The Maroon Nov. 3, 2023 Issue

Issue 11 • Vol. 101

Loyola University New Orleans • Since 1923

SAFETY BLUE LIGHTS:

OUT-OF-ORDER

Safety concerns arise as blue lights around campus are out of order

By Eloise Pickering ewpicker@my.loyno.edu

Pockets of Loyola’s campus are aglow with a faint blue light. These lights are supposed to be beacons of safety, but they are largely dubbed to be ‘out of order’.

The blue lights, or call boxes, are attached to a speaker and microphone that directly connect to Loyola University Police Department’s office. The intended purpose of these lights was to provide an immediate contact with

Photo Illustration

by Anna Hummel/The Maroon

Loyola’s police should a student or staff member feel or be unsafe on campus.

“When we tested them at the beginning of the school year, several did not work or did not work properly,” said director of university police and emergency management, Todd Warren.

The call boxes throughout campus are old and outdated technology, and due to their subjectivity to weather, many of the speakers have rotted, the phone lines have corroded, and electronic boards

have degraded, according to Warren.

“I feel like it’s a little concerning and saddening that they’re not working,” said Rowan Sawyer, Student Government Association’s speaker of the house.

Because of her concern with so many lights being labeled ‘out of order’, Sawyer has been working with LUPD since last year to identify the issues related to the blue lights. Additionally, she said that no blue lights work on Broadway campus.

Their work began when Sawyer identified an issue with LUPD’s organization of the call boxes. According to Sawyer, the LUPD had a list of call box numbers, but with little way of knowing where the call box was actually located if a call came in.

For example, a call could come in from a box that was located on the first floor of the law library, but the box could be anywhere on the floor. This made police response time lower.

See SAFETY, page 2

Nov. 3, 2023

100 Years of

By Sophia Maxim svmaxim@my.loyno.edu

The Nicaraguan government seized the prominent Jesuit-run Central American University in August – just one of many instances of the recent rampage of President Daniel Ortega’s administration against academic and religious freedom.

“Nicaragua is at this time the North Korea of Latin America,” said a former Nicaraguan diplomat and political exile, who studied at UCA. According to the former diplomat, who requested to remain anonymous in fear that Ortega will retaliate against him, the president has confiscated or shut down 27 other universities – UCA being just one of them. Ortega has also taken away the status of roughly 3,300 non-governmental organizations (“NGOs”) that work to promote social and political change.

For over 60 years, UCA has served as a historical archive and scientific research center in Nicaragua’s capital city of Managua. UCA has also been a hub for protests against Ortega’s administration in recent years.

Jesuits have had a historically complicated relationship with Ortega’s administration, according to the former diplomat. The Jesuits were supportive of the first Sandinista revolution in 1979, the movement that brought Ortega to popularity and power. The former diplomat believes the Jesuits had been misled, along with many others, as to the true motives of the Sandinistas, Ortega’s political party.

“Some people say that [the Jesuits] were accomplices of what happened in Nicaragua with the Sandinistas coming in, but the Sandinistas fooled everybody that they were interested in social justice,” the former diplomat said.

Social justice activist and Loyola professor Alvaro Alcazar attests to Ortega’s extreme diversion from social justice to authoritarianism. Alcazar was part of a group that was in favor of the Nicaraguan Revolution at the time and supported Ortega through activism at Loyola.

“When I heard that Ortega took over the Jesuit university, I said to myself, ‘What have we done?’” Alcazar said. “[Ortega] was a liberator, so to speak, of a dictator at the time, so I was shocked to find out that this guy who promised liberation to his people is now taking over a very significant, lively, and powerful tool for liberation, which is the university.”

See ORTEGA, page 5

NEWS

Nov 3, 2023 THE MAROON

2

Loyola increases spousal insurance costs for employees By the numbers

Loyola alumni joins NBA One Loyola alumni was recently drafted into the National Basketball Association.

Myles Burns was a member of Loyola’s National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics championship team in the 2021-22 season. During this season, Burns also won the Most Valuable Player award by the NAIA. Burns spent his last season playing at the University of Mississippi.

Over the summer, Burns was added to the Dallas Mavericks' summer league roster.

Loyola hosts week of event Loyola is hosting a week of events in honor of Loyola week.

11/4 • Wolves on the Prowl Day of Service from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. at Good Shepherd School 11/5 • Walking Pilgrimage of Churches 8:30 a.m. – Meet in Residential Quad • Opening Mass with President Cole at 9 p.m. in Ignatius Chapel 11/6 • Spiritual Wellness Fair from 12 3 p.m. in the Peace Quad • Start of Busy Person’s Student Retreat 11/7 • Students vs. Faculty Basketball Tournament at 6 p.m. in The Den 11/8 • Ignatian Field day from 5:30 7:30 p.m. in the Residential Quad • Black Spirituality Panel with Rho Epsilon from 7 - 8:30 p.m. in the Audubon Room • Kristallnacht Commemoration from 6 - 7:15 pm in Monroe Library • A lecture at 7:30 p.m. in Nunemaker Auditorium 11/9 • Inauguration Mass at 12:15 p.m. in Holy Name of Jesus Church • "Cole"-chella Celebration from 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. in the Peace Quad • Eucharistic Procession at 7 p.m. in Ignatius Chapel 11/10 • Inauguration Ceremony from 3 - 5 p.m. at Holy Name of Jesus Church

Loyola named top business school Billboard Magazine has once again named Loyola as one of the top music business schools in the world.

This is the third year in a row Loyola has been on the list with other universities such as Berklee College of Music, New York University, and the Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts.

“This continued recognition is an incredible honor but really a testament to the work we've been doing for more than three decades in our acclaimed music industry program,” Kate Duncan, director of the School of Music, said in a press release over the list.

justice or any other of the Jesuit values we claim to live out on campus?” Johnson wrote.

Johnson did point out that the fee would only be applied to employees whose spouses are on Loyola’s insurance rather than their own employer-provided one. However, they also pointed out the cost of health insurance from some faculty spouses' employers makes the option to be on theirs impossible.

Now, Johnson said it’s nearly impossible for some employees to afford either insurance.

Hoormann said the university expects the employees affected will re-evaluate covering their spouses on Loyola’s medical insurance.

According to Loyola’s Benefits Guide, the cheapest plan an employee can enroll in is the Preferred Provider Network Core option, which costs $752.79 monthly and only applies for the employee. To add a spouse to the plan, without the spousal fee, is $1,628.96 a month.

Johnson also mentioned this increase comes at a time when inflation is inData collected by an employee affected by the spousal fee increase. creasing but salaries are stagnant. In the past, Loyola has given employees inflation raises, though those have not been increased inflation and health insurance provided in the past 5-10 years, dependBy Kloe Witt costs rising each year. kgwitt@my.loyno.edu ing on the employee.

The increase of “At some point Some low paid Loyola faculty mem- this fee was a decision “At some point shouldn’t shouldn’t our hubers saw a decrease in their paychecks made by the univer- our humanity kick in manity kick in and sity after it was prothis semester. make us stop looking and make us stop lookThe university has increased the posed by the Fringe at the bottom line? spousal fee from $100 to $350 a month. Benefits Committee This is a severely neging at the bottom line?”

This fee goes to the 52 married, bene- to help subsidize the ative action Loyola fit-eligible employees whose spouses effects it has on the — Blake Johnson is taking against loyhave health insurance from their em- budget, according to Alias for professor affected by al employees who ployers yet they choose to use Loyola’s Hoormann. have not had salary spousal fee increase Although Hoorinsurance. increases in many According to research done by one mann said this deyears,” they wrote. employee affected by this change, Loyola cision was made because it was the In total, this fee will equal to $218,400 University New Orleans is the only Jesuit solution that impacted the fewest em- paid annually by the 52 employees. university in the United States with a fee ployees, most of the faculty paying the Hoormann said projections for anthis high. The school closest to the price fee make less than $50,000, according to other possible increase in the coming is Xavier University, who charges $200 one affected employee. years is unknown, though she did point Blake Johnson, an alias for one of out that health insurance prices rise monthly for these employees.

Most Jesuit universities, however, these affected employees, wrote a letter each year. saying this action proved Loyola only don’t have a spousal fee at all.

Johnson ended their letter begging University spokesperson Rachel Hoo- cares about social justice when it comes for university president Xaiver Cole to rmann said Loyola expects a 19% in- to students, but not faculty. remove this fee so they and other em“The lowest paid are being charged a ployees affected can “afford to live.” crease in health insurance cost this year, totaling a $1.3 million increase of the very hefty fee if we have the gall to insure total university budget. This was due to our spouse. Does this sound like social

Board of Trustees makes policies for Loyola

By Ecoi Lewis ealewis@my.loyno.edu

Around campus, students or community members may hear of the Board of Trustees. But what they may not know is what this branch of our university does.

The main function of the Board of Trustees, according to University spokesperson Rachel Hoormann, is policy making and sound management. The 26 members meet four times a year to determine the general, educational, and financial policies for the administration.

The work of the board can be seen through tuition changes, university program goals, approval and collection of university funds, and construction authorization on campus.

One recent and major change the board did was elect the new university president, Xavier Cole.

Three new individuals were also added to the board this last semester.

“In compliance with board policy, the composition of the Board of Trustees is made up of no less than 22% members of the Society of Jesus. Of the 26 board members, currently there are 6 Jesuits.” said Hoormann.

To become a member, trustees have

Photo Illustration Anna Hummel/The Maroon

to identify individuals who they feel will be an asset for the board. University leadership can also recommend people who are potential good candidates.

Then, they vote to elect new members.

“A good board is composed of individuals with diverse perspectives and backgrounds. They should have a strong

affinity for Loyola - many of our trustees are alumni. They should clearly be able to exercise sound judgment in setting university policies,” said Hoormann.

As of right now, Hoormann said the board is managing the Facilities Master Plan and University Charter and Bylaws.

12 35 190

days until The Maroon 100th birthday!

days until last day of classes days until graduation

Loyola football team On Dec. 16, 1939, Loyola University president Rev. P. A. Roy SJ announced the ending of the Wolf Pack football team in order to fund a school of social service, according to The Maroon.

Wolf Pack football began in 1922.

Most famous in the 18 years of its running was the 1926 team, which remained undefeated.

The very first game the Wolf Pack football team ever played, according to The Maroon, was a seven to zero victory against Louisiana State University.

These wins weren’t enough to keep the sport going, as The Maroon reported the university was losing $20,000 annually from the team. This led the university to decide to place this money in the new school because, as Roy said, “it will be worth it.”

SAFETY:

blue light maps available continued from page 1 Sawyer proceeded to make a map of each box’s precise location with its number. Due to the number of blue lights throughout both main and Broadway campuses, Sawyer described her experience as difficult. But the map proved to be helpful and accurate to Loyola’s police.

Many students on campus don’t know where to locate the call boxes or how to properly operate them, if an emergency arose, said Sawyer.

Sawyer said she and other SGA members are continuing to work closely with LUPD to ensure usability and effectiveness of the call boxes throughout campus, as well as increase students' knowledge on how to locate and operate them.

Currently, the map of the call box locations is given out through admissions and is available in the SGA hub and on the Dana Center TVs, however “SGA is planning on updating the map once [they] get more information,” said Sawyer.

LUPD has a plan set in place to upgrade Loyola’s blue lights, however no comment was provided on when to expect them.

For now, Warren suggests that students put LUPDs number - (504)8653434 - in their phone to ensure quick access to contacting the police if an unsafe situation or an emergency arises. .

Nov. 3, 2023

THE MAROON

3

Nov. 3, 2023 THE MAROON

WORLDVIEW

4

ORTEGA: Youth under attack in Nicaragua Widespread public dissension grew after an uncontrolled fire struck at the Indio Maíz Biological Reserve in southeast Nicaragua in April 2018. Many Nicaraguans were furious with how the Ortega regime handled the fire, which included rejecting aid from Costa Rica.

Later that month, a group of elderly people gathered to protest in front of the Nicaraguan Social Security Institute after the government reduced the oldage pension in a social security reform.

Ortega’s forces reacted with violence and attacked the elderly protestors.

These occurrences incited a large youth uprising in the country, the former diplomat said. Youth soon organized a march to express their condemnation of the Ortega administration.

At the march, Ortega’s military massacred a crowd of 90 protestors, mainly youth. Many people at the protest ran into UCA for cover from the attack.

The marches have since continued and Ortega has continually responded with bloodshed. 355, mostly youth, were killed, around 2,000 were hurt and 1,600 were jailed between April 2018 to July 2019, according to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

Nicaragua is now entirely a police state, according to the IACHR. The IACHR investigated human rights conditions in the country, and concluded from their findings that Ortega’s regime had committed crimes against humanity.

The former diplomat said that Ortega’s administration called students, political parties, and private sectors to a mediation led by the Catholic Church in 2018.

At the mediation, one young person said to the administration, “‘We are not here to negotiate with you, we’re here to negotiate your oust,’” which enraged the regime. They responded by placing paramilitary in the streets to eliminate every sign of protest. Since the mediation, the administration has become more hostile

with the church, according to the former diplomat.

The church is currently under complete persecution, the former diplomat said. Ortega’s administration has exiled many priests and ended processions of the saints. They have confiscated institutions related to the church, especially universities like UCA. “It's very hard to comprehend the level of repression and persecution that is going on in the country,” the former diplomat said. “Even for us, it's a surprise that we're in so fast, and the way they attack the church, we would not think that they would dare to do it because of the influence of the Catholic Church in the country. But they have gone completely against the church. It’s amazing.”

The former diplomat says that Ortega’s regime shows no signs of stopping the violent oppression of Nicaragua’s people. They are preparing to become a dynasty, a hereditary dictatorship, he said. Currently, Ortega’s wife is vice president, and one of his children acts as a foreign minister. The former diplomat believes the only possible solution to this crisis is to pressure the regime, and to hope for greater international efforts against Ortega.

“Ortega doesn’t respond to reason.

It’s a very hardened regime that only responds to pressures,” he said. “The only thing would be pressure – pressure which is proportional to their human rights violation and the way they are behaving, and the international community has not been able to apply that kind of pressure.”

Alcazar wonders what it will take for the political situation to gain international recognition and action against Ortega’s crimes.

“Would it take so many people being silenced, being killed, being detained and tortured before anyone does something about it?” he said.

Courtesy of Consejo Supremo Electoral

Photo Illustration Sunny Bedford/The Maroon

Actors' strike maybe nearing end

By Jacob L'Hommedieu jllhomme@my.loyno.edu

July 14. The day the film industry stood still.

Since that day, the SAG-AFTRA strike has been a constant in the news cycle, with updates on stalled negotiations and delayed movie releases reminding even those not paying attention that the strike is still ongoing.

Some of the latest delays in film have been Disney’s live-action Moana, the third film in James Cameron’s Avatar series, and an untitled Spongebob Squarepants movie from Paramount.

Meanwhile, in television, shows like The Last of Us, Euphoria, and Stranger Things have also experienced delays.

The strike isn’t just affecting big studio productions, though. Jaclyn Bethany, an instructor in Loyola’s Department of Digital Filmmaking and an award-winning filmmaker, has seen delays with her own project. The production was held back as Bethany waited to receive a waiver interim agreement, which would allow her to cast unionized actors in the independent film. Bethany applied for the waiver in July and has only recently received its confirmation.

“Usually it would take a week or immediately,” Bethany said. “It's pretty nuts, because you can't cast without it.”

Despite the waiting period for the waiver, Bethany is still able to take advantage of its benefits. By agreeing to the terms of the interim agreement, she is able to cast SAG-AFTRA members into her productions. Those who have signed the agreement are even able to cast well known actors who are “hungry to work,” according to Bethany.

Bethany hasn’t been the only independent filmmaker to sign into an interim agreement with SAG-AFTRA. On the union’s website, there are over 26

pages listing different productions that have chosen to sign into the agreement.

One such production has Jim Gleason, president of SAG-AFTRA New Orleans Local, currently working on it. However, studios like Paramount, Warner Brothers, and Sony have not made use of such agreements.

“If these little guys can do it, why can’t [they]?” Gleason said.

According to Gleason in a previous interview, CEOs and chairmen like Bob Iger and Rupert Murdoch make hundreds of thousands of dollars every day, with companies like Endeavor Group Holdings Inc. making almost $1.2 million in the same period.

All of this just begs the question: when will the strike be over?

Gleason has tempered hopes that it might be ending soon.

“It looks like negotiations are starting to actually happen,” Gleason said. “I would love an early Christmas present.

Or at least a Christmas present.”

The new negotiations come after previous meetings broke down, with executives not granting SAG-AFTRA any concessions. Rather than meeting somewhere in the middle, studio representatives did not offer any counter-proposals, instead refusing to come back to the table, according to Gleason.

“One of the things they came to the table with was less than [what] we were getting before,” Gleason said. “It’s ridiculous.”

Something must have changed, though, as the executives came back to the table on Oct. 24.

During SAG-AFTRA’s bi-annual national convention, the board members for the union received an email from studio executives, requesting a return to negotiations, according to Gleason. Unlike previous negotiations, which followed an every-other-day format, the negoti-

ations that began Tuesday of last week have taken place every day. And unlike last time, the studios are offering actual counter-proposals.

“I think there’s a lot of pressure that the producers are feeling right now,” Gleason said. “For the most part, content is drying up.”

Gleason used Netflix as his example of content “drying up”, saying that while some new films and shows were added, their list was still largely empty. Streaming services drying up might not be the only incentive for producers and executives to come to an agreement.

According to Milken Institute, the Writers’ Strike of 2007-2008 made California’s economy lose around $2.1 billion through to the end of the year, despite the strike ending in February. For only around 100 days, the strike helped to tip the state into recession. Combining the runtimes of both the Writers Guild of America strike, which ended on Sept. 27, and the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, the number of days blooms to almost double its predecessor.

But Bethany is not so optimistic about an early bookend. She believes that the strike will continue on until January. Even then, the return to work may not be as smooth as some may hope.

“I think it would be impossible for a lot of these big shows to scramble and go back so quickly [after the strike],” Bethany said.

It is uncertain as to when the SAG-AFTRA Strike will officially be resolved, but Gleason still holds onto his convictions.

Reiterating what SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher stated in the national convention, Gleason said that “this is the point in the movie where the underdog gets knocked down, and he gets back up and continues the fight.”

“One day longer. One day stronger. As long as it takes,” Gleason said.

State elections go to runoffs; amendments go to state legislature

By Ava Acharya aaachary@my.loyno.edu

Ahead of Louisiana’s Gubernatorial General elections, the state’s runoff elections clarified a number of candidates and constitutional amendments.

As the state moves into Nov. 5 elections, several key positions have yet to be filled. These positions include Secretary of State, Attorney General, and Treasurer.

According to WDSU reporting, Secretary of State has been narrowed down to Republican candidate Nancy Landry

and Democratic candidate Gwen Collins, neither of which gained a clear majority in Oct. 14 elections.

The position of Attorney General comes down to Republican candidate Liz Murrill and Democratic candidate Lindsey Cheek, with Murrill taking a relative lead.

The candidates for Louisiana state Treasurer are Republican John Fleming and Democrat Dustin Granger, with Fleming coming out ahead of Granger.

All four of the proposed amendments passed, on Oct. 14, and will be heard before Louisiana’s state legislature.

The first of these amendments deals with the use of foreign or non-governmental funds to conduct elections. In essence, the amendment requires that these funds must be in accordance with Louisiana’s election code, and must comply with state law.

According to the Louisiana American Civil Liberties Union, this amendment may cause logistical challenges due to the state’s election administrations limited budget and staff.

The second amendment which passed offers greater protection and freedom for religious institutions. This

amendment prevents government bodies from interrupting or affecting any places of worship, in order to enhance freedom of religion in Louisiana.

This amendment first arose following the suspension of religious services, by executive order, during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to WDSU reporting.

The third amendment aims to resolve pension debt, by increasing the minimum percentage of surplus federal budget that is allocated towards this effort.

This means that 25% of “nonrecurring state revenue” will go towards retire-

ment funds for Louisiana state employees, previously the minimum amount was 10%.

The final amendment which passed cuts property tax benefits to nonprofit organizations that do not uphold the quality and functionality of these properties. Previously, these organizations would be considered exempt.

However, the implementation of this amendment would allow Louisiana’s state government to tax properties that have been deemed dangerous, unsanitary, or overall harmful to the surrounding community.

COMICS

Nov. 3, 2023 THE MAROON

5 STAFF

Assistant Editors: Chris Maldonado, Sunny Bedford, Grace Knight, Eloise Pickering, Taylor Falgout Comics Editors: Sofia Johnson, Grace Knight, Taylor Falgout Associate Producers for The Maroon Minute: Chloe Caudle, Sunny Bedford, Matthew Richards, Francisco Esteves, James Hufnagel, Christopher Nesbit, Leonard Jackson III, Mabel RegaladoHernandez

Our office is in the Communications/ Music Complex, Room 328.

Send mail to: The Maroon, Loyola University, Campus Box 64, 6363 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, LA 70118 The Maroon is published every Friday.

Unless otherwise noted, all content is copyrighted by The Maroon. All rights reserved. First copy free to students, faculty and staff. Every additional copy is $1.00.

The Maroon is printed on 30 percent postconsumer recycled content.

Staff Writers & Photographers: Guelan Zaour, Pharell Every, Nadir Benslimane, Brice Gutter, Dexter Earley, Lizzy Hadley, Dajah Saul, June Fernandez, Laci Barrow, Ashlyn Bobb Collins, Rodrigo Delgado, Tanesha Taylor, Rin Andrews

Adviser: The Honorable

Michael Giusti CONTACT US Main Office 504) 865-3535 Business Office (504) 865-3536 Adviser’s Office (504) 865-3295 Correspondence maroon@loyno.edu Letters to the editor letter@loyno.edu Advertising ads@loyno.edu Website www.loyolamaroon.com Twitter @loyola_maroon Facebook The Maroon @loyola_maroon Instagram

Jacob L'Hommedieu/The Maroon

ACROSS 1. To frighten 6. What 21 Across can turn into 9. 69 - 69 = 13. Frame to support art 14. I am, you ___ 15. American buffalo 16. Remember The _____ 17. Onceler song, “How ___ Can I Be?” 18. Maternally related 19. Scooby doo but miniature 21. Count ______ 25. What the princess felt in a huge stack of mattresses (Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tale) 24. Deadpool actor 25. What everyone needs to have to get into a Loyola Dorm Building (plural) 28. French for God 30. Looking into this will reflect nothing to Across 21 35. The scariest thing for liberal arts majors 37. Signals agreement 39. France’s _____ Polytechnique 40. Accounting and Corp. Regulatory Authority abbr.

41. Mushroom in Japanese cuisine 43. T.V. Doctor who sent Bhad Bhabie to the ranch 44. Girls into astrology will ask for your 46. Irish for goodbye 47. Rikki-tikki-____ 48. Ancient Greek poet that was most likely a lesbian 50. Best chip for hummus 52. Japanese technology company 53. Flat-footed People do not have this 55. Jekyll’s creator’s monogram 57. Acting unusual or bizarre 61. Spider’s traps 65. Best activity for April Fools 66. Leveraged buyout, abbr.

68. This type of chemical bonding involves the electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions 69. Your mom’s sisters 70. International Olympic Committee, abbr.

71. Popular phone brand before the existence of smartphones 72. Megabytes, abbr.

73. Where Finn and Jake live 74. Satirical news outlet DOWN 1. “Across the Seven ___” 2. Abbr. for the mathematical study of change (class required for stem

majors) 3. Effect in Hindi 4. Update, as an altas 5. What Elvis and Priscilla Presley did in a Las Vegas church 6. This word is mentioned 54 times in this 2010 Justin Bieber song 7. Constellation representing the altar 8. President Roosevelt’s nickname 9. Zn on the periodic table 10. The elder son of Isaac in the Hebrew Bible 11. A unit of weight used in Muslim countries 12. NPR podcast 15. Jughead from “Riverdale” wears this on his head 20. Common Sense Philosopher Thomas ____ 22. Los Angeles’s football team mascot 24. Red-nosed reindeer 25. Type of computers used in design courses 26. A country house in Russia 27. Backpack part 29. A unit of time equal to one billion years 31. Abbr. for receipt 32. Manga artist in “Jojo’s Bizarre

Adventure” 33. A garnish for a dirty martini 34. Ancient artifact 36. An angelic-sounding string instrument 38. ___ Jackson, actress on the Disney Show “Jessie” 42. Beginning paragraph 45. _____giving 49. Organization, abbr.

51. A person or animal having a congenital absence of pigment in the skin and hair 54. Latin for heaven 56. Faint with emotion 57. Unwanted email 58. Opposite of false 59. Past tense of ring 60. These insects create colonies 61. An animated Disney film centered on the Mexican tradition of Día de los Muertos 62. Sumerian god of wisdom 63. Bionovate Technologies Corporation abbr.

64. Read, as the bar code to check out library rooms 67. Common phrase used by ghosts and ghouls

For weekly puzzle answers, download The Loyola Maroon Mobile App Apple Store

Crosswords by Max Schweikarth & Kira Phillips

Google Play

6

LIFE & TIMES

Nov. 3, 2023 THE MAROON

Annual BOOtique sale Film • Arts • Food • Music • Leisure • Nightlife

Theater department costume shop makes sustainable costumes

By Ecoi Lewis ealewis@my.loyno.edu

The annual BOOtique sale happened on Oct. 26 in the peace quad. It is headed

by the Loyno Costume Shop in an effort to combat fast fashion. It was created five years ago as a sustainable outlet for Halloween. All of the costumes were made of sustainable materials and donations.

Girl dances to the music on Halloween night. Grrl Spot held a Halloween party that welcomed all LGBTQ+ members.

Maria DiFelice/The Maroon

The main goal of the sale is to provide sustainable costumes for the community and to raise money for Loyno Costume Shop.

Alumni creates queer safe space The theater department showcases cowgirl costume for sale. Taylor FalgoutThe Maroon

Justice Mosley fixes costume at the annual BOOtique sale on Oct. 26. The theater department sells costumes from sustainable material to raise money for the costume shop. Taylor Falgout/The Maroon

Kaci Thomassie stands next to one of her costumes while also wearing one. One of the goals of the costume shop is to combat fast fashion. Taylor Falgout/The Maroon

(Left to right) Emily Schacht, Claire Schenck, and Lilly Cazabon pose at the BOOtique sale on Oct. 26. Taylor Falgout/ The Maroon

Student browses through the racks of the Loyola costume shop. All costumes are made from sustainable material. Taylor Falgout/The Maroon

By Maria DiFelice and Daniela Martinez dcmartin@my.loyno.edu mldifeli@my.loyno.edu Grrl Spot held a Halloween party this past weekend that welcomed all members of the LGBTQ+ community. Grrl Spot, is a pop up lesbian bar created by Jenna Ard, a Loyola alumni in 2006 as a way to meet with other queer friends.

“It's a community space as it always was. It is now more so than ever a safe space because that's become something that we need … it's more than just a safe space; you can be queer and be ok,” said Ard. Ard is not the only one who thinks of Grrl spot as a safe space. Sarah Naquin, who showed up to the Halloween event this past weekend, also finds it as somewhere she can let loose and have fun.

“We can hang out and it's safe and it's comfortable and we can express ourselves how we want to without fear of judgment or not fighting the standard in any sort of way and have fun,” Naquin said.

Avery Theriot, who works for Ard and has been going to Grrl Spot events for five years says, “Grrl Spot is community, it's come and be sexy come and feel safe throw it all out there.”

According to NewOrleans.com, there are 18 gay bars in New Orleans, but no lesbian bars.

Event goers also voiced how there aren’t places where lesbians can go and mingle and Grrl Spot is somewhere where they can just be themselves.

Students revive Loyola fútbol club after 10+ years

By Matthew Richards mlricha2@my.loyno.edu For the first time in more than 10 years, competitive soccer has returned to Loyola. Loyola Fútbol Club, or Loyola FC, was organized by junior public health major Hector Garcia and his twin brother, criminal justice major Alejandro Garcia.

“The club already existed on campus, but it wasn’t super active, so my brother and I met with the former president of the club and told him that we really wanted to take over and make it into something more concrete and involved,” said Hector Garcia, who is the club president, and the team’s starting goalkeeper and captain.

The brothers, along with the help and support from faculty advisor and mentor Dr. Phil Bucolo, have taken their passion for the sport and grown this club team from humble origins to where it is now, playing in 11 versus 11 games in an organized league on Sundays.

“It all started with me and Alejan-

dro just kind of kicking the ball around freshman year in the Res Quad,” said Garcia. “People just started checking us out and then we started playing some pickup games. From there, us and a few friends joined the intramural teams as free agents and that’s when the idea to turn this into a club team really started.”

The brothers sought out the help of Bucolo, a professor in the biological and environmental science department, to help sponsor their efforts to revitalize the team.

“Hector had been in one of my classes and on one of the class field trips, he told me that he had noticed that Loyola didn’t have any kind of organized men’s soccer team,” Bucolo said. “ So Hector and I just started talking about it and he expressed that he and his brother Alejandro were interested in reviving the program and asked me to be the faculty sponsor for it.”

With a sponsor secured and the early makings of a team, the Garcias set about making their dream of a club team a reality.

“Dr. Bucolo went and found us a coach who had played at the Division 1 level in college, which is the highest level of college soccer and we originally started playing in the Green League run

by Crescent City Soccer,” said Garcia.

“It’s a 6-on-6 league, and it was a good place to start, but Alejandro and I were always thinking bigger with what we wanted to achieve.”

With a name, a plan, and a league to play in, the last thing that was needed to start playing was simple but crucial: players.

But the team was able to regroup, find their form, and win its next 2 games in the league.

“We were able to get a little more established with our routines, have our first practice at the Fly, get a little more comfortable as a team, and we started winning games,” Hector Garcia said. “That's when we realized that we could compete and really be good if we played at the level I know we’re capable of reaching. We’ve struggled a little bit in our next games, but we’re always learn-

ing and getting better each time we go out there.”

“We’ve had some challenges finding available places to practice in the city on a consistent basis,” said Bucolo.

“So the guys will occasionally just practice in the Res Quad when they can’t find a field, so we definitely want to have a permanent field space at some point in the near future. And we’re still figuring some things out in terms of finding our rhythm and maximizing our players abilities.”

The brothers also are excited to potentially add a women’s club team into the operation in the future.

“We believe that fútbol is a sport for everyone to enjoy and that everyone should have the chance to play it,” said Garcia. “Unfor-

tunately, the league we currently play in is a men’s only league, but we have started searching for women-only leagues with the goal of eventually finding a place for a women’s team to get going and hopefully have both teams playing simultaneously.”

Sophia Renzi/ The Maroon

Nov. 3, 2023

THE MAROON

Every election, your rights could be on the ballot.

But you can’t vote if you aren’t registered.

Get #VoteReady and register to vote by visiting vote.org/chat-to-register

7

8

REVIEWS

NOV. 3, 2023 THE MAROON

"1989 (Taylor's Version)": The 1989 vault tracks might be the best ones yet

By Maleigh Crespo

they haven’t ever heard the songs before, as song production may be altered and Swift’s vocals have matured over the Since Aug. 9, Swifties everywhere years.

When the re-recorded version of have been counting down the days to “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” – Taylor Swift’s “1989” was released on Oct. 27, many biggest album and her claim to pop mu- fans took to SwiftTok to share their thoughts about the new album’s producsic.

For the uninitiated, Swift has been tion edits.

Notably, “Style (Taylor’s Version),” on a journey to re-record her first 6 albums, as her masters for those albums “Blank Space (Taylor’s Version), and were sold by her record label without “Bad Blood (feat. Kendrick Lamar) (Taylor’s Version),” had her knowledge or obvious edits permission to music “By far, the vault tracks some in production and executive Scooter sound quality, as well Braun in 2019. on “1989 (Taylor’s Verchanges in voThe latest resion)” is Swift’s strongest some cal choice by Swift. record, following However, despite “Speak Now (Taylor’s set of unreleased songs, the controversy surVersion)”, was anfollowing Red (Taylor’s rounding the changnounced during her es from the original critically acclaimed Version) .” to the re-recorded Eras tour during the version, fans seemed last show of the first — Maleigh Crespo to collectively agree U.S. leg. that “1989 (Taylor’s Included in the re-recorded version of “1989” would be Version)” holds the best collection of five “vault tracks,” which are songs that vault tracks from the artist yet.

“Slut!” – 10/10 didn’t make the cut for the original, but Initially, I was very excited for this would be added to “Taylor’s version” of song, but after listening to it, I was a litthe album.

While most people have already tle disappointed – not because it isn’t a heard the songs going on the re-record- good song, but because it’s a love song ed album, fans were anxiously awaiting – which was completely unexpected by the 5 new vault tracks from the “Shake It the title alone. Now, however, it’s probaOff” singer. Nonetheless, many Swifties bly one of my top Taylor Swift songs, and treat the re-record release dates as if I’m also obsessed with the mentions of

macrespo@my.loyno.edu

the album colors throughout the song.

Say Don’t Go – 10/10 Upon first listen of this song, I was immediately captivated. By the second chorus, I knew all the lyrics and was screaming them at my friends who were at my album release party. By far, my favorite song on the album.

Now That We Don’t Talk – 8/10 This song is so relatable. Despite fan speculation on whether it’s about a romance to a certain former boy band member or a former bestie who’s married to a Trumpie, this song is one that everyone can still relate to in some way.

We’ve all been there, and Swift’s unparalleled way of putting those narratives into song shines in this hit.

Suburban Legends – 7.5/10 This song is solid. It’s a great song by Swift, no doubt, but it doesn’t stand out.

Is It Over Now? – 9.5/10 Swift’s choice to make this the concluding song of the album was so clever, and the song as a whole, is one of her best. It’s catchy with Swift’s quippy, lyrical genius, which Swift has shown time and time again to be her strong suit.

Overall, despite being the lowest number of vault tracks released, compared to Red (Taylor’s Version)’s nine and the other re-recording standard of six.

By far, the vault tracks on “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” is Swift’s strongest set of unreleased songs, following Red (Taylor’s Version) and preceding “Speak Now

Courtesy of Taylor Swift

(Taylor’s Version),” and Fearless (Taylor’s Version).

I can only imagine what the vault tracks for “reputation (Taylor’s Version”

will sound like, but unsurprisingly, Swift has set the bar incredibly high.

Rating: 10/10

RAYE’s soulful ode to New Orleans

By Dajah Saul

aspect of her life. So when it was her time to shine, RAYE did not disappoint.

As someone who’s been listening English singer RAYE brings her love to “21st Century Blues” on repeat (and of old-school blues to the birthplace of wrote a review as well), my excitement jazz at the Joy Theater. With the success was through the roof to scream out of her debut album, “21 Century Blues”, every single song. Along with my cousin the 26-year-old singer has taken her who came with me, the entire room was music on the road. According to RAYE, buzzing with anticipation as the opening New Orleans is a place that had to be on “Intro” from the album began to play. her tour.

“Hi, New Orleans. Let’s have some As a young girl, RAYE visited New fun, shall we?” The room erupted with Orleans with her father and embraced roaring shouts of excitement. Since the the musical sensations of the city. When venue was the Joy Theater, it was an she walked inside of a jazz hall and heard intimate, close-knit setting, similar to the the beauty of authentic blues and jazz, feel of a late night jazz club, and RAYE she told the audience ensured that was the that was the moment feeling she was going when music changed “According to RAYE, for. for her.

RAYE’s vocals are New Orleans is a place While I wouldn’t ones to watch out that had to be on her normally include the for, as she not only opening act, in this tour.” increased the level case, it’s hard not of her melodies, to. The opening act — Dajah Saul but transported the was RAYE’s younger audience into a blues sister, Absolutely, fantasy with her who’s been releasing music across the siren-like crescendos. entire year. She performed a seven-song Especially during her song, “Mary setlist, interacting with the audience Jane”, she introduced the song with between each of her songs, some which her own personal story of a jazz club are unreleased. Establishing herself as when she was in her early twenties. Her an introvert, Absolutely was fantastic current saxophonist was performing at in her setlist, resembling the musical a jazz club when she walked in during strengths of her sister. the late night hours, and he dedicated Before exiting the stage, however, a saxophone solo to her, to which he Absolutely did inform the audience that played a similar tune to transition into she had beignets for the first time earlier the song. in the day (which she said were very In the middle of her set, while the good), which for New Orleans, is a very band was taking a break, RAYE dimmed important right-of-passage for visitors. the lights and sat at a piano at the very In a city well-beloved by RAYE, she front of the stage to further interact turned her tour into a family affair for all with the audience. She asked the entire audiences to appreciate every musical room what three songs she could play

drsaul@my.loyno.edu

Dajah Saul/The Maroon

for us, and then, chaos. My cousin and I, including the second row behind us from the balcony, tried to scream for Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black,” but this was of no use. The songs she did play however, all from her older discography, were incredible, as it was raw vocals and piano keys to only fill the sound of the room.

As the regular set played throughout the show, my cousin and I swear that RAYE looked at us on the balcony, especially as she sang “Happy Birthday” to the man sitting right behind us (so, I take that as a win).

As the end of the set was approaching, RAYE informed the audience of the

series of events to take place in the last six (and yes, six) minutes of the show.

She would “close out” the show saying her goodbyes, and then return to the stage for the song of the hour: “Escapism”.

Trending towards the beginning of the year for its unique flow and multitude of transitions, “Escapism” was the song that everyone in the audience was waiting for, and RAYE delivered. If the energy wasn’t electric before, then this was the moment of the show where it was full force. The song was nearing its end, and like many artists, RAYE thanked her band and the audience for such a great night in a city that she will never forget: “I’m so grateful for tonight, thank

you so much, New Orleans.”

If you’re feeling like you missed out on the modern blues performance of your life, no worries. The night of the concert, RAYE also released a live version of “21 Century Blues” from her earlier performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London, United Kingdom. If you don’t believe how fantastic this concert was, listen for yourself.

After seeing RAYE and my favorite album of the year performed live, I will continue to be a fan of hers for years to come, and will be buying a ticket immediately to her next tour for future music.

THE WORKS

Nov. 3, 2023 THE MAROON

9

Submit to maroon@loyno.edu to be featured

Under the Sea Maleigh Crespo

Expressions Rin Andrews

OPINION

10

People shouldn't plagiarize personalities MARC GRAFFEO History sophomore

mcgraff1@my.loyno.edu

Originality is scarce today. Making something unique requires thought, something not needed in the modern age. Thought involves study and patience. These once required disciplines are no longer needed. Comforting is the thought of never thinking deeply again.

You get a headache from doing it anyway. That settled, the next question is where should we outsource our thinking? What better place than the modern day “marketplace of ideas,” the internet.

I can boot up YouTube, find someone entertaining, and my entire worldview has developed in fifteen minutes. Online influencers seem compelling and have tons of followers. It is tempting to think they’ve thought about the world more than I. The “marketplace of ideas” lives up to the name- online, we buy political worldviews at a bargain price and consume them for comfort. Whoever has the best product, slickest advertising, or shiniest object wins. Don’t buy it if you don’t like it. Don’t listen if it’s not entertaining.

Why go on a diatribe about the internet? Let me first say that there’s nothing wrong with looking online for information on current events. My issue is with online commentary. Among people our age, the online political “influencer” reigns supreme. There is an indefinite number of times I’ve heard a political discussion start with, “Well, I follow this dude on TikTok, YouTube, etc., and he said….” Stop. What’s implied here is authority. I’m supposed to assume that a random person on social media is more qualified than I am to have political views. They are somehow a more enlightened being than I, the unfamous, social media plebian. Worse, the influencer becomes the valid source of political thought. “Maybe I would take your thoughts seriously if you had a following online,” the person implies. You become the uneducated. The people I will dub “personality plagiarists” follow this logic.

Your usual personality plagiarist views the content creator as gnostic. The influencer must have some access to truth not available to you or me. They wouldn’t be so popular otherwise. Rarely do the plagiarists investigate their leaders. Is it their thoughtful commentary? Or is it video editing, music, and general entertainment they provide. I find the former rarely considered and the latter relied upon.

A good antidote to personality plagiarism is to investigate the personality. In cooler times, this was expected. C-SPAN used to let viewers call in and ask prominent journalists any question they wanted. The journalist had to be intelligent with the reply or risk ridicule. Good political thought stands up to the worse Republican and Democrat. Bad thought depends on hype. But, of course, I too am a personality. You decide on my views.

But be warned, you may get a headache.

Nov. 3, 2023 THE MAROON

Disney doesn't do remakes right ADDISON LAIRD Visual communication junior allaird@my.loyno.edu

Disney’s commitment to repackaging their older films into shiny new, hollow husks of their former selves in order to bring in more box office dollars has left many wanting more from the once revolutionary company. However, this seemingly endless cycle does not have to stay the cash-grabbing monster that Disney has created. I believe that by following a few, simple rules, it is completely possible to recreate the classic Disney magic for new generations without making a soulless piece of trash.

1) The original work must already be lacking in some way. There are many classic Disney films that I would consider pinnacles of animation and film.

The Lion King (1994) is one of those films. Nothing about its 2019 remake elevated the original film. Because the original was already so perfect and beloved, it was practically guaranteed that any remake would disappoint. The option to remake any of Disney’s older films should mean a second chance for the original story. A remake should fix any aspect of the original that already didn’t work or hasn’t aged well. It should breathe new life into its plot and characters, and if it can’t top the original, then it shouldn’t be made.

2) Offer a new perspective on a classic story. One of my favorite Disney live-action remakes is Maleficent (2014).

The film retells the Sleeping Beauty story from the perspective of the villain. With Maleficent as the lead, we grow to sym-

Grace Knight/ The Maroon

pathize with her, experiencing her life along with her as we watch the events that lead to her cursing baby Aurora in the first place. While many of Disney’s remakes seem to simply rehash the original film scene for scene, a complete retelling from the villain’s perspective brought new intrigue and heart to a previously predictable classic.

3) Don’t be afraid of change. A wordfor-word, scene-for-scene recreation of the original movie is not what I want from a live-action adaptation. When you adapt any form of media to live-action, you are adapting the story into an entire-

ly different medium! This decision has already changed everything. If the characters are now being portrayed by real people, that must be used! Ground the stories in their characters. Write more in-depth, complex arcs. Take the time to develop their relationships to one another. Update the text to resonate with the audience of the time! An exact remake is useless in every way. Don’t be afraid to help the story’s heart find a new beat.

Going forward, I would love to see Disney remake some of their films that didn’t receive as much love as the Disney renaissance classics. Treasure Plan-

et (2002), one of my all-time favorite Disney films, isn’t necessarily perfect. But it is an incredibly unique sci-fi story with a solid heart at its center that I think could translate really well into a live-action film. I feel similarly about Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) and Meet The Robinsons (2007). And although I don’t see the live-action remake cycle stopping anything soon, I do hope that they begin to improve sooner rather than later. It will never not be disheartening to see Disney churn out another soulless remake. But I don’t believe a worthwhile live-action adaptation is too far out of reach.

People need hobbies AVA ACHARYA Mass communication, senior aaachary@my.loyno.edu

Athena Marks/The Maroon

For the first 13 years of my life, I was a ballet dancer. And I loved it.

I loved being able to move, and use my body for art and expression. However, professional ballet is extremely competitive and the environment that surrounds advanced ballet can be grueling. Needless to say, it took a toll on my mental health and body image. But, I still loved the art of it all.

I have since stopped dancing, and found new passions and life paths. And while I am happy with the path I have set myself on, I still miss the art and movement.

This past semester, I started taking a beginning ballet class at Loyola, and I was almost shocked by how fun the class is. While I am definitely not in the shape I used to be, it feels good to move my body.

More than that, it feels good to do something for myself, something that I genuinely enjoy outside of the pressures which used to exist in that space. While I want to improve and grow as a dancer, the pressure of doing so is lessened by the absence of an overly competitive en-

vironment.

All this is to say, it's important to do things for yourself and only yourself. It is important to find areas that give you joy, outside of the pressures of everyday life and career. It is important to have fun, it's good for mental and physical health.

Hobbies are not always relaxing activities, in fact, I think the best ones require active work and effort. They give you a distraction, an area where you have no choice but to focus on the task at hand.

In my experience, this forces me to take my mind off of whatever is pulling my subconscious attention.

Whether it is the stresses of school or work, or general anxiety and uncontrollable brain fog, I find it grounding to dedicate time to purposefully distracting myself.

And, there is an undeniable sense of satisfaction that comes from recognizing your own improvement and knowing that you are doing something well. Like landing a double pirouette and holding my head high with confidence. It might not be particularly impressive, but it is something that I can personally take pride in, an area where I can feel the satisfaction which comes with improvements.

As school and work, and life in general, gets more difficult and taxing these areas, little pockets of peace and relaxation become ever more important to find and cultivate.

Nov. 3, 2023 THE MAROON

EDITORIAL

11

Loyola's Jesuits need to get us into Good Trouble As of late, Catholics in Central America have been under attack in Nicaragua.

Underlying tensions between the Ortega regime of Nicaragua and the Catholic Church culminated in the government’s confiscation of Central American University (UCA) in Managua in August of this year. After the university was labeled a “center of terrorism” and promptly confiscated, all UCA students were expelled and the leaders of the institution - branded as “traitors to the country” - were imprisoned. This can be seen with Bishop Rolando Alvarez who is still in confinement at the time of this article’s publication. During such a grave point in history, it is important to remember the Jesuit conviction towards the advancement of social justice and revolutionary efforts rooted in the principle of justice.

The man behind this concerted effort against the Catholic Church is Daniel Ortega. Originally a revolutionary figure associated with the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) and who had a direct role in the overthrow of the Somoza dictatorship, Ortega’s fall from grace has been marked by notable instances of voter suppression as seen in the 1984 election, consecutive electoral defeats, allegations of child molestation, and a floundering nationalized economy.

Despite claiming an alliance with the Jesuits of Nicaragua, Ortega would return to power in 2006 with an explicitly anti-Catholic attitude.

Ortega would oversee major constitutional changes in 2014 that would ensure the president of Nicaragua would be able

C.W. Calhoun/The Maroon

to run for an unlimited amount of 5 year terms effectively making Ortega “President for Life”. This would not be the only instance of dictatorial behavior exhibited by Ortega as he would make his wife, Rosario Murillo, his vice president and she would proceed to act as a voice of reinforcement for Ortega’s policies and try to assuage concerns over the corrupt nature of his regime. Compounded by his wife’s reinforcement, Ortega would violently oppose an uprising in 2018 that, as of 2022, resulted in between 300-500 deaths and nearly 3,000 injuries against protestors.

As previously stated, the Jesuits were originally in alignment with Ortega and the FSLN. This may be bewildering but makes sense given the history of Jesuits as advocates for social justice and positive social change especially, in the case of Nicaragua, when the country was faced with a tyrant such as Somoza.

Loyola New Orleans Jesuits are not excluded from this sense of advocacy and commitment to positive social change as seen with Father Louis J. Twomey, S.J., who was noted for his advocacy and alignment with the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. It’s in these examples

that Jesuits, globally but especially in New Orleans, have to follow if they want to uphold the Jesuit principle of justice.

It’s especially important at a Jesuit institution like Loyola New Orleans that matters of social justice and humanitarian issues are promoted foremostly within the university’s grand scheme of Jesuit education.

The situation faced by the Catholics and citizens of Nicaragua is emblematic of a rise in the suppression of dissent and human rights across the world. In all manner of places ranging from Central America to the Middle East, the basic human rights of individuals are under attack. In dealing with an insidious force like the violation of human rights, it is a moral imperative of the Jesuits to not shy away from addressing injustices being perpetrated globally.

The violation of human rights in Nicaragua continues to be a pressing matter that urgently requires acknowledgment especially on the part of Jesuits across the world especially in New Orleans. As an institution that espouses Jesuit values, Loyola University New Orleans and other institutions like it hold a particular responsibility in instilling a deep conviction towards social justice and moral duty in the impressionable students that come to these places for education and enlightenment. As such it is also important for students to hold these institutions to their principles and ensure that they make vocal their acknowledgement and intolerance of global injustice.

LETTER: Gaza state of emergency COLUMN: Don't defund AmeriCorps

I am writing to ask for your support in speaking up against the Israeli bombardment of innocent civilians in Gaza.

I am not Palestinian. I am a Muslim from Lebanon. For the past three and a half weeks, my heart has been bleeding from the images I have watched and the news I listened to on satellite tv, because it is not covered by mainstream news.

While the loss of life is not acceptable, irrespective of the side, the world only paid attention when the casualties were on the Israeli side. However, Palestinians have been dealing with death and injustices for the past 75 years and it seems as though the world has gotten used to it.

What has been happening in these past weeks is beyond imagination. The Israelis are applying collective punishment to the whole Gaza strip without any regard to the lives of the innocent people.

I have lived through the Israeli invasion of Beirut in 1982. My husband recalls the horror he saw on the faces of Palestinians running through his neighborhood, fleeing the massacre committed by Israel and its allies at the “Sabra and Shatila” Refugee Camp during that invasion. I have seen part of a building collapse in front of my eyes due to an Israeli bomb. The sound of jets still sends chills down my spine and brings back childhood memories of rushing down to basement shelters with my neighbors trying to stay safe while avoiding air strikes. The feeling that you never know whether the next air strike might crush your building and end your life is a feeling that Palestinian children are constantly living with today, if they survive.

As of Nov. 1, about 8800 Palestinians have been killed since the launch of this relentless undiscriminating attack against the Gaza strip, nearly 40% (almost 3600) of these are children, including infants and toddlers. 70% of people living in Gaza can no longer live in their homes, because they are either refugees or dead. Entire families have been wiped from existence. They no longer have descendants or relatives, because

all of them have been killed. Friends in our community mourned the loss of 20 members of their family and the rest were taken to the hospital to be treated for injuries, as their building collapsed from one of the air strikes. A few days ago, the number of dead family members reached 80.

Nowhere is safe or off limits. Israel claims that it is giving early notice to the residents to evacuate before it bombs hospitals and schools that are used to shelter hundreds of families. Why do they need to bomb these places? How can you evacuate debilitated patients and people who have nowhere to go?

If you know the limited space in Gaza, which is literally a concentration camp, you know that Israel is really not giving the people a fair choice. And who can trust them when Israel told Palestinians to evacuate to South Gaza, then bombed that same region they instructed them to move to.

I have never been a fan of social media, but I can’t stay away from it these days. This is where I’m able to hear real stories firsthand from real people. And I cry. I cry seeing mothers and fathers frantically looking for their children, digging with their bare hands through the rubble. I cry seeing kids carried in the arms of strangers who rush them to the hospital trying to save them with what little tools they have. I cry seeing hopeless faces and a father carrying the remains of his children in garbage bags and roaming the streets of the city because he doesn’t understand the reasoning behind the viciousness of these airstrikes. Nowhere is safe. They are bombing hospitals, bakeries, mosques, churches, and indiscriminately wiping entire neighborhoods. Who can explain how this is justified?

One of the oldest churches in the world, which was founded in the 5th century, was struck by an Israeli air strike causing major damage and killing at least 16. Both Christian and Muslim Palestinians took shelter there thinking that

churches were off limits. There is no justification for restricting water, food, fuel and basic needs. This only adds to the misery and suffering of Palestinians who are bundled in tents or apartments. Allowing 20 trucks a day through the border of Egypt with limited resources (and no fuel) does not even begin to meet the dire needs of the people. Already several hospitals have ceased to provide services and the situation is becoming catastrophic by the minute. The health care system is crumbling due to the lack of essential tools, personnel, and fuel. If Palestinians are not dying from bombs, they are dying from the lack of services and resources.

The general public all over the world are rallying against the Israeli genocide.

Jewish activists in cities including New York, Washington D.C., and here in New Orleans protested against “Israel’s ongoing oppression of the Palestinians.”

They want the U.S. government to know that what Israel is doing should not be done in their name. Protests erupted all over the world in large numbers.

Over 100,000 protesters marched in the streets of London showing solidarity with Palestinians. Other protests took place in Malaysia, Poland, Germany, and other European countries. From Jakarta all the way to Tunisia, people are protesting the injustices and ruthless killing carried out by Israel.

The narrative is changing and the world is waking up. The root of the problem is that without justice there will never be peace. Hold Israel accountable for its crimes and make sure it abides by international law. Stop funding their crimes. Return the land that does not belong to them. Allow Palestinians their sovereignty. More celebrities like Macklemore should raise their voices against oppression. Please join me in raising your voices to stop this war against innocent civilians.

Sincerely, Dr. Samar El-Rifai Sarmini

In recent - yet not so shocking - news, the U.S. government is making efforts once more to sap any and all fulfillment that can be found for the youth of the modern American state. More specifically, Congress has been contemplating cutting the amount of national service opportunities offered by the program, AmeriCorps. This decision spells disaster for the anthropocene world and the natural one.

Despite providing 200,000 national service opportunities yearly - by way of “nonprofit, faith-based, and community organizations” - Congress seeks to reduce the funding of AmeriCorps by 50%.

Keep in mind this is an announcement that comes just a few months after AmeriCorps stated that they’d be investing $47 million dollars into service projects that would seek to “alleviate poverty and build economic opportunity through community-driven efforts”. Beyond providing economic opportunities through service projects AmeriCorps plays a vital role in wildlife conservation and natural disaster aid to affected communities.

To think that anyone would consider reducing funding for a program that seeks to give aid to communities and engage directly with worsening environmental issues is absolutely mind-boggling.

As climate change worsens the severity of natural disasters and creates major environmental loss in terms of biodiversity, it’s going to be directly up to programs like AmeriCorps to provide assistance in curbing these issues and ensuring that entire communities won’t be wiped out. All of this occurring as the morally inept and fiscally irresponsible cultists of Congress dawdle as nature continues to suffer while preventing anyone from taking direct action against these issues.

HOWLS & GROWLS HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Dr. Benus GROWL to tummy aches HOWL to cookie GROWL to Ortega HOWL to Superior Grill GROWL to trad caths HOWL to the Rangers GROWL to short people HOWL to Playboi Carti 1st of da month

EDITORIAL BOARD Patrick Hamilton

Editor-in-Chief

Maleigh Crespo

Managing Editor for Print

Addison Laird

Managing Editor

Ayana Thomas

Diversity, Equity, and

for Digital Inclusion Officer Daniela Martínez

Maroon Broadcast Executive Producer

Maria DiFelice

Maroon Broadcast Operation Manager

Sophia Maxim

Design Chief

Anna Hummel

Photo Editor

Kloe Witt Melody Newsome

News Editor Breaking News Editor

Natalia Silva

Life & Times Editor

Jacob L'Hommedieu Worldview Editor Sofía Johnson

Comics Editor

Athena Marks

Chief Visual Artist

Mark Michel

Opinion and Editorial Editor

Mia Oliva

Reviews Editor

Taylor Falgout

Senior Staff Photographer

Ava Acharya Ecoi Lewis

Senior Staff Writer Content Editor

Heather Rabassa

Copy Editor

C.W. Maldonado

Columnist

EDITORIAL POLICY The editorial on this page represents the majority opinions of The Maroon’s editorial board and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Loyola University.

Letters and columns reflect the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of The Maroon’s editorial board.

The Maroon does not represent the opinion of administration, staff and/or faculty members of Loyola.

Letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and style. Please limit submissions to 400 words.

Submissions are due no later than 4 p.m. the Sunday before publication.

Please send all submissions — The Maroon, 6363 St. Charles Ave., Box 64, New Orleans, LA 70118.

Email us your letters — letter@loyno.edu.

Submissions may also be made online at www. loyolamaroon.com.

Nov. 3, 2023

THE MAROON

Catch up. Get ahead.

Study abroad.

An accelerated two-week session Online and experiential courses Many Loyola Core options

Registration starts on November 6.

J-Term takes place January 2 – 12, 2024.

12