but not surprised. According to the data collected, 20% of EU students who identified as LGBTQ+ in the survey experienced some form of hate incidents on campus — with specific mention given to incidents that allegedly involved members of sports teams and various on-campus religious organizations. Another 80% of LGBTQ+ students stated that they did feel the campus was a safe space for queer students and faculty but that there were improvements that could be made. “I feel that, as a scholar, bringing these issues to the fore and pushing them back on my own tradition is important. The job of the theologian in a sense is to push those boundaries,” said the anonymous adjunct professor. “As Christians, we believe that the church teaches the truth, and therefore us theologians, we have a responsibility to test that truth, using all of the methods intellectual and academic inquiry.” Among the suggestions, the most popular was to officially establish an actual LGBTQ+ organization on campus, something akin to a Queer Straight Alliance. Interestingly enough, there is an official Queer Straight Alliance on campus, although not much is known about the organization at all, with no information on Bluejay Life about meeting times, and the last event listed having taken place two years ago. The QSA’s president, Jorge Davila, explained that the club has been sort of ‘low-profile’ this semester, as one of the staff advisors left EU to work elsewhere. However, the club does plan on hopefully starting up again and spreading the word to students next semester. In the same vein, students want to see more pride-related events around campus — with a specific appreciation given to the Office of Equity and Inclusion’s recent Coming Out Day event in which they handed out stickers and

DECEMBER 5, 2023

other information. “The LGBTQ community, like any other people, have gifts, and they can share them with the community, and so our communities would be better off if we include LGBTQ persons,” said the anonymous adjunct professor. “Also, affirming their worth and their dignity is important not only for them and for us, but it shows all people that our church takes human dignity seriously, and I would imagine that from a Christian perspective that would bring even more people to Christ.” Students living on campus also want to see more inclusivity in residential life, with the idea of bringing back the LGBTQ+ floor in the dorms coming from several students who feel apprehensive about the lack of gender-neutral restrooms and other safe spaces for them in dorms. More than just inclusivity and the creation of safe spaces, the main theme that appears amongst all of the suggestions is the importance of representation. “Having queer representation in the president’s cabinet, like a liaison,” one student suggested. Upon further discussion with Chaplain Rev. H. Scott Matheney, we learned that there are indeed two openly queer members of the President’s Cabinet, although we didn’t ask for their identities specifically. Perhaps taking that step and naming an official queer liaison would be the next best course of action so that students are aware that representation exists. “We’re making them feel as if they’re somehow lesser or making them feel as if because they love somebody of the same sex, they’re doing something wrong or committing a sin...,” said the anonymous adjunct professor, “...We’ve all committed sins, I’ve committed sins, you’ve committed sins, and if we’re going to start throwing stones, as Jesus said, ‘let him who’s without sin throw the first stone.’” Another student suggested something so mundane, it shouldn’t even have to be a suggestion, to begin with; “Include queer people & topics in courses, so in history classes teach about queer people, they existed then and still do now.”

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OPINIONS

ISSUE 6

The common theme we see in most of these suggestions is that these resources have existed in the past, or do exist now, but students are unaware of them entirely because they’re not being fully brought to light. How can EU remedy this? The answer is pretty simple; continue educating. Keep amplifying queer voices, share resources more frequently, and be open to criticism and suggestions when they’re presented. Among the LGBTQ+ students on campus, a number of them are also religious. Senior Samuel Shulman, a Jewish student who also identifies as gay and is a staff writer for The Leader, has found that EU is a place where he can freely express both his faith and his sexuality.

religious institution being more open and accepting than most and explained EU’s connection to the United Church of Christ.

“My experience has been a slow growth,” Shulman said. “My faith has increased as I’ve gotten older, and I wanted to become closer to my faith. Elmhurst has given me to space to do that. As for being queer, I never felt stifled, so my growth was uninhabited.”

“The UCC is this, like, beacon of hope for queerness. I mean, like, light years ahead of the other denominations,” explained Matheney. “And I know most of the student body has no idea about the connection.”

Shulman explained that he has experienced some negative views towards queer people, but it was “few and far between.”

Indeed, most students are unaware of how LGBTQ+ friendly our campus has been over the years — and who could blame them, as we find ourselves nestled in Elmhurst, a historically conservative city.

For queer, religious students, finding support from those within their communities and finding people similar to them can be very important to their growth overall. “Finding an intentional queer, and at the very least accepting, Christian community has been crucial for me,” said junior Emerson Azcoitia, a Christian, queer student. “To have people in my life that are queer and Christian, queer and working in a church, queer and studying Christianity through masters and Ph.D. programs has meant so much to me and has helped me to restore my relationship with myself and my queerness.”

“Almost every Christian tradition is going to have people who don’t necessarily embrace inclusivity. And so, to be Christian and to be LGBTQ requires a tremendous amount of courage and convictions...,” said the anonymous adjunct professor.

“There was always a pride flag in the Chaplain’s office,” Matheney said. “And students came, and they would see that and go, ‘I’d never expect that.’ But the response of course is, you should because that’s where this chaplaincy is in relationship to the history of Elmhurst.” At the end of the day, most queer students feel safe here at EU. But if the university took some of these simple suggestions to heart and did its best to implement them, perhaps everyone would all be one step closer to feeling 100% safe and at home here.

GRAPHIC BY Rachel Fratt

For those who live the life of being religious and queer, one’s personal relationship can be a struggle, which is why support from others and feeling welcomed is so important.

In fact, Matheney said most students over the years have been surprised to learn of how EU’s religion and support for queerness are closely intertwined.

Matheney discussed the enigma of EU as a DECEMBER 5, 2023

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HAVE A GREAT BREAK BLUEJAYS!