Liberty Champion October 2, 2018

New coffee house tees off in Lynchburg B6

Kim Kardashian West makes strides in prison reform

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VOLUME 36, ISSUE 4

LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA

LIBERTYCHAMPION.COM | TUESDAY, OCTOBER 02, 2018 | LIBERTY UNIVERSITY

Clash over Kavanaugh Lillian Abbatacola leabbatacola@liberty.edu

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ours before Judge Brett Kavanaugh and Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee Sept. 27, 300 Liberty University students boarded buses and traveled to the nation’s capital to show support for Kavanaugh.

The Liberty students were hosted by Concerned Women for America and attended the CWA Women for Kavanaugh “I stand with Brett Rally,” which took place at the park behind the Russell Senate Office Building. Later, students participated in a silent protest in the Hart Senate Office Building.

With about 500 in attendance, Peggy Nance, the CEO of CWA, opened the event and addressed Liberty students, antiKavanaugh protesters and members of numerous conservative organizations.

Lillian Abbatacola | Liberty Champion “We are here today to give conservative women the chance to let our voices be heard on this subject,” Nance said. “There’s BELIEVE — Women of America came to D.C. and been a lot of talk, right? Now you’re going to hear from us.” stood divided on who to believe during the FordThe rally called for the silent majority in the U.S. to not be siKavanaugh hearings. lent anymore. There was a common call for fairness, active young women in government and a cautious warning for women to protect their narratives of abuse from stein mishandled Ford’s July 30 allegation and derailed Kavanaugh’s fair due process. getting hijacked for political gain.

“Feinstein failed at her job as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee by withholding “In general, for too long, feminists have held the microphone when it comes to speaking this information and further politicizing this nomination process,” Lips said. “And she has out about what women want,” Karin Lips, president of the Network of Enlightened Women, failed as an advocate for women. She should at least apologize.” said. “Radical feminists have had that microphone, and it’s The consensus from speakers at the rally was that fairtime for more intellectual diversity, for more conservative ness is due for both sides.

And the minute we weaponize and “I think fairness looks like if an allegation comes forand pro-liberty women to speak out for our ideas.”

Over a dozen women spoke at the rally, including Alpoliticize (an) important issue like rape, ward that the accuser and the accused actually have the lie Stuckey, Patrice Onwuka and Peggy Nienaber. Onwuka opportunity to speak,” Onwuka said. “And not to assume spoke about the unfairness women face when they tell their we degrade every victim in this country. It right off the bat that because a woman made an allegation, sexual abuse stories, but she also highlighted the unjust that she should be believed. And not to believe the oppohas to stop. — Penny Nance site either. I think fairness is treating both men and women treatment of Kavanaugh during his hearing process.

“When we have leaders who are willing to turn upside equally and not giving greater weight to gender just bedown a sacred and bedrock principle of the presumption of innocence for whatever motives, cause women should be believed in every instance.” that is dangerous,” Onwuka said.

Onwuka said she is not opposed to movements that look to fight sexual harassment. She The idea of a fair, due process was on the minds of other speakers as well. called for accountability and emphasized the need for fairness.

“I hope that both people testifying get a fair shake,” Lips said.

Lips wrote an op-ed for the Washington Examiner Sept. 27 about how Sen. Dianne Fein

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See RALLIED, A6

Advice on handling hate

WHAT’S

Political pundit challenged Liberty students, welcomed with protestors

@ LIBERTY

Rachel Van Tuyl rvantuyl@liberty.edu

Amid protesters, political commentator Candace Owens used her story of experiencing hatefulness in her life to encourage Liberty University students to let bad experiences shape them, not define them.

Owens, who has appeared on Fox News, CNN and MSNBC, spoke to students in Convocation Sept. 26.

“I have been smeared, libeled,” Owens said. “I have been protested. I have been kicked out of restaurants. I have been assaulted because I go around with a very simple message, which is that bad things happen to everyone. But a victim mentality is not something that you should possess because (of) a bad thing happening to you.”

She believes people could achieve much more in life if they stopped seeing themselves as victims and instead started seeing

themselves as the victor of their experiences.

Owens knows what it is like to experience hatefulness. Owens said in high school, she was living the best life she’d ever had, crediting that to her close friends and her first boyfriend.

But her life changed one night when she and her boyfriend were watching a movie. Her phone rang four times from the same number during the movie, and she let it go to voicemail each time.

When she got home that night, she discovered four voicemails from a group of four males, insulting her and threatening the lives of her and her family. The messages went on for a total of five minutes, and Owens said the first thing she did when she heard these messages was to break down in tears.

“I couldn’t think of four people who would say those words to me,” Owens said. “I couldn’t even think of one person who would say those words to me.”

See OWENS, A7

Timberlake Road, across from the Kroger shopping center, will receive an apartment complex with nearly 300 units, a Sheetz, a car wash, a bank and several other retail options, according to the News & Advance. There is not an expected completion date for the project, but the developer plans to take the plans to Lynchburg’s Technical Review Committee in the next month or two.

Jessie Rogers| Liberty News Service

New program, led by Liberty seniors, helps mentor inner-city A3 children.

Opinion

Letter to the Editor from the president of the pro-life club addresses A4 abortion signs.

The Virginia Department of Traffic (VDOT) announced that the bridge on Odd Fellows Road will be closed for a year beginning Monday, Oct. 8. VDOT encourages motorists to use alternate routes if traveling to Odd Fellows Road from US 29 Business Lynchburg Expressway.

SPEAKING — Candace Owens spoke at Convocation Wednesday, Sept. 26.

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A2 | October 02, 2018 | Liberty Champion

Leah Seavers | Liberty News Service

MONOGRAM — Liberty’s monogram can be seen for miles during the day.

Photo Provided

PLANS — Liberty’s goal is to have the monogram lit by the end of 2018.

An enlightening idea Liberty University’s monogram will be illuminated until 11 p.m. every night Lauren Osterhoudt losterhoudt@liberty.edu

With plans to illuminate the LU monogram on Candler’s Mountain, Liberty University will continue to signal its presence in the city of Lynchburg.

However, not everyone in the community has been quick to accept this project.

According to Liberty General Counsel David Corry, the request for a permit to light the monogram was recently denied by City Zoning Administrator Kevin Henry due to his belief that the lighting would transform the landscaping into an unpermitted sign. That decision was appealed by Liberty.

Corry said there was also discussion among members of the

Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) as to whether or not the lighting would be environmentally appropriate or create light pollution.

However, Corry said that this was out of line.

“All that discussion was irrelevant and inappropriate,” Corry said. “The only question for the BZA was if Henry was correct in denying the electrical permit.”

After new evidence from planning documents signed by the previous zoning administrator, Rob Fowler, was brought to the table, the BZA later voted to overturn Henry’s decision, as it was determined that lights had always been included in the plans for the monogram.

To bring Liberty even closer to its goal Lynchburg City Council met in a closed session Sept. 11

and decided not to appeal the BZA decision to allow the lighting of the monogram. Even so, Corry said two citizens have indicated that they are upset with this decision and that this is not the first time complaints about the monogram’s prominence have come up.

“Back in 2006, when the monogram was first approved, we received many complaints from locals,” Corry said. “There is a certain percentage of the Lynchburg population that would prefer we’d have a quieter presence, and to some, they just saw (the monogram) as a visual blight.”

City Attorney Walter Erwin said that one of the reasons citizens might be upset about the illumination of the logo is because of how much more visible it will be at night.

“A lot of people routinely drive by that area of the city at night, and it is possible that there are some who may feel aggrieved by the decision made by the BZA,” Erwin said.

However, Corry assured that the goal for the illuminated monogram is to achieve more of an ambient glow rather than a stark bright light on the mountain. He said plans are for it only to be illuminated until 11 p.m. each evening.

According to Corry, the lighting would also promote more safety on the mountain. Electricity has only recently become readily accessible to install lighting for the monogram, which is why the project did not progress sooner.

“There’s really not much lighting on the mountain right now, and many students spend a lot of time

up there,” Corry said. “I just think it would make it a lot safer.”

A 30-day period running from Aug. 28 to Sept. 27 gave citizens the opportunity to appeal the BZA decision. On Sept. 29, after the appeal period closed, Corry said there was no record of any appeal being filed. The $100,000 project is officially approved, and Liberty can now receive a permit to light the monogram.

While an exact date has not yet been released for the completion of the project, Corry said the goal is to have it completed by the end of 2018.

OSTERHOUDT is a content reporter.

How to Vote The deadline to register is Oct. 12, 2018. Students can use the online form at liberty.edu/votenow to register to vote and turn it in to Green Hall, Room 1880 (residential students) or Green Hall, Room 1875 (commuter students) within 24 hours of completion.

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In the Sept. 11 issue, there was inaccurate information.

• Celebrate Recovery story: The program is led by group leaders, not counselors, and by David Adams, not Michael Trexler.

In the Sept. 18 issue, there was

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• Football Florence story: The football game was postponed until Dec. 1 at 2 p.m., not Dec. 2.

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Liberty Champion | October 02, 2018 | A3

Mentoring initiative launches Liberty's entrepreneurship club offers new program for inner-city children in Lynchburg and abroad by hosting local business on campus, such as Mama Crockett’s Cider Donuts, and holding fundraising events for humanitarian works, like last Students of all majors gathered in the year’s support for Floridian and Puerto RiStudent Government Association office can hurricane flooding victims.

Sept. 20 for the first Enactus meeting of This year, Liberty students Jared Powell the Fall 2018 semester, which introduced a and Sara Kindt proposed a new project fonew mentorship program called the Bridge cused on helping Lynchburg’s inner-city community.

The new Bridge Initiative is an inner-city mentorship program that partners Liberty students with at-risk teens to help give them skills and opportunities they need to succeed.

“We are building a bridge between youth and opportunity,” Powell said.

Powell and Kindt plan to partner with the local 4-H chapter, a youth development and mentorship program, and pair Liberty Enactus students with inner city youth ages 13-19.

The team hopes mentors will build strong relationships with their mentees and guide them through this formative period in life and prepare them for college and future careers.

“Our main goal is to build relationships with them … to reach them and add value to who they Will Evans | Liberty Champion are as people,” Kindt said.

ENACTED — Club President Madison Health addressed the Powell hopes that mentees who club. The first meeting introduced a new program called the graduate from the program will return to mentor others through Bridge Initiative. an alumni program.

Initiative.

“You’re not going to come through our Enactus is a worldwide, student-led entre- program and get kicked to the curb,” Powpreneurship club that focuses on giving col- ell said. “You’re going to become a life time lege students real-world experience in using member, an alumnus.” their gifts and abilities to work together and Powell and Kindt both found a passion help shape the world. for inner city youth after their professor and “We want to empower students to use en- faculty leader for Enactus, George Young, trepreneurship to make a better world for us encouraged their efforts. all,” Enactus Club Chief Operations Officer “Learning and seeing the gap of innerDerek Atlas said. city kids getting overlooked just breaks my Liberty University’s Enactus chapter heart,” Kindt said. works to support entrepreneurship both Powell comes from a background of povWill Evans wjevans@liberty.edu

erty and has a strong connection to the mission of the Bridge Initiative.

“Growing up, I had this mindset — ‘You

“What we’ve been guilty of in the past is not having positions open for the general members of the club,” Atlas said. “We restructured to add more positions and enable students to get more directly involved.”

Learning and seeing the gap of innerNew positions available to members include social mecity kids getting overlooked just breaks dia director, content creator, my heart. event promoter, public relations director, treasurer, fund — Sara Kindt raising officer, cost analytics officer, secretary, sergeant at arms, special events coordinacan’t do what other people do,’” Powell said. tor and research and development director, “In college … I realized I’m a capable human among others. being, and I can do things. … I want to give “We want students to have something to that to these kids.” put on their resume … more than just being Young has high hopes for the program a member and coming to the meetings,” Enand is encouraging Enactus leadership to actus Club President Madison Heath said. consider and take up the program, making Students who are interested in learning it the club initiative this year. more about Enactus can visit the website: “What these kids are doing is so special,” enactus.org. More information on Liberty’s Young said. “I’m so proud of them.”

Enactus chapter can be found on its FaceAtlas said this was one of the largest turn- book page, Liberty University Enactus. outs for an opening meeting at Enactus, and he hopes that recent changes to the club will EVANS is a content encourage more students to get involved. reporter.

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Will Evans | Liberty Champion

MENTORING— Enactus members will have the opportunity to mentor inner-city children.

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OPINION Dark day in DC A4

October 02, 2018

The day justice was forgotten in the nation's capital

Chad Wylie cewylie@liberty.edu

When Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Judge Brett Kavanaugh finished their testimonies before the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday, Sept. 27, the hearings left the American people with more questions than answers.

The Senate Judiciary Committee gave Ford an opportunity to present an accusation of sexual assault from more than 36 years ago when the two were in high school. Ford claims that Kavanaugh attempted to rape her at a social gathering during the summer of 1982. Kavanaugh then responded to the claims.

Democrats portray Ford as a victim of sexual assault. Republican senators say Kavanaugh is the victim of a politicized smear campaign.

The real victim in Thursday’s hearing, however, was justice. As facts were misinterpreted or ignored and senators sought to give opinions rather than ask questions, it became clear that political posturing, not fact-finding, was the goal on both sides.

During Ford’s testimony, most Democrats spoke directly to her, rather than ask questions about the incident.

Senators Richard Blumenthal and Kamala Harris started by telling Ford, “I believe you.”

Republicans remained silent during Ford’s questioning, deferring to a female sex-crimes prosecutor they hired to ask questions. Besides the committee chairman, Sen. Chuck Grassley, no Republican senator interacted with Ford or thanked her for her testimony during their allotted time. The Republicans had planned to use the prosecutor to question Kavanaugh as well.

This strategy changed once Kavanaugh took the stand. Sen. Lindsey Graham led the Republicans in defending Kavanaugh and accusing Democrats of ruining him for their own political purposes.

“What you want to do is destroy this guy’s life and hold this seat open and hope you win in 2020,” Graham told the Democrats. “This is the most unethical sham since I’ve been in politics.”

Democrats used their time during Kavanaugh’s testimony to attack Republicans for not taking Ford’s allegations seriously and moving forward without a full FBI investigation. Sen. Dick Durbin asked Kavanaugh multiple times to call for an FBI

investigation himself.

The nation’s capital is no longer a Republicans and Democrats seemed place for victims of sexual assault to feel uninterested in discovering the truth. heard or for a Supreme Court nominee Instead, they looked to support their to receive a fair process. preconceived beliefs. Sen. Jeff Flake During his reflection on the hearing, said before the hearing, “People will People will hear what they want to hear hear what they want to hear and disregard the rest. and disregard the rest.”

— Sen. Jeff Flake By refusing to interact with Ford before defending Sen. John Kennedy ended by quoting Kavanaugh, Republicans proved to be Matthew 16:26, which asks, “What less interested in considering her alle- will it profit a man if he gains the whole gation and more interested in pointing world and forfeits his soul?” to the political motivations of DemoThe senators, regardless of ideolcrats. By calling for an investigation to ogy or allegiance, need to consider the uncover the truth but telling Ford that image they have tainted and the lives they believed her, Democrats showed they have damaged in their pursuit of they didn’t need more facts before ac- political gain. cepting her allegation as true.

Ford and Kavanaugh both seemed WYLIE is the opinion editor. credible during their testimony. Ford said she was “100 percent certain” Kavanaugh was her attacker. Kavanaugh told the committee he was “100 percent certain” none of the accusations against him were true.

Neither story completely holds up. Ford mentioned three witnesses at the time of the incident, but none remember it happening. She was unable to say what day or at what house it happened.

Kavanaugh was aggressive and argumentative when addressing some of the Democrats’ questions. He said he never blacked out while drinking, but his freshman roommate, James Roche, described Kavanaugh on Twitter as “aggressive, belligerent, and incoherent” when he drank.

Several times, Kavanaugh became angry and defensive during questioning. Sen. Amy Klobuchar asked Kavanaugh if he ever had memory gaps due to drinking. Kavanaugh replied, “I don’t know. Have you?” He later apologized for the response.

Only Ford and Kavanaugh know the truth of the allegations, and neither are backing down. In the next week, Kavanaugh will be confirmed or denied as a Justice to the Supreme Court. But for both Kavanaugh and Ford, justice left the building on Thursday.

Flickr Photos Sen. Graham spoke to Kavanaugh during his questioning: “You’re look- SWORN TESTIMONY— Brett Kavanaugh ing for a fair process? You came to the and Chrstine Blasey Ford testified before the wrong town at the wrong time.”

Senate Judiciary Committee September 27.

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Letter to the Editor September 19, a group of protestors came to Liberty University from the Center for Bioethical Reform to protest the way evangelical Christians respond to abortion. Kyle Eisenhuth, the president of the pro-life club — Lifeline — on campus, responded to this incident.

To Whom It May Concern: On behalf of Lifeline, the pro-life club at Liberty University, I would like to address the horrible display that plagued our campus last week.

This display is from a group outside of Liberty. To my knowledge, no current Liberty students were involved in the gory images.

The Lifeline club’s goal is to end abortion in our lifetime using peaceful, prayerful and positive methods. Pictures of dead children accomplishes none of our goals.

Abortion is murder. However, there is a right and wrong way to communicate this.

We must walk beside students who are pregnant,

parents and post-abortive families. This means understanding them and their individual situations. It means compassionately engaging in a two-way conversation.

Condemning the student body from a street corner using giant, emotionally charged images and poorly reasoned apologetics is not helpful.

I sympathize for the young children related to professors or College for a Weekend students who were forced to see these images.

I was one of many students who voiced frustrations with the tactics this group used.

While most of our conversation was constructive, one individual told me that I am complacent in the sin of abortion. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

I, with other Liberty students, literally go to abortion clinics and offer help to those going in. I have seen women turn around and choose life because of us. People have approached us because they were surprised by how loving and kind we are.

Every week, we tell the

abortion workers who are going in to work: “We are here praying for you. We care about you. If you quit your job and go to abortionworker. com, they’ll help you find a new job.” Over the last three years, over a dozen have quit their jobs and gone to abortionworker.com, which is the website of a pro-life group called “And Then There Were None.”

All of the former abortion clinic workers refer to us as “prayer people.” We are not angry protestors; we are prayer people.

Last year, I worked to ensure Liberty’s housing policy aligned with the pro-life tenets of the university. Liberty has taken great strides to ensure it is easier to choose life here than it is to choose abortion.

There is more work to accomplish, and we encourage everyone to join the pro-life movement at Liberty and help end abortion in a peaceful, prayerful and positive way.

Sincerely, Kyle Eisenhuth

LIFE WITH

LOGAN Logan Smith lcsmith1@liberty.edu

Children know more than you think, and at 5-years-old, I obtained extraordinary knowledge.

One of my father’s early commitments as a parent involved teaching Christian principles to his kids. He frequently quizzed my knowledge of God, Jesus and salvation. My older sister and I even recited catechisms growing up.

The Bible demands that parents “train their children in the way they should go,” and my father never shied away from that command.

My father earned his doctorate in history, and he specialized in the study of colonial American religion. When my father discussed Christianity, he never played around.

He kindly demanded serious, honest answers during our discussions to ensure authentic understanding.

“Logan, how do you get to heaven?” he asked me for the hundredth time.

Most 5-year-olds couldn’t articulate the correct answer, but given my thorough biblical training, I knew the odds fell in my favor.

I knew the correct response immediately, but as a joke, I decided to purposefully reply with a false answer.

I gently grinned at the thought — immediately revealing my dishonesty — confident that this would brighten my experience.

With me, you don’t need a lie detector to uncover the truth. Even now, at age 22, my facial expressions betray my motives.

My head swayed left to right, I gazed away from my father. I pursed my lips, desperately holding back a giggle.

“Logan, how do you get to heaven?” my father asked again.

“By being good,” I replied, a smile stretching across my face. I bit my bottom lip.

My father sighed, faintly disturbed by my answer. Obviously, he knew I was joking, but he desired to hear the truth spring from my mouth.

“Logan?” he asked again, hoping I would respond to the serious tone in his voice.

“How do you get to heaven?”

“By doing good works,” I replied, failing to properly pronounce my ‘r’ sound in ‘works.’

“Logan, don’t be silly.”

I cannot remember how long I carried the joke. I may have responded a few more times in my cute, innocent manner, either repeating my original answer or including a twist of the same thing. My goal, as always, was to create unnecessary tension.

My father tolerated silliness, but he preferred thoughtful attitudes during devotions, discussions on Christianity and anything religiously related.

If you desire wisdom, seek advice from the elderly. And while old people have the experience, little kids often hide impeccable wisdom inside their brains. The faith of children, for example, should stand as a pillar for all Christians to observe.

And sometimes the words of children can prove equally captivating, such as my honest answer to my father’s vital question.

Psalm 8:2 says that “Out of the mouth of babes hast thou ordained strength.”

Evidently I was filled with the Holy Spirit when I finally put my joking aside, because my answer took my father by surprise.

“Logan, be serious,” my father said. “How do you get to heaven?”

“Well,” I said, my tiny 5-year-old eyes fixed directly on my father. “I guess you have to get dead first.”

SMITH is the manager of content.

opinion

Liberty Champion | October 02, 2018 | A5

Transgender identity The LGBTQ lobby is rejecting new scientific studies to promote their agenda Mikaela Stiner mstiner@liberty.edu

For decades, secular individuals have assumed that the faith-driven framework of Christian belief is forced to turn a blind eye to science. Even some Christians believe their faith can never be fully reconciled with scientific facts — the faith component seems too abstract and absurd.

But today, a war on science is being waged, and not by conservative Christians.

Rather, it appears that the secular population — particularly staunch advocates of the LGBTQ community — are significantly invested in a lobby against science itself.

The exposure of young people to the transgender ideology has led to more adolescents claiming to be transgender. But psychology studies give reason to be hesitant before letting young people un-

dergo sex reassignment surgery or hormone therapy.

On Sept. 1, the Economist published an article titled “Why are so many teenage girls appearing in gender clinics?” The article describes the response to the research of a Brown University professor, Dr. Lisa Littman, regarding the sociological and psychological influences — particularly the “social and peer contagion” element — involved in gender dysphoria.

Initially, Brown University promoted Littman’s research but buckled under the pressure of public backlash and decided to withdraw its support. The university removed its promotion of Littman’s research from its website and claimed to be seeking “further expert assessment.”

Considering that Littman’s published research had already been peer-reviewed (assessed and affirmed by experts in the field), Brown’s excuse for withdrawal of support comes across as both

strange and weak.

It is disconcerting that even expert opinions are now being subjected to cultural preferences and social pressure.

In her research abstract, Littman noted that leading academics and clinical commentators across the world have begun to examine the influence of social media and access to various online resources on adolescents. She states, “Concern has been raised that adolescents may come to believe that transition is the only solution to their individual situations, that exposure to internet content that is uncritically positive about transition may intensify these beliefs, and that those teens may pressure doctors for immediate medical treatment.”

Both the Economist article and an August 2018 article in The Atlantic titled “When Children Say They’re Trans” described the stories of girls — in the midst of puberty and adolescence — who ex-

FYI 149,750 teenagers identify as transgender nationwide.

One out of every 137 teenagers identifies as transgender.

1.4 million adults identify as transgender.

Williams Institute at the U.C.L.A. School of Law

perienced what their parents perceived as “the abrupt appearance of adolescent gender dysphoria.”

The girls cited in these two articles were at one time convinced that they couldn’t live their lives fully — and free from depression and unease with themselves — until they could live their lives as boys. Both grew increasingly convinced of this through the influence of social media and struggled and fought with their parents, who were also agonizing over the situation and hesitant to move forward with the various gender transition procedures.

The Economist article says, “In the past decade, clinics in Western countries have reported that a growing number of teenagers have started experiencing gender dysphoria during or after puberty. And whereas these young adults used to be predominantly male, now they are more likely to be female.”

According to Littman’s research, adolescents are more likely to declare themselves transgender after “immersing themselves in niche websites or after similar announcements from friends.”

There are good reasons to believe that exposure to transgender ideology, conflicting and convoluted messages about gender roles, and the social affirmation present and accessible (particularly online) today has contributed to the increase in adolescents claiming to be transgender. And experts insist that those psychological and sociological factors are reason enough to hesitate before beginning transgender hormone therapy and gender reassignment surgery.

Advocates of the LGBTQ community refuse to acknowledge Littman’s research, since it opposes the unquestioned affirmation of feelings and inclinations — the very fuel for their ideology.

In a 2014 TED Talk by cardiologist Paula Johnson, she said, “Every cell has a sex — and what that means is that men and women are different down to the cellular and molecular level. It means that we’re different across all of our organs, from our brains to our hearts, our lungs, our joints.”

These biological facts have already been by the LGBTQ community, and now even professional psychological research is being questioned and suppressed as well.

How long can the denial of science stand? Will transgender ideology ultimately crumble in light of scientific research, or will academic elites continue adhering to cues from culture rather than properly examining tangible, scientific evidence?

Only time will tell.

It is increasingly important for Christians to know what they believe — the Christian’s faith is not blind — and to be vigilant in understanding the implications of those beliefs in this real, physical world.

“Always be prepared to give an answer,” the Apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:15.

Always be prepared to give an answer — even as the questions grow increasingly difficult and when the culture isn’t ready to hear the truth.

STINER is an opinion writer.

Criminal justice reform Kim Kardashian West is leading the way to shortening prison sentences Abby Bowman abowman7@liberty.edu

Kim Kardashian West is no stranger to publicity, but recently, she found herself in the spotlight for her fight to reform criminal justice in America.

Kardashian West has proven a good advocate for justice reform, as she campaigns for the release of several individuals serving prison terms that are longer than necessary.

She recognized that individuals were being sentenced more severely than they should be, especially when compared to sentences for other more harmful crimes.

According to the New York Times, President Donald Trump ended Alice Marie Johnson’s prison sentence after Kardashian West pleaded Johnson’s case with him.

Johnson was imprisoned for life in 1996 on non-violent drug possession and money laundering charges.

Kardashian West first heard Johnson’s story from a video that went viral on social media. According to a CNN article, Kardashian West’s first step was to call Ivanka Trump and appeal to her compassion for a woman who had already

paid her dues. Ivanka Trump connected Kardashian West to her husband, Jared Kushner, who then connected Kardashian West to the president.

Kardashian West met with both Kushner and President Trump in the White House to advocate for Johnson just prior to the president commuting Johnson’s sentence.

Although many might roll their eyes at the thought of the celebrity fighting for justice reform or mutter darkly about undeserved influence, Kardashian West, daughter of O. J. Simpson’s lawyer, Robert Kardashian, probably knows the justice system better than many Americans.

Between her own fame, her husband Kanye West’s support of President Trump and the relationship she has with Ivanka Trump and Kushner, Kardashian West is in a prime position to advocate for those like Johnson.

Kardashian West has also advocated for others who have been imprisoned for longer than their crime should deserve. According to a Fox News article, one of those is Matthew Charles, a man sentenced to 35 years in prison for selling drugs to an informant.

He was released after 21 years and

got a job, only to find out that his release was a mistake. He was imprisoned again.

Charles’ story, like Johnson’s, showcases some of the absurdly long prison sentences attached to nonviolent drug related crimes.

According to the Criminal Justice Policy Foundation website, the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 requires a minimum of five to 10 years in prison for crimes involving different kinds of drugs and drug amounts.

So, depending on the drug involved, a defendant could face at least 10 years in prison, just for possessing the drug. Any related crimes only increase the sentence.

To put that in context, according to the U.S. Sentencing Commission, the minimum sentence for production of child pornography is 10 years.

So, in the U.S. Justice System, five kilograms of cocaine earns you the same prison sentence as the production of child pornography.

The problem is, possession of a drug generally only harms the person using the drug, while production of child pornography victimizes the children involved and corrupts the viewer.

Although not all of the cases

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JUSTICE WARRIOR — Kim Kardashian West has used her status as a celebrity to fight for criminal justice reform.

Kardashian West champions are as absurd, Charles and Johnson’s stories point to flaws in the justice system. America’s justice system has occasionally sent people to prison for longer than their crimes deserved. A man was let out of prison only to be imprisoned again after he started rebuilding his life.

There is no room for grace in cur-

rent criminal justice laws.

Not that the U.S. justice system as a whole is broken, but it is not perfect. Kardashian West is using her considerable influence to advocate for the people affected by its flaws.

BOWMAN is an opinion writer.

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A6 | October 02, 2018 | Liberty Champion

LU announces focus on Spain

Liberty's G5 2018-2019 initiative looks to serve refugees from Northern Africa Madison Hirneisen mghirneisen@liberty.edu

Liberty University’s LU Send department monitors global activity and looks for ways to involve students in providing aid and ministry in the United States and abroad.

So, when the department noticed a surge of refugees entering the country of Spain, they decided to designate the European nation as the focus of this year’s G5 initiative. The G5 initiative was born in 2017 and provides opportunities for students and faculty to serve in a particular nation and challenges the Liberty community domestically to uphold the nation in prayer.

Several factors have contributed to this influx of refugees, including poor job markets in Africa and political instability.

This year, students have the opportunity to travel with the G5 initiative to Spain to obtain course credit, internship credit or Christian Service credit. During their time in Spain, each student participating will have the opportunity to serve the North African refugees entering the country through the city of Malaga, Spain.

Director of Academic Operations for LU Send Audrey Hammond traveled to Spain this summer to meet with companies and the organization Christar. Christar works directly with the refugees in Malaga and helps the families affected get back on their feet after migrating from Africa.

“We’re coming alongside a bigger picture

— that’s the most important thing,” Hammond said. “It’s not Liberty students going over there, saving the day and then coming back. It’s us coming alongside an organization committed to doing this for the next 10 years.”

Hammond explained that not many people realize the immense trauma a family can experience when resettling as refugees. She is looking forward to seeing how students will be able to impact the refugee community with the skills they’ve learned within their areas of study at Liberty. She hopes that the G5 initiative in Spain will open students’ eyes to the logistics of resettlement and show them specific ways they can provide aid within their area of study.

“You might not be the pastor on stage that’s getting thousands of people excited, but if you are somebody who just helps put kids into school, you know, so they can be successful, that makes a difference,” Hammond said.

Students participating in the G5 initiative will have the opportunity to work closely with the refugee community. Students will be helping refugees with their resettlement process in various ways, including helping them learn English, helping children catch up in school, working with global sports partners, aiding refugees in creating business plans and helping them find housing.

According to Hammond, the unemployment rate in Spain is currently 14 percent.

Christar is mindful of the high unemploy-

ment rate in the nation, so the organization incredible because I’ve heard and seen how wants to help refugees create and execute God does incredible things through these their own business plans, which is an area situations, and I just really anticipate that where Liberty students can help. Outside of God will use us in ways that can bless these working with supporting refugees with the people that are trying to find their way and logistics of starting a new life, Hammond an- get their family out of crisis,” Cook said. ticipates the impact students will have on the general community in Malaga.

“One of the things I love so much about HIRNEISEN is a content reporter. this initiative is that a lot of the businesses and organizations that are saying, ‘Yeah, we want to help, (and) we want to work with Liberty students, (and) we want to help the refugee community,’ (are) not all Christian,” Hammond said. “Think about the impact that our students can have with these non-Christian business owners or these non-Christian incubators that care about the cause, but don’t necessarily care about our Christ.”

Sophomore Micah Cook was supposed to go on a summer missions trip to Haiti, but it was canceled. He decided to see opportunities to travel with LU Send during the school year and discovered the G5 initiative traveling to Spain.

He plans on making the trip in January and looks forward to experiencing a new culture, while having the chance to aid refugees in rebuilding Joel Isimeme | Liberty News Service their new lives.

FOCUS — Last year’s G5 initiative focused on the “I’m not 100 percent sure what to expect from it, but I just think it will be country of Rwanda.

RALLIED continued from A1

SILENT PROTEST After the rally concluded, students toured the Supreme Court building. As the FordKavanaugh hearing unfolded in the Dirksen Senate Office Building, students participated in a silent protest in the Hart Senate Office Building, adjunct to where the hearing was being held.

Protesters and members of the media packed the corridor of the Hart Building. Liberty students walked in sporting pro-Kavanaugh T-shirts and pins and stood opposite of the anti-Kavanaugh protestors. There were no hostile riots, just two crowds, predominately made of women, staring at each other.

Protestors huddled around smartphones and listened to livestreams of the hearing, which was happening less than 200 yards away.

One of those protestors was Jane Ellis. She showed up to the Hart Building to make her face and story known to the Senate leadership who

worked there.

“I’m very much opposed to Kavanaugh being appointed to the Supreme Court, not just because of these allegations, but because in general, I don’t believe he is truthful, and I don’t believe he has true justice at heart,” Ellis said.

She wore a pin in support of Roe v. Wade and a shirt that said she was once a victim of sexual harassment.

“Men have to stop doing stupid things,” Ellis said. “You can’t blame this on boys being boys.

There was a culture, and they have gotten away with it for so long.”

The next day, Hart Senate Building was full of more protestors like Ellis, as the committee voted 11-10 to send Kavanaugh’s judicial career to the full senate floor. The FBI is currently investigating the Ford-Kavanaugh situation. The investigation is scheduled to close Friday, Oct. 5.

“Every day this stuff happens, sexual violence and assault do happen,” Onwuka said. “And we have a responsibly to report it and to hold people accountable for it. But we also have to make sure that we don’t just assume that because the allegation is believed that someone’s reputation should be destroyed. And so, I think it’s really important that we bring this out into the light but also ensure that someone is held accountable.”

Proper due process is the key that unlocks equality, said Onwuka. This sentiment rang consistently with the other speakers.

“It is also unfair to make Brett Kavanaugh the stand in for every predator and perpetrator of those wrongdoings,” Onwuka said.

Lips and Liberty’s chapter president for Young Women for America, Victoria Belk, both called for young women to get involved in politics.

“I’m excited to see so many young people speaking out about the future because this matters,” Lips said.

Belk, who said she was frustrated with the unorthodox questions the Senate Judiciary Committee asked of Kavanaugh, called for her peers to get involved.

“There’s no generation gap,” Belk said. “Young women are supporting (Kavanaugh). We also want to be involved with the scene and show that we support his family and stand up for our judicial processes.”

Liberty students and other rally goers cheered and held signs in support of Kavanaugh. Some signs read “Kavayeah” or “Stand strong, the truth is your shield.” The sign reading “Mama bears unite” was held by Kimberly Fletcher, the president and founder of Moms for America.

Fletcher said that the Senate Judiciary Committee’s process is detrimental for the future of America.

“What they are doing with this process is actually not just making a mockery of this process and completely disrespecting the integrity of it, but it’s also marginalizing the act that they are accusing this man of doing and putting every one of our girls and women in danger of not being believed in the future,” Fletcher said.

Fletcher also said that radical feminists are “weaponizing women” and using women as obstructions. She said today’s culture uses women and their stories to “kowtow men.”

Onwuka and Fletcher both encouraged women to immediately follow through with the law if they are ever sexually violated.

“Don’t sweep (sexual misconduct) under the rug and then one day drag it out or allow people to use your story for political motivations,” Onwuka said.

“The #MeToo movement is important, and it’s real, but we also believe in justice and due process; we believe in a presumption of innocence,” Nance said. “And the minute we weaponize and politicize (an) important issue like rape, we degrade every victim in this country. It has to stop. It stops now. It stops here.”

Just a few hours later, Dr. Ford said during her testimony that she was not a political pawn and was not using her story for partisan gain.

ABBATACOLA is the content editor.

Lillian Abbatacola | Liberty Champion

ME TOO— Jane Ellis protested in the Hart Senate Office Building for multiple days.

Lillian Abbatacola| Liberty Champion

KAVA-YEAH — Kimberly Fletcher of Moms for America spoke at the Concerned Women for America rally.

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Liberty Champion | October 02, 2018 | A7

LU nurses get robots Nursing Simulation Center is now accredited Brittany Slaughter bdslaughter@liberty.edu

“(iDouble robots are used for) telehealth competencies for nurse practitioners, because we know that often times, rural and underserved clients can’t access medical centers or other health care,” Sharon Kopis, professor and School of Nursing chair of doctoral studies, said.

The robots allow health care providers to help those in need quickly and efficiently provide aid to areas that may not have been able to receive help previously.

“Or also maybe a nurse practitioner in a rural area needs to consult with someone, such as a cardiologist or other provider, they

ates a great opportunity to reach out and connect back with former students and see where they’re going and how God has blessed their paths.”

This event will provide an opportunity to show gratitude to nurses, as well as reconnect with those in the nursing field that have graduated.

The upcoming open houses provide potential students and families the opportunity to get an inside look at the School of Nursing and experience the facilities.

“They will be invited into our space to be able to see the quality of accommodations, to un-

Liberty University’s School of Nursing is improving its programs and growing avenues for student success.

In July 2018, its 14,000 square foot simulation center was accredited by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare.

According to the Liberty News Service, the stimulation center had to meet the SSH’s core standards for accreditation, which are established by the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning.

The accreditation will be valid for five years.

It's the simulation center that really bridges the The stimulation center allows nursing students book knowledge to bedside wisdom and allows for to participate in bi-weekly stimulations, which prepare patient safety through deliberate practice of skills. students for their clinicals, according to the School of — Kathryn Miller Nursing’s website.

“It’s the simulation center that can provide specialty to her pa- derstand the value of having an really bridges the book knowl- tients or his patients,” Kopis said. accredited simulation center edge to bedside wisdom and al- “(The robot) provides that link and that we’re not just observalows for patient safety through de- without anyone traveling. The tion, we’re hands on in pracliberate practice of skills in a safe robots can actually be driven by tice,” Miller said. “Visitors will environment prior to the students anyone, anywhere in the world.” see the equipment and the tools going into the hospital,” AssociThere are also many events that they will be utilizing, as well ate Professor and Executive Di- coming up in the School of Nurs- as the interaction of their faculty rector of Clinical Affairs Kathryn ing, including open houses dur- in each area.”

Miller said. ing homecoming weekend and These open houses will take The ability to practice in a set- Nurse Appreciation Day at the place Nov. 9, 2018, from 3-6 ting that mirrors real life provides football game, Oct. 19-20. p.m., Feb. 22, 2019, from 2-4 students the opportunity to be “Part of our goal in the School p.m. and April 5, 2019, from fully prepared for the healthcare of Nursing is to continue to con- 2-4 p.m. Those interested can field upon graduation. nect with not just our students, register for an open house on the The School of Nursing is also but also our alumni, as well as our School of Nursing’s website. equipped with iDouble robots. professional colleagues,” School These robots allow nurse practi- of Nursing Dean Shanna Akers tioner students to provide patient said. “A large portion of the nursassessment and care delivery from es here in this region are alumni SLAUGHTER is a content a distance. of Liberty University. This cre- reporter.

“

Leah Seavers | Liberty News Service

BREATHE — The simulation center allows nursing students to practice their skills.

OWENS continued from A1 The next day, when she went to class, they were talking about racism, and Owens told her teacher about the messages, playing them for the class. The teacher was so horrified that he took her to the principal, who immediately notified the police.

Owens believes this experience fueled her spiral into anorexia, which she spent the next four and a half years struggling to overcome.

“I was so scared (going into

yoga classes after college. She said that doing meditation caused her to think critically about why she was harming herself.

“I wasn’t happy being a victim,” Owens said. “I was allowing it to eat me alive.”

Owens does not believe what happened to her was the result of racism. Instead, she believes it is because taking out the faceto-face aspect of communication makes it far easier to say mean things.

“What happened to me didn’t

Photo Provided

GALA— The annual Freedom Gala raises funds and awareness of human trafficking.

Fundraising

Freedom 4/24's Gala fights trafficking Lorena Rivera lrivera8@liberty.edu

With luxury and elegance as its theme, Freedom 4/24’s fifth annual Freedom Gala, taking place Oct. 5 at Amazement Square, will be an intentional contrast to the problem of human trafficking in the U.S. Freedom 4/24 is a nonprofit organization that exists to bring freedom and justice to victims and survivors of sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

Since the organization became a nonprofit in 2009, it has rescued countless lives and given victims a second chance at a better life. In 2017 alone, the organization rescued 110 girls from the Nagpur, India region, helped arrest 12 alleged traffickers in Knoxville, Tennessee and bought a second safe home in Pattaya, Thailand, according to Freedom 4/24’s website.

Due to its nonprofit status, the organization is responsible for coming up with all the funds necessary to fulfill its mission. One of the organization’s bigger events is its annual Freedom Gala.

“The Freedom Gala is designed to further awaken and unify the community’s resolve to bring an end to sexual exploitation and human trafficking,” Emily Worsham, the office manager at Freedom 4/24, said.

The gala is Freedom 4/24’s annual black-tie fundraising event. At the event, guests enjoy food and drinks, participate in a silent, live auction, and hear from a keynote speaker.

This year, the keynote speaker is Barbara Amaya, a human trafficking survivor from Northern Virginia.

This will be the first time a survivor has ever been a keynote speaker at the Freedom Gala.

“Each year, our gala focuses on a different partner or group of partners,” Worsham said. “This year, we are highlighting the work Freedom 4/24 and its partners are doing right

Owens challenged students to try to understand how everyone in these situations is impacted, instead of immediately labeling people as racist or a victim.

Owens also spoke about the controversial U.S. Supreme Court nomination process prior to the Sept. 27 Ford-Kavanaugh hearings. “(Women) are the people who have to carry men for nine months,” Owens said. “They are our little boys. They are our sons.

They are our husbands. The idea

cultural war on men.”

“Modern feminism is so toxic.

It is singlehandedly deteriorating relationships and eventual motherhood. I will always speak out against what has become a rabid cult of misery. If you believe in

“

here in the USA.” Another new aspect is that, in previous years, the gala had a separate Awareness Exhibit available for guests to walk through before the event. However, this year, the awareness portion will be intertwined throughout the entire evening.

“The Freedom Gala is a great way to increase one’s awareness of human trafficking and the work that Freedom 4/24 and its partners are doing to combat this injustice,” Worsham said. “The purchase of tickets or sponsorship supports Freedom 4/24’s efforts in bringing freedom and justice both here in the United States and internationally.”

Although the gala is an excellent way to get involved, there are a number of other ways in which individuals can help. The first is by becoming a 4/24 Ally.

“A 4/24 Ally is someone who stands with Freedom 4/24 in the fight to end human trafficking yearround by providing ongoing, monthly financial support,” Worsham said.

Freedom 4/24 also seeks highly dedicated and passionate interns and volunteers year-round. Information on becoming an Ally, intern or volunteer can be found on Freedom 4/24’s website.

“Awareness can be spread by participating in any of Freedom 4/24’s events and programs, whether that be the Intern & Volunteer Program, the Freedom Gala, the 4/24 Ally Program or one of our International Outreach Trips,” Worsham said.

Those who are interested in taking part in the gala can purchase tickets and sponsorships at www.freedom424.org/freedom-gala

RIVERA is a content reporter. ported Owens’s disparaging remarks against #MeToo. Owens has tweeted against modern feminism and the #MeToo movement, which has caused a disturbance online.

“The entire premise of #MeToo

Modern feminism is so toxic. It is singlehandedly deteriorating relationships and eventual

motherhood. I will always speak out against what

has become a rabid cult of misery. If you believe in equality between men and women, you cannot be a feminist today.

— Candace Owens

Taryn Azimov | Liberty Champion

PROTESTING — Owens’s controversial tweets prompted some students to protest her visit to Liberty. college) that people I was meeting were going to Google me and that they were going to find this story and find that I was a victim,” Owens said. “The only way I felt I could assert control over myself and over my narrative was by having anorexia.”

According to Owens, her healing began when she started taking

just happen to me,” Owens said.

“It also happened to those four kids who left me those messages.

A 14-year-old, a 15-year-old, a person who used to be my former friend – they can’t be racist. That’s a heavy word. What they were was young kids trying out what it was like to be mean, in a generation that has smartphones.”

that somebody can live a life in the way that Brett Kavanaugh has lived his life and to have what has happened to him happen over the last couple of weeks, should terrify everyone. This country needs due process, but more than that, it needs women to find their voices and to fight for our men, because what is happening right now is a

equality between men and women, you cannot be a feminist today,” tweeted Owens on Sept. 25.

Not everyone at Liberty welcomed Owens. Some students, who opposed Owens’s tweets against the #MeToo movement, protested on the Academic Lawn after Convocation.

Addyson Garner, Liberty senior class president, helped organize the protest.

“We should be coming along survivors and students who have come forward with the #MeToo movement,” Garner said. “These are sensitive issues, and our calling as Christians is to love and support these students. We should be giving them a place where they feel safe to share their testimonies and experiences with us, without worrying they will be shamed back into silence.”

According to Garner, she and AJ Strom organized the protest because they did not want others to think everyone at Liberty sup-

is that women are stupid, weak & inconsequential. Too stupid to know what men might want if you come to their hotel room late at night. Too weak to turn around and tell someone not to touch your a** again. Too inconsequential to realize this,” Owens said in a June 11 tweet.

“Owens does not represent us.

I don’t want to give the world any reason to look down on Liberty University students,” Garner said.

“I wanted to show up and make our voices heard. Most importantly, I know students on this campus — male and female — that have come forward with #MeToo. I wanted them to know they were supported and loved, regardless of who was on the stage.”

VAN TUYL is the assistant content editor.

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A8 | October 02, 2018 | Liberty Champion

Confronting the issues Sen. Kaine and Candidate Stewart talk abortion, crime and in-school weapons Lilian Abbatacola leabbatacola@liberty.edu

Sen. Tim Kaine (D) and candidate Corey Stewart (R) spoke to constituents on issues like immigration, the student debt crisis, MS-13 violence and weapons in school at a U.S. Senate Town Hall Sept. 21 in Liberty University’s Center for Music and the Worship Arts’ Concert Hall.

Former U.S. Rep. Robert Hurt, who is also the executive director of the Center for Law & Government at Liberty, opened the town hall by saying that college students and those in their 20s have the most at stake in elections.

The commonwealth’s town hall came at a pause in the turbulent Supreme Court hearings. Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s time in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee had elapsed and a date to vote him in as a member of the U.S. Supreme Court was on the horizon when Dr. Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of attempting to sexually assault her when they were in high school.

If the Kavanaugh vote comes after the mid-term election when Congress seats are exchanged, the vote may swing unfavorably for the Trump SCOTUS pick.

Corey Stewart told the Richmond Times-Dispatch the sexual allegations concerning Brett Kavanaugh and Ford were “a bunch of crap.”

“I find the timing highly suspect,” Stewart said at the town hall.

The sexual assault scandal is not the only issue Democrats have with Kavanaugh’s nomination.

Kaine said he was concerned what a bench with Kavanaugh would imply for Roe v. Wade and other

precedent.

Kaine laid out what he thought overturning Roe v. Wade would mean for the American people.

“It would mean we would go back to what the law was before,” Kaine said. “The state could use the criminal law to criminalize, prosecute and jail women for making their own reproduction health care decisions.”

Kaine, who claimed to be a part of an anti-abortion Catholic church, was later asked by a Liberty student why Virginians who are pro-life should vote for him in November.

“I don’t think the job of an elected official is to legislate my Catholic church’s doctrine for everybody to follow, even those who aren’t Catholic or have different points of view,” Kaine said. “So, you live your faith, and I’ve certainly lived mine.”

Stewart claimed that Kaine supported the idea of late-term abortion with his vote against the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which would criminalize abortions after 20-weeks with some exceptions.

“I find that morally reprehensible,” Stewart said. “The most important job that we have ... is to protect the lives and the rights of the citizens we serve.”

Kaine said the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, also known as Micah’s Law, is unconstitutional, as it violates Roe v. Wade.

“I take an oath. … I swear to uphold the Constitution of the United States,” Kaine said. “I don’t swear to a president. I don’t swear to a flag. I uphold the Constitution of the United States.”

Micah’s Law has passed in the House of Representatives multiple times and has yet to be passed in

BU Y 1 GET 1

SPEAKING— Sen. Kaine talked about how his faith impacts his public service. the Senate.

“I think using the criminal law to criminalize, prosecute and even jail women and doctors for making this decision is exactly the wrong thing to do,” said Kaine.

Stewart and Kaine briefly spoke on protecting those who are already born through school safety.

“We are protecting our money with guns and our kids with signs,” Stewart said.

Stewart called for putting retired police offices in schools and discouraged the use of gun-free zone signs.

“Not all communities can afford it, and that’s where the federal government should come in and make sure all of our kids are safe, regardless of the community that they live in,” Stewart said.

Kaine, who was the governor of the Commonwealth during the Virginia Tech massacre, called for universal background checks. He called the day of the shooting the worst day of his life.

“Because of weaknesses in the background check system, (the Virginia Tech shooter) was able to buy a weapon he was prohibited from having, and 32 beautiful people — students, faculty (and)

grad students — lost their lives,” Kaine said.

Kaine was also asked about his merit-based immigration system.

He said earlier this year, he drafted a bill with Lindsey Graham that protected Deferred Action for Child Arrivals program recipients and provided $25 billion for boarder security. Kaine said President Donald Trump opposed the bill, which discouraged Republican support.

“The answer is comprehension immigration reform,” Kaine said.

He said he hopes to put another bill on the floor after November and get it to the president’s desk.

Stewart has a different approach to immigration by editing the immigration system.

“We need to base our immigration system on merit once again,” Stewart said.

Stewart said those who come to the U.S. need to be able to support themselves and become naturalized citizens.

Stewart is concerned about immigrants with undocumented criminal pasts.

“We have no way of making sure that they don’t have a criminal past,” Stewart said. “And they usually do, and they come across the border illegally. They already have

Ryan Klinker| Liberty Champion

in the past, and they come into our communities and they murder and they assault. Right here in Virginia, there are many examples of that.”

Stewart and Kaine both agreed there is a distinction between targeting criminals and targeting immigrants.

“We should always go after bad guys,” Kaine said.

Kaine and Stewart also agreed that the key to getting anything done in Washington is to talk with others who think differently.

Stewart credited his career’s success to his willingness to work with others across political party lines.

“I had to stir things up, but I got something done,” Stewart said.

Stewart said the way to fix the partisan division in the U.S. is not to think the same, but to talk together.

Kaine said he wants a Virginia that works for all Virginians.

Stewart and Kaine will speak at Hampton University Oct. 3 about their foreign and military affairs platform.

ABBATACOLA is the content editor.

FR EE

A DM I S S ION DURING

L I B E R T Y DAYS AT T H OM AS J E FFE R SO N ’S Ryan Klinker| Liberty Champion

LISTENING — Stewart and the Liberty students lean in intently to the moderator, Mark Spain.

DAI LY T H RO U G H M AY 21 Just mention “Liberty Days” when purchasing tickets at the Museum Shop

Share your story ideas with us.

Email lunewseditor@gmail.com with your news tips.

P O P L A R F O R E S T.O R G / L I B E RT Y

ON

C

PI HAM

note book

SPORTS

October 2, 2018

B1

BREAKING THE ICE — The LaHaye Ice Center was sold out for the Midnight Mayhem game Friday night which ended in a 6-1 victory for the Flames.

Wildest dreams

Men’s hockey team wins Midnight Mayhem game Peter Gooch pgooch1@liberty.edu

The energy in the LaHaye Ice Center climaxed when the puck dropped at 11:59 p.m. Friday September 28. The sell-out “Midnight Mayhem” game between Liberty University and Indiana University of Pennsylvania shook with dancing, jeering, singing and screaming Flames fans.

Kirk Handy, now in his 19th season as Liberty University’s Division I men’s hockey head coach, said that it was one of the loudest home atmospheres the Flames have played in recent memory.

“Our club sports staff does a fantastic job creating an environment like that,”

Handy said. “That’s conducive to our team (and we have been) enjoying it.”

After a disappointing first period, characterized by huge hits and scoring opportunities, Liberty trailed 0-1. For the next two periods, however, the Flames rewarded the explosive crowd with a 6-1 triumph that ended in the early morning hours of Saturday, Sept. 29.

Junior forward Quinn Ryan netted a third period hat trick and sophomore forward Jordan Bochinski added a goal and an assist for Liberty (2-0), which improved to 7-0 all-time versus IUP and 5-1 in “Midnight Mayhem” games over the past three seasons.

“Quinn’s a guy who has played well for us in the years gone by, but we really believe that the next couple years are going to be Quinn’s best,” Handy said of Ryan,

Gabrielle Calhoun | Liberty News Service

End Game Men’s hockey building big reputation

who also had an assist to clinch a fourpoint night. “It was nice to see him get rewarded for his hard work.”

The ninth-ranked Flames came out aggressively, delighting the raucous crowd of 3,097, including the student section side of the arena that stood for the entire game.

But a physical forecheck and numerous chances in front of the Crimson Hawks’ freshman goalie Tyler Hawk did not result in any Liberty goals in the first period.

“I felt like we were shooting the puck well, we just needed some more traffic in front of him — he was seeing everything,” Handy said. “(But,) I liked our physical presence.”

The Liberty men’s hockey team played through fatigue after playing a midnight game Saturday morning before their second game of the weekend Saturday at 7 p.m. against Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Liberty played the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and came out on top both times. Liberty would score a combined 12 goals, scoring six in both games.

Saturdaynight,theFlamesshutouttheCrimsonHawks 6-0. A score that made Head Coach Kirk Handy proud of his team.

See WILDEST, B2

See END, B2

Jared Dean jsdean@liberty.edu

Shaking it off Lacrosse players going to play with fewer concussions than past seasons Paige Frost pmfrost@liberty.edu

When the word concussion is said, many automatically think of football, a sport saturated with head injuries. However, concussions are prevalent in lacrosse as well.

As more concussion research unveils, coaches across the world are realizing that some of their players may have concussions.

Concussions may look different in lacrosse, because it is not a collision sport but a contact sport. Meaning that they are

not out there trying to tackle someone but can get injured in the process of trying to get the ball from the pocket of the opposing team.

Whether getting hit with a lacrosse stick in the head or falling, concussions should not be taken lightly. This is one thing that the Liberty Men’s Lacrosse team has learned over the last few years as more and more information comes out about the seriousness of concussions.

See SHAKING, B4 LIGHTS OUT — Lacrosse is one of the most physical contact sports.

Nathan Spencer | Liberty News Service

Out of the woods Football clears victory against UNM Lobos Jacob Couch jtcouch@liberty.edu

Leah Seavers | Liberty News Service

FACEOFF — The Flames football team traveled to New Mexico Friday to play against the Lobos.

Football

M. Soccer

Star Flames wide receiver Antonio GandyGolden demolished any discussion of the Flames suffering from jetlag with his record setting 245-receiving-yard performance that silenced the New Mexico Lobos and headlined the Flames 52-43 victory Saturday, September 29.

Flames junior quarterback Buckshot Calvert silenced critics by dissecting the Lobos defense, throwing for 417 yards and three touchdown passes on 24 completions.

Following a 42-10 halftime score in the Flames favor, the Lobos came roaring back, outscoring the Flames 33-10 in the second half.

Despite the Lobos valiant effort, it came in vain as the Flames smoking hot passing game proved to be too hot for the Lobos defense to handle.

Flames junior Gandy-Golden’s 11-reception performance overshadowed Flames red-shirt junior B.J. Farrow’s talent show of 122 receiving yards and one touchdown catch off seven receptions.

The Flames victory celebration will be short lived as the team will have to fly out to New Mexico again Friday, October 5 to take on the New Mexico State Aggies Saturday, October 6.

At 2-2, the Flames are entering into the meat of their schedule which will peak when they begin a three game road series.

See OUT, B3

M. Hockey

M. Hockey

Football

UNT

Liberty

UNF

Liberty

IUP

Liberty

IUP

Liberty

UNM

Liberty

47

7

3

2

1

6

0

6

43

52

sports

B2 | October 2, 2018 | Liberty Champion

Joel Isimeme | Liberty News Service DUEL — Alivia Klopp has more than earned her place on the field hockey team.

Blank space Field hockey freshman Alivia Klopp writes her name on the team Nathaniel Chambers nrchambers@liberty.edu

There was one minute, 45 seconds left in the game when the play-by-play announcer for Liberty field hockey called for SportsCenter to put the following play on the top-10 plays. Liberty and Virginia were tied at two.

Junior defenseman Mallory Fortenbaugh passed the ball to senior midfielder Agueda Moroni from the corner. Moroni took the shot, which looked too far right, and out of

nowhere freshman midfielder Alivia Klopp came diving in and redirected the ball into the goal.

“My first initial thought was ‘great we scored,’ but now we still have about a minute 45 seconds left in the game, so we just needed to focus more and finish out the game strong,” Klopp said.

At the time of Klopp’s goal, Liberty was tied at two with Virginia after being down 2-0 at halftime. However, the freshman knew the Flames still had work to do. There was 1:45

left in the game, which gave Virginia plenty and Liberty was one of the first camps that of time to tie the game. As time wound down, I actually attended,” Klopp said. “So, ever Liberty held off Virginia for the win, not al- since then it just kind of felt like home lowing a shot after going up 3-2. coming back.”

“After we finished the win, we were super Klopp said she feels that she is where she excited because we knew that that was one is meant to be, and though it is much fasterof the games that would definitely help us paced and more difficult than high school, in our rankings,” Klopp said. “So, we just college field hockey is fun. She also said that knew that it was an important win, but then she feels no pressure being a freshman and we were focused on the next game to come.” starting for this team.

Since the game-winner, Klopp has re“This season I just hope to grow as a playceived a lot more attention, not just at a er, to be a part of the team as much as I can,” school or regional level, but at a national Klopp said. level. Klopp was featured on SportsCenter She looks to continue to contribute and with the number nine play on SportsCenter’s make an impact on the team in the areas they top-10 plays in September. need to win and succeed.

Klopp, a freshman from Tulpehocken See Klopp next in action Sunday, Oct. 7 High School in Bernville, Pa., came into the when they play against number one in the season after her senior year in high school country North Carolina at the Liberty Field where she earned all-county and all-state Hockey and Lacrosse Fields. honors after scoring 52 goals in 24 games.

She also broke her county’s record with 130 goals across four seasons. She wants to be able to adapt to Liberty’s system in the most effective way she can.

“I hope that I can just contribute to the best way that the coaches need me to,” Klopp said. “Even on and off the field, just be the most positive player that I can.”

CHAMBERS is a sports reporter.

Klopp is third on the team in both goals and assists this season, contributing two goals on five shots on goal in the last three games since the game-winner against Virginia.

Klopp said it didn’t feel like it was the first couple games they’ve played together.

She said she loves that her teammates are always positive, helpful and outgoing. Klopp has been dreaming of this opportunity since middle school, and she seems to be content with where she is currently.

“I started off looking at playing field hockey in college Jessie Rogers | Liberty News Service when I was about in eighth grade, YOUNG — Klopp was featured on SportsCenter’s top-10 plays.

WILDEST continued from B1

Gabrielle Calhoun | Liberty News Service

DEFEND — Goalie Cole Burack is beginning his senior year with the Flames.

END continued from B1 “I liked the way we played tonight better (than last night),” Handy said. “I felt that we were more consistent throughout the game.”

The Flames would get off to a quick start scoring three of their goals in the first period with goals from senior Zak Hayes, sophomore Devin Pierce and junior Jacob Fricks.

“My linemates make it easy for me to play,” Fricks said. “I don’t really have to do much out there.

I am there for them and they are there for me.”

The second period for the Flames would start out hot as junior Quinn Ryan would score nine seconds into the period. The second goal in the period came with .8 seconds left in the period scored by senior Matt Cruikshank.

“We have a much tougher schedule this year, hopefully we can stay in the top ten spots moving forward

into nationals.” Fricks said, “We just have to keep doing what we did tonight and last night. We have keep doing that playing better and better every game.”

The second period would also bring some more aggressive play from both sides resulting in a fight that would cause two IUP players to be ejected and junior Brock Thompson on the Flames to receive a 10-minute misconduct penalty as well as a two-minute penalty for roughing.

“I feel like it is always the case with some of these teams,” Fricks said. “We have a good rivalry with IUP. Everyone wants to get the crowd going, we just have to play it safe obviously and stay out of the box because they can capitalize on that.”

There would be one lone goal scored in the third period coming from junior Jordan Bochinski.

“I think this game gives us a lot of confidence that we can play for the full 60 minutes,” Handy said. “I liked our forecheck and I liked our

A penalty for having too many men on the ice midway through the first period proved costly for the Flames as IUP’s forward Dominick Glavach scored a power-play goal from the point after fellow freshman Kyle Harris won an offensive zone faceoff to give the Crimson Hawks a 1-0 lead.

“Everyone was just a little jumpy, maybe gripping the sticks a little too tight,” Ryan said. “But we got the nerves out, and we were fine the rest of the way.”

Liberty sophomore forward Cole Gammer reenergized the building when he finished a giveand-go two-on-one breakaway with Ryan by slapping in the game-tying goal 51 seconds into the second period.

“That’s a huge goal,” Handy said. “We come out, we reestablish our game. … He was able to score quick and really turn the emotional tide of the game.”

Bochinski then gave the Flames the lead on a pinpoint shot through traffic that went over Hawk’s blocker and under the crossbar about seven minutes later.

A beautiful pass from defenseman Matt Cruickshank set up an easy goal for forward Devin Pierce early in the third period that gave Liberty a 3-1 cushion.

Ryan then took over, starting with a power play goal on a rebound after Bochinski made a beautiful move to get to the front of the net.

Ryan slammed in his second of the night after a shot from junior defenseman Garrett Nelson deflected right onto his stick.

Ryan completed the so-called natural hat trick by scoring on a 4-on-4 with 2:21 left.

“My teammates did most of the work for all those goals,” Ryan said. “I just got lucky and was able to put them in the back of the net.”

The Flames scoring burst in the second and third periods coincided with several penalties that were called on both teams.

There were a combined six minor penalties in a 2 minute, 50 second span in the second period and seven more minors called in the third, plus ejections for Liberty’s sophomore center Ryan Cox and IUP’s freshman forward Hunter Lanetz for fighting.

Handy did not see the overall chippy play as necessarily a negative aspect of the game, but rather a result of playing in such an emotionallycharged arena where every scuffle and check were cheered wildly.

He did, however, say that he thought the Flames could improve in their discipline of play as they try to give their enthusiastic fans even more to get excited about.

“That’s an area we really got to clean up,” Handy said. “I like the fact that we’re doing a lot of things right, but I think there’s still another gear (and) another level we have to get to.”

GOOCH is a sports reporter.

back pressure tonight.”

Liberty finished the game with 60 shots on goal. IUP finished with 20. The Crimson Hawks had 13 shots in the first period, zero in the second and seven in the third.

“I think that we competed tonight – I liked our competitiveness level.” Handy said, “Like I said earlier, you have to be relentless on the forecheck and you have to have effective back pressure I thought our guys had that tonight.”

After a weekend with a latenight game and another game the next day, it is business as usual for the Flames to prepare for their next game.

“We just have to do the same thing, nothing changes for us,” Fricks said. “We still have got to be hard on the puck, bury every chance we get, and we had a lot of shots this week and that is just something that we will have to keep doing throughout the year.”

Ryan Klinker | Liberty Champion

DEAN is a sports reporter.

ATTACK — Forward Andy Clarke is starting his junior year.

sports

Liberty Champion | October 2, 2018 | B3

FAST & FRESH — The new LAC is designed to give Flames athletes top-of-the-line health food choices and luxuries.

Leah Seavers | Liberty News Service

Welcome to the LAC

Liberty student athletes are benefitting from new nutritionist’s arrival Siani Null snull@liberty.edu

Imagine walking into a facility on campus where faculty greets you excitedly with a small cup of thick green juice, cheering you on to drink the substance and writes the names of those who do on a whiteboard in celebration.

This is the reality Liberty University student-athletes happen upon when they enter the Liberty Athletics Center (LAC), which houses a nutrition station manned by a new and passionate nutritionist.

Director of Sports Nutrition Melissa Crowson entered her position two months ago with the goal of getting student-athletes excited about living healthily through nutrition. With her new platform, Crowson hopes to provide education and build community within the athletic department.

One of the largest changes she has launched so far is transforming the Training Table room at the Reber Thomas Dining Hall into all-athlete dining for dinner every Sunday through Wednesday from 5:30-8:30 p.m.

“For the first time ever, we have a train- determine what fuel is relevant or works ing table which means athlete-only dining,” best for the athletes.

Crowson said. “There are two main reasons “In my three years here, nutrition has for that. One is an educational purpose be- changed from offering a large quantity of cause I can talk about nutrition all day, but food to now focusing on quality of food,” Polnow I can show sgrove said. “Mehow to build perlissa is more informance plates. formative about Then second, Liberty not only wants to nutrition instead it’s just a great of just providing build winning teams, they it.” platform for community. My goal Recent changwant to build winners. es to quality of is to kind of create a space like at the fuel— Melissa Crowson food University of ing station in Florida where the LAC include all the teams are mingling, supporting offering more nutritious and creative items each other and hanging out. It’s loud, like the green anti-inflammatory antioxidant it’s noisy, it’s fun.” shots, tasteful smoothies, beet juice and In addition to interacting with teams in the naturally flavored protein bars, compared dining hall or at six practice facilities stock- with more sugary snack options that were ing them with recovery drinks and fruit, offered last year.

Crowson works with five student volunteers, In the past three years, Liberty’s nutrition three work-study staff and an assistant who department has had four nutritionists revolvhelps merge the nutrition department with ing in and out, but Crowson is here to stay. strength and conditioning.

“I was blown away at how Liberty not only Kylie Polsgrove, a senior track ath- wants to build winning teams, they want to lete, is a volunteer who helps Crowson build winners and they actually care about

“

Leah Seavers | Liberty News Service

A LITTLE UNCERTAIN — Buckshot suffered a knee injury during the third quarter of the game.

OUT continued from B1 The road trip will consist of trips to University of Massachusetts, Virginia and Auburn.

As the Flames move toward the most difficult stretch of the season, they will not be lacking for confidence as their defeat of the Lobos resulted in the school’s most passing yards in a single game record of 472 yards.

The offensive shootout was summarized

by the combined 1,148 total yards and 95 total points.

The Flames were coming off of a game against North Texas in which they scored 7 total points.

The Flames are attempting to find a consistent offensive surge in order to make a push for Bowl game eligibility.

COUCH is the assistant sports editor.

Leah Seavers | Liberty News Service RECHARGE — The Flames will return to New Mexico to play New Mexico State.

the person and want to develop them in mind, body, and spirit,” Crowson said. “I love college athletics because college is such a pivotal time for someone of that age because you are really making decisions at that age that will set up the trajectory of your life.”

Crowson has a different view of nutrition than others who were in the role in the past.

This year she is prioritizing building relationships with those she works with and being accessible to them.

Crowson said the challenge to make eating healthy appealing pays off when she experiences moments like seeing the men’s tennis team conducting a pushup contest in the dining hall during dinner or when a football player comes to tell her he cut sugar from his diet and is starting to drink water for the first time.

“My favorite thing about my job is definitely getting to work with college athletes and students,” Crowson said. “I love students and I kind of feel like I live in a party. There are always people and people coming in and out and that’s always fun.”

NULL is a sports reporter.

sports

B4 | October 2, 2018 | Liberty Champion

Kevin Manguiob | Liberty News Service

FLYING — The disc golf team begins its season in just a few weeks.

Park took initiative in 1998. team are brand new, but they all seem “That was when I really started like they’re going to be a great fit,” Trotz getting into the sport,” Bowman said. “We always want to be building said. “I would ride my bike to each other up.” work, stop on my way in, play the Although the men’s team did not finish the course, go to work, bike home season as well as the women’s team, they have and stop and play it again.” a large group of men who came out for the Kevin Manguiob | Liberty News Service Bowman team this year. The men’s TOSSING — Liberty features two disc golf courses, both on Liberty Mountain. was asked by team will have 16 players Bedford Counfor this season. ty to build a I want this team Jeremy Miekley turned disc golf course in Falling to disc golf after he sufto feel like a family. fered an injury that sideCreek Park. When Liberty was interested in building him from the track — STEVE BOWMAN lined a course on campus they and field team. reached out to Bedford “Club sports has been County and asked if they great to us,” Miekley said. could refer the same per“They are continually son who did theirs. supporting us and pushing us to a national Bowman designed and helped build the championship.” was design and then they have these great course here at Liberty and was later asked At the end of the day, to Bowman, the reNate Montgomery teams. I’d go in, mark what I wanted taken to help start the disc golf club team. He has sults on the course are less important than nimontgomery@liberty.edu down, then I’d come back the next day and been the head coach ever since. the character he wants to build in his players.

“I really want to build community into our Liberty University has provided not one it’d be done.”

“I want our players to be servant leaders but two disc golf courses for students and Bowman started playing in the late 1970s team because you get on this campus and because I think that there is very little else there are 13,000 students and it can make like that out there,” Bowman said. “If I am non-students to utilize. in his California neighborhood.

Coach Steve Bowman has been with Lib“I began probably as a 13 or 14 year- you feel small,” Bowman said. “I want this serving you and loving you, it’s going to open erty since the beginning of the disc golf pro- old kid,” Bowman said. “I remember team to feel like a family.” up the door to share Christ with you.”

Last year Bowman helped lead the gram seven years ago when he designed the never really playing on a course. Instead The team will be traveling to Georgia Ocfirst Liberty course. our neighborhood had makeshift baskets women’s disc golf team to their first na- tober 27, for tournament competition. tional championship. Hannah Trotz is “I built both of the courses here at lib- on the light posts.” erty, both the Hideaway course and the After Bowman moved to Lynchburg in the only player from that team who is still East campus course,” Bowman said. “It was 1987 he gave the sport up because there playing this year.

“A lot of the girls this year on the MONTGOMERY is a sports reporter. great when I came to Liberty. All I had to do were no courses nearby until Peaks View

Disc love

Disc golf coming back for another season

SHAKING continued from B1 “Concussions are a part of the game, but with everything that has come out about them, hopefully it is easier and safer for the players to say I don’t think I am okay,” Head Coach Kyle McQuillan said.

At the beginning of every season, the players have to take a 15-minute benchmark test that will measure their reaction time. If something does happen during the season, the athletic trainers can look at the difference between the reaction time before and after the injury.

They can actually see if anything is off. The athletic trainers are at every practice and game, always prepared

in case something happens to one of their players.

The coaching staff for the lacrosse team takes every players complaint seriously, and they will send them to their athletic trainer to be looked at.

“If they need to sit out a practice or a game, coaches have to be seen promoting that, and put their health and well-being first,” McQuillan said.

McQuillan said sometimes the symptoms can go unnoticed by the coaches and trainers, and that they rely on either the players or the team to address the issue.

“If you promote an environment that revolves around the players safety then it will be easier, but unfortunately you’re always go-

Nathan Spencer | Liberty News Service HEADS UP — Many lacrosse concussions are treated late.

ing to have guys who might not have realized that they had a concussion when they did,” McQuillan said.

When players get what might be an injury to the head, the protocol is to send them to the athletic trainer, and they will take the reaction test depending on how severe their symptoms are.

According to Liberty athletic trainers, if players are beyond a 5 percent window from their baseline, something is wrong with their players, and that is when the athletic trainers begin doing things daily with that player to see how they are recovering.

“Our first step in the process is that they are to rest, depending on how severe,” the team athletic trainer Tariq Kelly said. “Depending on what their schedule looks like they don’t go to class, and they don’t practice. They fill out a sheet of symptoms and rate them from 0-6, and every day they fill out the sheet and then once the symptom sheet says zero then they can start a new process.”

The players gradually start playing again until they no longer have any symptoms, and can fully play again.

With new lacrosse helmets being put on the market every few years, Liberty always attempts to purchase them because of the university’s desire to implement the world’s newest technology so that they can protect their student athletes.

Concussions are to be taken seriously, no matter what sport that is being played.

However, the liberty men’s lacrosse team is going all out to do its best so that if a player is injured they will come back in a timely manner, when their head has healed.

FROST is a sports reporter.

Emily Baker egbaker@liberty.edu

Let’s get away from football this week.

It seems like everything sports from August until February is somehow centered around college football or the NFL, so here’s your break from the football media circus.

Instead of thinking about the big upset last weekend or whether Buckshot is actually injured, think about the simpler times. The times when you only liked the team your dad liked and when you spent your Saturdays playing on a local LittleLeague team.

Playing soccer and basketball with my church’s Upward Sports league was a pretty big part of my childhood. My Saturday mornings and Thursday nights were spent on soccer drills that I wasn’t the best at, or missing shots in the middle of a basketball game.

Or, when those sports were out of season, my afternoons were spent learning how to do a backflip in gymnastics or throwing my classmates to the mat in Judo lessons. I even made it to level four and learned to dive in my swim lessons, which was the world’s biggest accomplishment to eight-year-old me.

Looking back, I was never the best at any of those activities. (Mom, Dad, if you’re reading this, please let me know if I actually was the best. I need more accomplishments to put on my resumé.) I don’t know that I ever made a basket playing basketball, and I still can’t properly dive into a pool.

But I loved playing them anyways, and I met some of my best childhood friends in the process. I had a blast with each sport, and part of it may have been because I wasn’t really that competitive. We were just playing a game, not trying to be the best at everything.

And sometimes I wonder where that carefree fun went. Though I still enjoyed extracurriculars going into middle and high school, I started driving myself for the competition instead of enjoyment. I

wanted to be the fastest, the strongest, the smartest, the whatever-est.

That drive for competition made me afraid, too. I didn’t sign up for things like theater and class officer positions because I was afraid to fail. I was petrified before my first color guard audition because I thought failure was the end of the world.

I think that fearlessness was part of what made playing sports as a kid so much fun and such a nostalgic thought. When I look back at my high school track meets, I think of the competition and the time I got first place because all the faster girls dropped the race.

But if I look back at my elementary school soccer games, I think of playing around on the sidelines and eating postgame fruit snacks and Capris Suns with my friends. I can’t remember how many games I won or how many goals I scored because those weren’t what mattered.

I’m still working to get out of that competitive frame of mind and reminding myself that I can’t be the best at everything, but I can still enjoy it. I wasn’t the best girl in the color guard here at Liberty, but I absolutely loved performing anyways.

The moral of the story is, if you want to try out for that sport or sign up for that club, go for it. Don’t get wrapped up in the competition and in trying to be the best at everything. It’s okay to stink, but it’s not okay to skip out on things you enjoy because you’re afraid to fail.

BAKER is the sports editor.

feature

Liberty Champion | October 2, 2018 | B5

A step into a new culture Liberty international students face unique challenges in a new country Kharen Martinez kmartinez6@liberty.edu

For many students, the first semester of college is hard. It is a challenge to be in a new place where everyone and everything is foreign. For Aline Aidar, a freshman at Liberty University, moving from Brazil to go to college made it twice as hard.

Over 700 international students from 75 different countries travel every semester to the United States to get a degree from Liberty University, leaving their families and everything familiar.

“I think the first two weeks were the most

difficult ones,” Aidar said. “I was here all by myself, and I had to get to know the system.”

According to Tara Watkins, the international students retention specialist, most of these international students have to face culture shock, which is the sense of disorientation that people experience when they have to adapt to a different social or cultural environment.

“I admire international students,” Watkins said. “It is a huge step to come to college in the first place -- even when American students leave home to come to college, internationals have done that — multiplied by a lot.”

Watkins said although studying in a dif-

ferent country is hard, international students work to overcome cultural change. Most of them average a 3.0 or higher GPA. Many international students like Aidar have to adapt to the culture change.

“We kiss to say hi, but in America they don’t do that, and that kind of shocked me,” Lucas Grassis, a freshman student from France, said. “I never know what I am supposed to do when I meet people. Do I hug them? Do I shake their hands? Sometimes it is hard.”

Students who come from other countries said that they learn from the American culture every day, leaving the differences behind.

“Korea is really big with respect to the elderly,” Jenny Kim, a junior student at Liberty, said. “Here everyone is friends in a sense, no matter if you are older. I like that.

It brings everyone together; (it) brings the wall down between you and your elderly.”

However, international students also appreciate when people from the U.S. are open to learn from them and keep an open mind about their culture in situations that can be misunderstood.

“I would like (Americans) to know that if I am speaking Spanish it is not because I am offending them,” Rebecca Lopez, a junior student from Ecuador, said. “If you hear me speaking Spanish it is because sometimes I just want to speak my native language, so don’t get offended if you hear another language.”

Overcoming the obstacles between cultures are a small part of establishing relations with the international stu-

dents, and they said they appreciate when those obstacles are torn down.

“The biggest barrier is fear and understanding that we need to treat everyone as unique individuals,” Kike Caycedo, a student worker from the ISC, and a senior student from Colombia said. “Just clear out your mind if you have stereotypes, talk to the person just as if you were meeting any other person. That person might have an accent or not, but try to overcome that.”

MARTINEZ is a feature reporter.

Liberty is home to over 700 international students.

75 different countries are represented on campus.

Leah Seavers | Liberty News Service CELEBRATE — Flags of the nations are featured at Global Focus Week yearly.

International students average a 3.0 GPA or higher.

Silent Starbucks ASL club hosts special events, encourages better understanding of deaf culture Emily Wood ewood13@liberty.edu

Imagine communicating at dinner without uttering a single word. Students in the American Sign Language Club (ASL) often do just this, communicating only in ASL as they share a meal together.

The ASL Club hosts silent dinners each week at places like Panera Bread, Starbucks and Star Ginger. Their events include Eye Worship and a gala at the end of the year.

A new addition to the club is the American Sign Language Honor Society.

Liberty ASL Club’s purpose is to “better understand deaf culture by engaging in activities such as silent dinners.” The ASL Club offers an outlet for both deaf and hearing students to thrive in their college experiences.

Vice President of the ASL club Ana Horner began learning sign language in fifth grade. Horner developed a heart for ministry to the deaf not long after being introduced to the language. Now she is an ASL major, planning to work as a translator after graduation.

“I had seen ASL, and it is just a beautiful language,” Horner said. “That’s why I was first interested. I realized just how much could be conveyed in ASL that is hard to be conveyed in spoken language.”

ASL Club President Marianna Atwell has experience in the club as a deaf member.

“My involvement with the ASL Club has enhanced my experience at LU because I get to know other people without the middleman (interpreter) and language barriers,” Atwell said.

The ASL Club engages with the deaf community at Liberty, and strives to foster an environment of opportunity.

The ASL club also has a strong support from the Deaf Ministries at Living Word Baptist Church in Forest.

Horner explained that the club is open to all Liberty students.

“ASL club is a great way for students to be involved in deaf culture,” Horner said.

“Learning sign language is an amazing way to get to know deaf people.”

According to Horner, the events that the club offers opportunities for students to use their skills in ASL

allison heise | Liberty champion

RECOGNIZE — The club is hoping to get esports recognized as a club sport.

Top of the game Students share their love of video games Rachel McClamroch rkmcclamroch@liberty.edu

Deanna Drogan|Liberty Champion

SIGN — Members communicate using only ASL.

“The main goal of the club is to develop community and have a chance to use the language practically,” Horner said.

ASL student Savannah Brangman shares a passion for ASL. “The culture is really beautiful,” Brangman said. “It is English in picture form. I like the idea of being able to communicate with someone who is deaf.”

Brangman encourages those interested in ASL to take a class since it is a relatively easy language to learn. Brangman recently attend the ASL club’s silent dinner at Panera Bread.

She said that though communicating pushed her out of her comfort zone, it was a great experience.

The ASL club helps bridge the gap between the learning in the classroom and real life.

“You can learn as much as you can in the classroom, but it is not like meeting a deaf person,” Brangman said. “It is putting what you learn in a classroom to a real-world setting.”

Vice President Horner encourages anyone interested to come out to the events.

For more information on Liberty University’s ASL Club, visit their Facebook page or speak with a member.

WOOD is a feature reporter.

It is late Thursday evening, and students have gathered with multiple laptops and projectors, lighting the dull walls of DeMoss fourth floor classrooms with the vibrant, projected colors of video game screens.

The fencing club is artfully whacking each other next door, but they cannot be heard over the excited chatter of the Gaming Club, one of the largest clubs on campus.

There are a number of new elements to Liberty University’s Gaming Club this year, but one of the most remarkable is the presence of its esports division.

Esports are different from the other club activities.

“At Gaming Club, it’s more of a recreational thing, not a competition thing,” Rachel Meell, club member said. “(Esports) is a more organized thing, more about the competition.”

In esports, students can organize themselves into team rosters and play against the teams of other colleges. Games include “Overwatch,” “Rainbow 6 Siege,” “Call of Duty” and many more.

“Esports is becoming a real thing,” Meell said. “It’s becoming a huge industry-some universities are giving out scholarships.”

Jacen Garriss, the president of the Gaming Club, is especially passionate about esports He was there when the teams first got their start last year.

“We started mid-fall of 2017 with five guys, and over the course of the fall and then the spring we went over 70 or 80 students competing,” Garriss said.

Garriss said he does not yet have the official numbers of players for this semester, but it is over 100.

According to Garriss, Liberty’s Student Government Association said clubs are not supposed to be tournament sports teams.

However, the intention of the esports teams is not to stay with the Gaming Club but to join the roster of club sports. The process of becoming an official club sport was complicated, so for the time being esports has joined the ranks of the Gaming Club.

Meell thinks many other colleges are tending toward recognizing esports as a sport.

“I think it would make us the cutting edge of col-

leges,” Meell said. “It would put us ahead of the game.”

Garriss thinks the esports club would gain a greater measure of professionalism as a club sport, as the university lays out rules and requires practices. The greater university funding would be helpful as well.

“As a student-led group we don’t have access to a lot of funds,” Garriss said.

“We can’t have a room full of computers to match what other schools are doing.”

Garriss said the and other leaders of the club had spoken to various faculty and that the road to possibly becoming a club sport would be slow. He says that, beyond gaining approval, it would take time to put together equipment and a budget, organize practice and find faculty to oversee the sport.

“Nobody in the (present) program will see Liberty esports at its best, because it takes time,” Garriss said.

The Gaming club meets every Thursday evening from 6:30-9:30 p.m. in Demoss room 4326.

MCCLAMROCH is a feature reporter.

feature

B6 | October 2, 2018 | Liberty Champion

allison heise | Liberty Champion

SPECIALTY — One of the most popular drinks at Golf Park is cold brew.

allison heise | Liberty Champion

ATMOSPHERE — Owners are committed to being approachable to customers and providing quality products.

A walk in the Golf Park Lynchburg’s new coffee shop features warm atmosphere and cold brew Victoria McCoy vjmccoy1@liberty.edu

Over the past few years, Lynchburg has experienced a boom in new businesses. From eateries, to clothing boutiques, this town has welcomed a plethora of locally-owned shops.

Recently joining the new wave of local businesses is Golf Park Coffee Co., a coffee shop with a comforting atmosphere and refreshing cold brew.

Golf Park Coffee Co., located on Bedford Ave., serves teas, espressos, iced beverages and other specialty drinks. Their signature beverage is the cold brew, which co-owner Ben Young said sparked the idea for the company. While cold brew is the shining star, they are also welcoming new kid on the block and a customer favorite, the matcha latte.

This specialty coffee company has an interesting upbringing that adds to the unique flare of Golf Park.

Young and fellow owner, Adam Shurr, were inspired by the different coffees they enjoyed while traveling for their work.

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“We developed a love for coffee through experiences traveling around the country and trying different coffee shops,” Young said.

As they traveled and began to sample new coffee, they were exposed to many Lynchburg did not have. One of the most popular beverages in other areas during their travels was cold brew coffee, coffee brewed with room temperature or cold water.

Inspired by their travels, Young says they began running a coffee business from inside their home, located on the street Golf Park Drive, the namesake of their business. After being cleared through the city to run their business and after passing health code inspections, they were ready for business.

Golf Park started as a company where customers would order 64 ounces of cold brew coffee for the week in glass growlers.

“You would order online, and people would come to our house Saturday mornings to pick up their — Ben Young growlers,” Young said.

He also said that these Saturday mornings were how they began to grow closer to their customers and develop relationships.

Golf Park continues to stay strong on their values as a company. Young mentions that a part of their business values is comradery with their employees. A lot of time and effort is put into choosing the right people to represent the Golf Park Co. team. It is not just a work environment full of managers and baristas. It is a family.

Young also said that Golf Park values their customers and strives to be customer driven.

“While specialty coffee can sometimes feel unapproachable,” Young said. “We want to always be approachable to our customers.”

Young wants to provide people with an excellent atmosphere and provide consumers

with the best possible product through Golf Park. Young focuses on good employee relations and exceptional customer care. They also invest in equipment and product that will produce high-quality coffee. Young believes that if you have the best setup, you will create the best product.

“There are a lot of really good coffee shops in Lynchburg,” Young said. “And we are really happy to be one of the handful of shops changing the coffee culture in Lynchburg.”

MCCOY is a feature reporter.

We are really happy to be one of the handful of shops changing the coffee culture in Lynchburg.

allison heise | Liberty Champion

WARMTH — Customers enjoy the cozy atmosphere as they come to study or hang out.

Struggling students reach out Counselors experience higher demands with rising student mental illness Jenna Crenshaw jmcrenshaw@liberty.edu

Students walk to class every day on thousands of college campuses across the country, hiding behind a mask of being “okay.”

But the research done in the past few years claims otherwise.

October 7-13 marks Mental Health Awareness Week, and there are few places that mental health problems can be seen so clearly as on college campuses.

One of the most concerning facts about mental illness is that it can occur early in life, and it often does. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 75 percent of all mental illness begins by the age of 24, meaning that most mental illness begins during childhood and adolescence.

The American Psychological Association (APA) published an alarming article nearly 20 years ago, claiming that schoolchildren experience more anxiety than child psychiatric patients did in the 1950s.

Liberty University has taken the initiative to address this drastically increasing issue.

Dr. Steve Nielsen is the staff psychologist and clinical coordinator for the student counseling services.

“The demand for services is really high,” Nielsen said. “It

keeps all our staff busy every hour of the week.”

According to Nielsen, about 8,500 students have reached out to the student counseling services during the fall semester of 2017. That is an alarming rate of more than one out of every two students.

804 students have reached out for counseling in the month of September alone.

According to Nielsen, the problem of mental illness in young people has gotten increasingly worse over the years.

“It’s really hard for them to figure out where they’re going and what’s going to be happening in the future,” Nielsen said. “I think they haven’t been prepared for the anxiety that the world is creating.”

APA defines anxiety as, “an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure.”

In fact, The American College Health Association found alarming statistics in the Spring 2014 National College Health Assessment. The assessment recorded that 56.9 percent of students surveyed felt overwhelming anxiety, and 47.7 percent felt hopeless.

Depression is also an issue that college students struggle with.

The American Psychiatric Association defines depression as, “feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed.” Symptoms include loss of energy, difficulty concentrating and even feelings of worthlessness.

An article by NBC News outlines the effect of anxiety and

numbers higher than the previous year.”

Suicide is now the secondleading cause of death among 15-19-year-olds, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Liberty has worked to address this problem on its campus by offering services to help students navigate these issues.

Crisis counseling helps students deal with challenges such as a change of major, loss of a relationship, problems with peers and death in the family. Counselors help students through the decision-making process.

“We can deal with most anything that comes — Steve Nielsen through the door,” Nielsen said.

Liberty also offers Celebrate Recovery, a group counseling service that helps depression on college students, students work through issues, inAccording to the 2016 UCLA cluding mental illness and even Higher Education Research In- substance abuse. stitute survey of freshmen, nearly Mental illness has crippled 12 percent say they are “fre- college campuses around the quently depressed.” country. Research has been unThe depression and anxiety covering the alarming rates at that students deal with have led which this problem is rising and to more serious problems such as continues to bring awareness to self-harm and suicidal thoughts. the issue.

According to the article by NBC, “26 percent of students who sought help said they had intentionally hurt themselves; 33.2 CRENSHAW is the feature percent had considered suicide, editor.

“

of all mental illness begins by age 24

We can deal with most anything that comes through the door.

of college students have experienced anxiety

of college students reported depression

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Liberty Champion | October 2, 2018 | B7

Lydia Poindexter| Liberty Champion

RED, GREEN AND WHITE — The Middle Eastern Open House featured unique cuisine for students to try.

A taste of the East Students’ eyes are opened to the Middle Eastern culture Kharen Martinez kmartinez6@liberty.edu

Going inside the International Student Center during the Middle Eastern Open House was walking inside a world full of life and culture. Middle eastern flags filled the environment as well

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I think a big part of overcoming culture shock is to be able to talk about your own culture.

— Kike Caycedo as the conversations of students who came eager to learn about different cultures.

The food and decorations made this open house a special experience where students from all places come together. Students also had the opportunity to learn through a slideshow that featured facts of the Middle East.

The International Student Center (ISC) hosts multiple open houses during the semester. Each represents a country or

region from which international students originate. This time it portrayed Middle Eastern countries. Student workers and staff came together to prepare the open house.

“I wanted to take advantage of getting to meet more people and immersing myself in the culture that is around me rather than what I grew up with,” Christy Beall, a sophomore student, said.

This is an opportunity not only for international students to come together with people from their culture but also for domestic students to enjoy a different culture, food and trivia that happens throughout the event.

“It is even better than working in an airport because you get to see people from everywhere in the world who stay here, and call this place home,” Kike Caycedo, student worker and office assistant at the ISC, said.

It is an opportunity for everyone to learn. The student workers from the ISC said even students from the Middle East who have not been in other countries from the Middle East get a first glance of the different cultures in other countries is.

“Nowadays, yes, we still have countries, we still have borders and all that, but the world is too globalized,” Caycedo said. “I think a big part of overcoming culture shock is to be able to talk about your own culture.”

Students who are not international said it takes courage to go

to a place where you do not necessarily understand everything at first but is important to take the first step.

“It forced us out of our comfort zone,” sophomore Natalie Martine said. “It feels awkward for us, but then also just to think about it, it is probably the same position that someone else is feeling.”

The ISC has hosted open houses for the past six years. They do not only have the open houses but events like the World-Wide Welcome during fall semester

and the Taste of Nations during the spring.

“We teach students during orientation that culture is like and iceberg, what you see is only the 30 percent of what it truly is,” Caycedo said, “(These events) are an opportunity for everyone not only to learn and experience a little bit of a culture, but to honestly enjoy and get involved with the community.”

MARTINEZ is a feature reporter.

Lydia Poindexter | Liberty Champion

TOGETHER — The Middle Eastern flags are all represented.

Jessie Rogers |Liberty News Service

EQUIP — Faculty trains student-doctors.

PATIENTS continued from B8 Dr. Raena Pettitt, an osteopathic physician and an assistant professor of Family Medicine, trains students and helps design standardized patient encounters. She said some students worry standardized patients will try to mislead or trick them. Watson said the opposite is true. Standardized patients sometimes need reminders not to give students all the information right away.

“We want the students to learn to ask the questions,” Watson said.

Kim Hartless is a mother of three who works as a standardized patient for LUCOM. She said the responsibility of giving every student an equal experience weighs on her and sometimes she wants to give students a hug. Hartless said she sticks to her script but prays for students before they enter her exam room. Heather Schonfelder, another standardized patient, said she wants students to feel the encounter is real. That takes knowing her material and committing to each role.

As Brumbaugh interviewed her patient, she said her preparation paid off and a rush of excitement swallowed her nerves.

“This is what I’m going to be doing for the rest of my life,” Brumbaugh said. “I was so nervous for nothing.”

Later Brumbaugh reviewed the video of her encounter, getting more feedback from students and faculty. She noticed a need to give patients more time to respond and ask questions. Brumbaugh will have several chances to improve standardized patient interactions during her training at LUCOM, starting with her next encounter in November.

EATON is a feature reporter.

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B8 | October 2, 2018 | Liberty Champion

kayla horn | Liberty Champion

VOCAL — The voices of students worshipping together reverberates through the tunnel every Friday night.

Echoing praise Students lead worship in east campus tunnel Olivia Deloglos odeloglos@liberty.edu

Every Friday night at 9 p.m., the East campus tunnel reverberates with worship from dozens of students participating in Tunnel Worship. Entering its fifth year, Tunnel Worship is a student-initiated time of prayer and worship that has become a favorite for Liberty students.

When Braxton Mann, a senior and one of the founding members of Tunnel Worship, visited Liberty for College for a Weekend he saw the tunnel as an excellent location for acoustics. When he became a student, he brought a few friends with him to jam in the tunnel but ended up getting more attention than expected.

“We just started playing worship songs … and people stopped to listen as we worshipped,” Mann said. “And we had a few people say that we should do this more often.”

Week by week, the number of attendees increased. Word spread around campus and other musicians started participating.

Mann explained that people may be drawn to Tunnel Worship because of the personal and intimate feel it generates. “(Tunnel Worship is) a place where people can meet with God and not feel any pressure to do anything but be there and worship,” Mann said.

Nicole Miller, another senior at Liberty, began participating in Tunnel Worship

her freshman year as a vocalist. Today, she plays an integral part in planning and rehearsing for each Friday night.

“Tunnel Worship is pretty close to being my favorite thing I’ve been a part of at Liberty,” Miller said.

For Miller, Tunnel Worship is an important addition to campus life because it gives more freedom to students to worship in their own ways.

“A cool thing about Tunnel Worship is people are really bold in their worship for whatever reason,” Miller said. “There’s all sorts of people worshipping all sorts of ways.”

Mann added that not every student has church affiliations that line up with the university, but all are still welcome to seek after and praise God. “If you come from a very charismatic church or a very liturgical church, there’s a place for you,” Mann said.

Miller said that Tunnel Worship is powerful simply because of the environment.

With echoing sounds of voices surrounding students, Miller said the experience is both freeing and compelling.

“The most important voice in worship is the voice of the congregation,” Miller said. “One of the best things about (Tunnel Worship) is I can’t hear myself, I just hear God’s people.”

Over the years, regular attendees have posted about their experiences using the hashtag ‘#tunnelworship’ and reached out

on social media and in person to tell Tunnel Worship members about how it has impacted them. Miller said it is a privilege for her to see students worship and pray over each other week after week.

“People are worshipping God out of their own volition, in their own way, letting their own hearts speak and letting the Lord speak to them,” Miller said.

Tunnel Worship is not just powerful for the students who show up – it has an impact on the musicians as well.

“It’s been such a healing and peaceful, kind of eucharist moment in the week to remind myself what’s important,” Mann said.

As leaders like Miller and Mann prepare to graduate this year, they are looking back on their experiences with Tunnel Worship with nostalgia and looking to the future in the hopes that Tunnel Worship will become a student-led tradition.

Mann emphasized that the legacy of raw and nonjudgmental worship should remain as Tunnel Worship gets passed to new generations.

“No matter who you are or where you come from, you have a resting place and a safe space to seek out God (at Tunnel Worship),” Mann said.

DELOGLOS is a feature reporter.

Practicing for patients LUCOM student-doctors get hands-on experience through standardized patients teach medical students a variety of skills. Students interview, examine, and sometimes order tests for each patient.

Before internships and residencies, They then step out of the room to type before board exams and licensure and up notes and return for three minutes before treating a single real patient, stuof feedback. dent-doctors at Liberty University ColTime limits on the encounters get lege of Osteopathic stricter as students prepare for Medicine (LUCOM) board exams. Faculty memwork with actors bers assess students’ physical who simulate patient exam and interview skills while behavior. standardized patients give These actors are feedback on nonverbal cues. called standardized A doctor who sits too close, patients, and they fiddles with clothing, or rushes grade how students questions can make a patient make them feel and uncomfortable. what nonverbal cues If necessary, standardor tics a student ized patients get feedback, should change. too. Each exam room comes Alonna Brumequipped with two video cambaugh, a first-year eras and a one-way mirror. medical student from From behind the mirrors, suPennsylvania, met pervisors and faculty members her first standardized watch in a narrow hallway lit patient on a Tuesday by tiny red aisle lights. Pam afternoon in early Watson, assistant director of rebekah yoder | Liberty Champion September. Wear- TRAIN — Student-doctors treat patients in real-life scenarios. the Center for Standardized ing a dress under her Patients and Simulation, can lab coat and stethomonitor video feeds from the scope, Brumbaugh stowed her bag in a rooms with friends. She had rehearsed control room. With other supervisors, locker and swiped into the standardized her interview, memorizing the ques- Watson makes sure standardized patient lab. tions she would ask. The new element patients follow their training, giving After a brief meeting Brumbaugh was the stranger behind the door. consistent, correct scenarios to each waited at the door of her assigned “My knees were shaking I was so student. room. When instructed by overhead nervous,” Brumbaugh said. “…This announcements, she opened a manila is our chance to show that we can folder with her standardized patient’s become a doctor.” invented name and date of birth. AnStandardized patient encounters See PATIENTS, B7 Esther Eaton eeaton@liberty.edu

other overhead announcement directed her to enter the room.

Each encounter room looks like the exam room of an average doctor’s office, complete with a vinyl covered exam table and rolling stool.

Brumbaugh had practiced in these

Kayla Horn| Liberty Champion

PRAISE — Nicole Miller and Naoto Barrett lead.

Kayla Horn | Liberty Champion

JOY — Students who walk through often join.

The Watch Natalie Aidar natalieaidar@liberty.edu

Aline Aidar, a student at Liberty University, goes to the prayer chapel on Tuesday nights to worship with the Watch.

She said they are passionate about what they do and that the worship is very intense and deep.

“I love the Watch,” Aidar said. “The way they worship and pray for revival on campus and in Lynchburg is great. People that go there are very passionate as well, so we can feel the presence of God very easily, simply because people are there on their own just to worship.”

The Watch is a community of students w ho are passionate about Jesus and believe in the power of partnering with His heart through prayer & worship.

AIDAR is a feature reporter.

Macy Hrncir| Liberty Champion

UPLIFT — The doors of the chapel invite students to pray.

7:30 - 9:30 p.m.

Tuesday at the prayer chapel.