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INSIDE
Fans mourn music icon’s death4PG 8
Eagles take down Liberty
4PG 6
Winthrop University
Rock Hill, South Carolina
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
A day of service Judy Longshaw / University Relations
Over 300 Winthrop students had the chance to “leave their mark” by painting their hand print on a large banner for the MLK Day of Service.
Winthrop spends day off giving back to Rock Hill community Beth West westb@mytjnow.com Despite the frigid weather, there was no protest from the volunteers to go ensure that the children’s play areas met the safety standards in addition to cleaning up the area in general. While there was a group outside there were also two groups that were able to serve The Pilgrim’s Inn inside by organizing the technology and pantry closets. Within those closets are things that provide so much to someone who has so little. Those that are affected by poverty, a lack of education, drug addiction and mental illness are able to seek The Pilgrim’s Inn for help with job search, apartment style living, housing, child care centers and an expansive reading collection. As the volunteers all arrived and truly began getting into the projects it was evident that their service was not a difficult or grueling task. Those that were helping were so excited and honored to give back to the Rock Hill community and those in need. While working through the cold volunteers were able to rake and level out the blue tire chips that provide a safe material for the children while they are playing so if they fall they are falling on something with high shock resistance and buoyancy. Volunteers working outside managed to look past their own desire for warmer weather and a less labor intensive project for the betterment of the children that are facing these difficult situations.
Judy Longshaw / University Relations
University President Dan Mahony helps prepare meals at Freedom Temple Ministries. By providing a safe and clean place for these children to play and work in is so important because it gives them something to look forward to during their day and perhaps a chance to forget the difficult times that they are experiencing, it gives them time to be a child. Volunteers from various different organizations, colleges and service groups piled into vans to provide a positive impact on the Rock Hill community. A large group of volunteers traveled to The Pilgrim’s Inn, where there were three service projects awaiting help. Martin Luther King, Jr. left a legacy behind him which has empowered and touched so many, including the millions of 4see MLK pg. 3 student volunteers.
The Oscars Whiteout
#OscarsSoWhite reemerges on social media Kali Coleman colemank@mytjnow.com
A hashtag on Twitter reemerged this year after the Oscar nominations were announced on Thursday.
The hashtag, #OscarsSoWhite, was created last year on Twitter when no non-white actors were nominated in any of the four acting categories for the 87th Academy Awards. The last time this occurred was in 1998. However it seems that 2016 has brought it back. After no non-white actors were nominated last year, the Academy continued by again nominating no minority actors in the four categories this year. Some people argue that diversity doesn’t matter in this case. It’s simply who deserved the nomination, whether they’re white or not. But is that the case?
mytjnow.com Serving Winthrop since 1923 theJohnsonian
Many people say no. They point to the wellreceived performances of minorities in movies this year like Idris Elba in “Beasts of No Nation”, Samuel L. Jackson in “The Hateful Eight”, and Will Smith in “Concussion”. The biggest uproar was the lack of nominations for the star actor of “Creed”, Michael B. Jordan and minorities involved in the hit movie, “Straight Outta Compton”. After all, these minority-based movies did receive some nominations for Oscars, but only for white people involved in them.
4see OSCARS pg. 9
Index: News 3 | Science & Tech 5 | Sports 6 | Arts & Culture 8 | Opinion 10
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January 20, 2016
WEATHER Wednesday Saturday Mostly Cloudy Partly Cloudy 49 °/ 27° F 45 °/ 30° F
Sunday Thursday PM Showers Mostly Sunny 53 °/ 34° F 52 °/ 39° F
Friday Rain 46 °/ 34° F
Monday Partly Cloudy 59 °/ 41° F
Photos by Janay Reece / The Johnsonian
Screenshot of The Johnsonian’s Instagram of students volunteering for Winthrop’s MLK Day of Service.
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Tuesday PM Showers 59 °/ 41° F
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NEWS
theJohnsonian
MLK Day of Service January 20, 2016
MLK • from front
Winthrop is no stranger to taking this federal holiday “on, not off,” in partnership with several campus organizations as well as York Technical College and Clinton College. The AmeriCorps VISTA program at Winthrop plans this event in combination with Career and Civic Engagement, Council of Student Leaders, Diversity and Student Engagement, Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, National Panhellenic Council, Resident Students’ Association, York Technical College and Clinton College have all taken on a huge accomplishment of getting over 340 students to sign up for the event. This year’s event also received a $2,000 Martin Luther King Day of Service grant, which helps provide transportation, food and other necessary materials for the volunteers to effectively accomplish the mission of the day; providing food and services to those in need in the Rock Hill community. In addition to The Pilgrim’s Inn there were several different work sites that the volunteers went, each site with their own projects. Volunteers were able to work with local shelters, churches and assistance based centers in addition to several other work sites and initiatives. Kate Harper, a sophomore elementary and middle level education major, was assigned to help with the Stop Hunger Now Initiative, which took place in the West Center. Harper’s favorite part of the day was “getting to pack and provide meals to over 60,000 people.” She felt that it was humbling to provide the basic human necessity of food, something that she has never had to be concerned about. Her motivation to attend the event was simple: “I really wanted to make a difference in the community.” Harper knew that this was an excellent outlet to give back to her local community. After the day’s main events of service and assisting the community there was time allotted for each group to respectfully engage and reflect with one another about their experience. Ashley Collins, a junior social work major and Winthrop’s Homecoming Queen, shared her experience with everyone and ex-
Janay Reece / The Johnsonian
Winthrop students volunteer at the American Reformed Presbyterian Church Monday morning for the Pilgrim’s Inn and Willow Brooks Retirement Home by making spaghetti meals and desserts. plained how the day helped her realize that everyone in the community can make a difference and enact change. “We can do a lot with the community together. We can make the impossible, possible. Some of us did not even know who we were and we came together to impact the community and give back.” Brianna Temple, a sophomore mass communications major, reflected on the day’s events as well by stating that by working with the Stop Hunger Now initiative she was really enlightened on circumstances different than her own. “We don’t think about how there are people who have to think about how they’re going to make it to the next day and find their next meal while we complain about the small things. knowing how happy we made people today [by] making a difference for them is what has me walking away with a huge smile on my face. I am so thankful!” Martin Luther King, Jr.’s aim in life was to inspire others to be receptive to change and a willingness to work with anyone and everyone in any aspect. On Jan. 18 Winthrop hosted an event that embodied the vision and ultimate goal of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Judy Longshaw / University Relations
Students volunteer in the West Center on MLK Day of Service.
Love Your Melon
Beth West westb@mytjnow.com Love Your Melon is a non-profit organization that raises money for children that have cancer and are experiencing difficult and painful treatments. The founders of this national nonprofit, Zach and Brian, started this organization during their sophomore year in college with the goal of placing a hat on every child with cancer. Zach and Brian started off by visiting hospitals and dressing up as superheroes to give the children the hats that they were making. The company has grown so much since it’s founding date. To date this organization has given over 35,000 hats to children with cancer and has be able to start a donation program in effort to increase the amount of money that can contribute to cancer research. Similar to the model that Tom’s shoes has set up, the money that is raised from the hat sales will provide funding towards the Pinky Swear Foundation and CureSearch. Love Your Melon has launched on
Winthrop’s campus as an ambassador program. The Winthrop students who are ambassadors are responsible for spreading awareness and getting other students to contribute to the organization’s mission. Ashley Osborne, a junior history major, is a founding member of the Winthrop chapter and is excited to see how far this organization can grow on our campus. “I was inspired by family members and friends who have or had cancer [to be a part of this organization]. I know how much the little things mean to them and dressing up as a super-hero and giving a hat to a kid can make a difference for them.” It took around a month for the organization to get approved by the Love Your Melon company. Osborne continued by saying that she loves this organization and “I did not realize until after I joined that I have family members that have actually received hats as a result of this company.” Photo courtesy of Winthrop’s Love Your Melon Instagram For more information about Love Love Your Melon members Amanda Sabin, Mackenzie Williams and Brie Palmer (not Your Melon you can visit their national pictured) encourage students to join the new organization through social media. website and the Winthrop chapter’s Instagram is, @wu.loveyourmelon. campuscrew.
Beth West | News Editor westb@mytjnow.com
theJohnsonian
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January 20, 2016
Obama delivers final State of the Union Address Thomas Calamia calamiat@mytjnow.com The main chamber on Capitol Hill erupted a standing ovation applause Jan. 12 as President Obama gave his final State of the Union speech. In his address, President Obama began with the promise of “keeping it short.” He said how, despite it being an election year that he would like to begin taking steps towards more bipartisan politics as well as looking at issues such as drug abuse, prison sentence reform, immigration reform, raising the minimum wage, and gun violence. He then asserted the four major questions that would be addressed in his speech that all look towards the future. “First, how do we give everyone a fair shot at opportunity and security in this new economy?” said Obama. “Second, how do we make technology work for us, and not against us — especially when it comes to solving urgent challenges like climate change? Third, how do we keep America safe and lead the world without becoming its policeman? And finally, how can we make our politics reflect what’s best in us, and not what’s worst?” He addressed the first question by talking about the state of economy, and how the economy has recovered over the past 8 years. He also pointed out that education gives people the tools and skills needed for success in the job market and how we will need to work towards making college more affordable so that more people can have the opportunity to succeed. However, he also said that wages will need to rise as well. “It’s made it harder for a hardworking family to pull itself out of poverty, harder for young people to
start their careers, tougher for workers to retire when they want to,” said Obama. Next he talked about technology and nurturing the spirit of innovation. He begins by recounting the space race between the U.S.S.R. and the U.S. The president said how new technological advancements will need to better address the issue of climate change. He also said how our next major ‘moon shot’: curing cancer. “For the loved ones we’ve all lost, for the families that we can still save, let’s make America the country that cures cancer once and for all,” said Obama. To answer the third question the president admitted that foreign threats such as ISIL and Al-Qaeda are the two biggest threats to citizens, but “they do not threaten our national existence.” “We just need to call them what they are -- killers and fanatics who have to be rooted out, hunted down, and destroyed,” said Obama. However, he also explains that military action cannot be the answer to all foreign crises. He would rather act to protect our country and work with other countries to makes sure they are involved as well, calling it “a smarter approach, a patient and disciplined strategy that uses every element of our national power.” Finally, he returns to his earlier point about bipartisan politics to answer his fourth question. In order to move forward, he called for the “suspicion” between the two parties to end and instead focus towards a willingness to work together in order to get things done. Not everyone agreed with the address, though. The Republican Party offered their annual response to the president’s address. This year, SC Governor Nikki Haley responded on
behalf of the GOP. “Of course that doesn’t mean we won’t have strong disagreements. We will. And as we usher in this new era, Republicans will stand up for our beliefs,” said Haley. She went on to state that the goal to fix the economic problem is rather to lower taxes, rather than raising wages. Governor Haley also responded to the president’s four questions, fo-
cusing on religious liberty, less government spending, less government and union influence in schools, and a split between healthcare and government. “We would recognize the importance of the separation of powers and honor the Constitution in its entirety,” said Haley “And yes, that includes the Second and Tenth Amendments.”
Clinton & Sanders clash at debate
is a law that mandates federal background checks on firearm purchasers in the United States, and imposes a five-day waiting With only 15 days before the period on purchases, until the preliminary candidate votes in NICS system was implemented in Iowa and New Hampshire, the 1998. Democratic Party held its first They clashed yet again later debate of 2016 Sunday, Jan. 18 when the issue of big business. in Charleston, SC. The debate Clinton said that Sanders was not was put on my NBC, hosted by a supporter of President Obama’s the Congressional Black Caucus plan for healthcare and wanted to Institute, and was moderated by reduce Medicaid. NBC anchors Lester “I helped write Holt and Andrea it,” said Sanders. Mitchell. “But we are going to While Secretary move on top of that Hillary Clinton, to a Medicare for all I’m going to Senator Bernie debate Secretary system.” Sanders, and However despite Governor Martin Clinton and Gov. this, the two did seem O’Malley were to agree on how their O’Malley on all present at the campaigns should debate, the main issues facing the be run. Sanders was highlights of the about Clinton’s American people ask debate focused on husband’s, former debates on issues – not Bill Clinton’s President Bill Clinton, between Clinton and behavior. Sanders personal behavior. past Sanders. The two was upset at the argued on issues question. Bernie Sanders such as gun laws, “I cannot walk down Senator health care, and big the street, Secretary businesses. Clinton knows that, The first main without being told exchange that how much I have to the two had was on gun control. attack Secretary Clinton,” Sanders Sanders was asked why he had said. “I’m going to debate Secretary changed his possession on gun Clinton and Governor O’Malley laws before the election. Sanders on the issues facing the American responded that while he did people -- not Bill Clinton’s personal support a bill with the NRA, it behavior.” was a bill that had beneficial Overall, the majority of the components that limited the debate was focused on Secretary access of firearms to children Clinton and Senator Sanders. and prohibited the selling of Governor O’Malley got the least ammunition that could penetrate amount of speaking time at around police protection. 15 minutes. This is vastly less than “He has voted with the NRA Gun Clinton and Sanders who both lobby numerous times,” Clinton got between 25 and 30 minutes of said. “He voted against the Brady speaking time. Bill five times.” The Brady Bill Thomas Calamia calamiat@mytjnow.com
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638 Forest Lane, Rock Hill, SC: Contents of 2 story home near Winthrop University selling at Auction. A love of the arts is evident in this vast gallery of paintings and pottery from local South Carolina artists and abroad. Featured items include original paintings by renowned artist Edmund Lewandowski, as well as early and later artwork by Harriet Marshall Goode. Other artists include Joe Zdenek, Thomas Bullock, Tom Stanley, Wanda Stepp, Vernon Grant, Genie Wilder, Holly Fitzgerald, Pat Mallinson, David Goins, and others. Also featuring Catawba Indian pottery, as well as handcrafted pottery from North & South Carolina artists. Auction to additionally include ’00 Buick Park Avenue, Marble top coffee table made from wainscoting of the demolished Monadnock Railway Building, eclectic assortment of antique & modern furniture, beautiful glassware, & much more!
Open House: 1/20, 11am-1pm; 1/23, 10am-2pm; 1/25, 4pm-6pm On-Site Pick Up: 1/26, 10am-6pm, 638 Forest Lane, Rock Hill, SC Call T. Randolph Ligon, CAI • 803-366-3535 • SCAL1716 • NCAL8951
Thomas Calamia | Assistant News Editor calamiat@mytjnow.com
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S&T
theJohnsonian January 20, 2016
Doctors save child’s life with Cardboard
Photo courtesy of Redmond Burke
Surgeon Redmond Burke uses Google Cardboard to look at 3D images of a child’s heart.
Google’s virtual reality headset saves life Daniel James jamesd@mytjnow.com While children across the United States use boxes to form dioramas, cars, forts and dollhouse furniture, doctors at Miami’s Niklaus Children’s Hospital used it to save a child’s life. Pediatric cardiologist Juan Carlos Muniz used Google Cardboard, a device developed to serve as a cheaper alternative for a virtual reality headset, to plot pictures of the child’s heart and look at them in 3D to better plan the surgery. Teegan Lexcen was born in August with only one lung and without almost half of her heart. The doctors at the Minnesota hospital told her parents that there was nothing they could do to save the child and sent them home. The parents searched for a second opinion and found Florida cardiac surgeon Redmond Burke on a top 20 list on topmastersinhealthcare.com. At a conference discussing possible treatments,
Burke spoke to Muniz, who specializes in imaging, about making a 3D printed heart to use for planning the surgery, but the 3D printer was broken. Muniz had discussed using virtual reality for this with another doctor, but this situation forced him to put it to practice. “At our team here we’ve been working for the past year and a half on ways to represent images we take of hearts using 3D technology,” Muniz said. He uploaded images of the Lexcen’s heart onto his iPhone and placed the phone inside of the device and looked at the heart from all angles, trying to find some method they could use to fix it. Using Cardboard proved advantageous because unlike a 3D printed heart, Muniz was able to see not only the heart but its orientation in the ribcage. Obstacles to other procedures inspired Burke to form a new surgery, rewiring the right ventricle to be able to perform the work of both. The Dec. 10 surgery lasted for seven hours. During this time, Burke and the other surgeons on staff repaired the aorta and connected it to pulmonary artery, which in turn was connected with the lung. Teegan is now recovering following the surgery. “She was a very sick little girl, and she did have
a major operation, so we are taking it day by day,” Teegan’s mother Cassidy Lexcen said at a press conference last month. “You don’t imagine having to spend your first Christmas away from home like we’re doing, but our first Christmas with twins, what better gift could we be given?” While VR helmets can range from $100 to $1500, one of the things that made this surgery possible is the inexpensive nature of the device. “There are currently more expensive technologies you could use to look at virtual imaging, but I thought this was really elegant because it’s essentially a cardboard box,” Burke said. Google sells a kit to build Cardboard for $20, but they also post instructions to design and make one using common household items including a pizza box, Velcro, a rubber band, washers, and a magnet. These could easily be obtained for even college students on a budget. The only tricky component are the lenses which must have a 45mm focal distance and should be biconvex to prevent distortion. The only expensive component is the smart phone, which not all students have. The app to operate Google Cardboard is free, however.
If you have a smart phone or mp3 player, you likely have ear buds, but you probably don’t think about cleaning them. Ear buds have been linked to ear infections and transmission of bacteria. The first step is to unplug the earbuds from a device as it requires a small amount of soap and water to clean and any electrical connection could cause a short. Use a cloth with a very little amount of soap and water to wipe them off. Use either a toothpick or toothbrush to remove any excess earwax or dust. If you have them, remove the silicone covers and clean them separately with soap and water.
Animal abuse: crime against society Daniel James jamesd@mytjnow.com Animals have scored a big win with a new decision by the FBI to formally recognize animal cruelty cases and to place them in the same reporting system as crimes against fellow man. According to Mollie Halpern from the FBI, they are preparing to collect data on animal cruelty as part of its National Incident-Based Reporting System. This is a collection of crime statistics that law enforcement provides the FBI. The FBI made this decision after officials demonstrated that animal cruelty is related to human cruelty and can be seen as a preliminary indicator. A study conducted by the Animal Legal and Historical Research Center in 2008 found that 70 percent of animal abusers have committed another criminal offense and 40 percent have committed crimes against people.
The study also found that men who abused animals were five times more likely to have been arrested for human violence. In domestic violence cases, 85 percent of women entering shelters said there were instances of animal abuse in the home. The FBI defines animal cruelty as “Intentionally, knowingly or recklessly taking an action that mistreats or kills any animal without just cause, such as torturing, tormenting, mutilation, maiming, poisoning or abandonment.” According to Unit Chief Amy Blasher, examples of abuse that will be collected include dog fighting, cock fighting and animal sexual abuse. Such crimes fell under the category of “other” when local police agencies
reported to the FBI. Every state has enacted felony provisions for animal cruelty, since the adoption South Dakota’s animal cruelty laws in 2014. The new classification is meant to enable harsher sentences for animal cruelty and to identify young offenders. This is because the FBI found a connection between instances of murder and serial killing and early age animal abuse, such as in the cases of Son of Sam and the Boston Strangler. “I am enormously grateful for the work of the National Sheriffs’ Association and the Department of Justice in recognizing the importance of animal cruelty,” said CEO of The Humane Society of the United States Wayne Pacelle. “This new development, which has
Officials demonstrated that animal cruelty is related to human cruelty and can be seen as a preliminary indicator.
Daniel James | Science & Technology Editor jamesd@mytjnow.com
been on the radar of the animal protection movement for years, is a practical way of cracking down on cruelty.” He said that it is significant that the highest levels of government are beginning to recognize animal cruelty in similar ways to established violent crimes. The Humane Society has been pushing for this kind of change for years and Pacelle said that the decision is especially good news. While the decision was primarily accepted due to the link between violence toward animals and humans, this does not mean this is the decision’s one purpose. According to Mary Lou Randour, a psychologist animal rights advocate, the decision is not about protecting people or animals, it is about protecting humans and animals. While data collection begins this year and will be publicly available in 2017, it may take more time for trends to become apparent as at least six years are normally needed in order to see an indicative trend.
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SPORTS
theJohnsonian
January 20, 2016
Eagles blow out Flames
Jacob Hallex / The Johnsonian
Xavier Cooks drives the lane in last seasons game against the Liberty Flames
Winthrop takes down Liberty 74-58 Adarrell Gadsden gadsdena@mytjnow.com Following an impressive nationally televised 20-point win over the High Point Panthers The Winthrop men’s basketball team began preparing to welcome familiar foe Liberty University into the unfriendly confines of Winthrop Coliseum, where the Eagles would out pace the Flames to a 74-58 win. Saturday afternoon brought the Flames of Liberty University to do battle with the Eagles and just like the contest before the Eagles would handily defeat their opponent. The Flames came in to the Saturday’s game at 5-14 and 10th in the Big South Conference standings. Winthrop sitting at 11-6 and at 4th place in the conference.
The Eagles came out of the gate ready to shoot the three ball, going 5-12 in the first half for a little over 41.7 percent shooting from three in the first half. However, the Eagles shooting during the first was a bit spotty as the Eagles only dropped 10-27 shots from the field as compared to the Flames who only went 9-26 from the field. The Eagles would end the first half; however, with a comfortable nine point lead. The Eagles stepped back onto the court and the team's Jacob Hallex / The Johnsonian shooting percentage jumped Keon Johnson looks for an open man in last seasons game against the Liberty Flames. through the roof. The Eagles would go 16-23 19 points overall. Gardner-Webb is currently from the field in the second-half The Eagles ended the game tied for second place in the Big with a shooting percentage of with 36-points in the point South and statistically has the 69.6 percent. compared to Liberty’s 22. The third best scoring offense. The Eagles received a big lift Eagles took advantage of a good The only teams better are from sophomore forward Xavier deal of the Flames mistakes, Winthrop and High Point at one Cooks who knocked down 3-4 scoring 16-points off turnovers. and two respectively. three-point field goals and 8-13 Winthrop is currently sitting The Runnin’ Bulldogs also do from the field leading all scorers at 4th place in the conference a good job of spreading the floor for 22 points. and will play their next game on and finding open teammates Graduate transfer Jimmy Wednesday at 7 p.m. against the as they currently rank second Gavin also had a productive Runnin’ Bulldogs of Gardnerin conference for assists per shooting night as he was able to Webb in Boiling Springs, North game, averaging 14.3 assists per find the bottom of the net on 2-5 Carolina. contest. from behind the three point with
Eagle of the Week: Freddy Poole as an athlete. “I started playing basketball when I was six and fell in love with it instantly. I played throughout high school and was given a chance There’s only one power forward on the to play here as a walk-on,” Poole said. Winthrop men’s basketball Poole said that playing basketball for team: Freddy Poole, a Winthrop has created a special sense sophomore finance major from of school pride and responsibility in Columbia, SC. representing the school. He first found Winthrop years It’s like a second “It’s different [to play for the school], ago when his older sister first because at Winthrop we are like a home with attended the school. family. Not to get it mixed up, in high people that “When I was younger I school and club sports you create remembered how I liked the you know have relationships that last a life-time, but campus so I decided to come when it’s a different feel when you live your back at all with your team and spend more time here as well,” Poole said. Poole said he believes the team times, creating with the coaches and your team while will go far this year. being away from your home town,” something “We have a bunch of new and special that you Poole said. “Here at Winthrop, it’s talented faces to the team. We like a second home with people that also have members of last year’s could rarely find. you know have your back at all times, team that is hungry for another creating something special that you shot at the Big South Conference Freddy Poole could rarely find.” Power Forward for title and a chance to play in the Aside from the typical reasons to Winthrop Basketball NCAA tournament,” Poole said. come to games like the Game Changers The sophomore remembers his initiative or bonding with friend, Poole young start as a ball player and far he has come claims it brings other benefits. Emily Gill gille@mytjnow.com
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Adarrell Gadsden | Sports Editor gadsdena@mytjnow.com
Photo courtesy of Photo courtesy of Winthrop Athletics
“You get to brag when we win to your friends that decided not to come to Winthrop, [and] you can yell at the top of your lungs for as long as you want,” Poole said.
theJohnsonian
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January 20, 2016
Eagles declaw Panthers Men’s Basketball 1/20 @ 7 p.m. Boiling Springs, NC 1/23 @ 5 p.m. Farmville, VA
Jacob Hallex/ The Johnsonian
Xavier Cooks shoots a layup in last seasons game against the Liberty Flames. half, Winthrop tied up the game in minute 10 of the first. After that Winthrop held the lead for the entirety of the game with a On Thursday, the Winthrop Eagles lead of 15 or more for the majority of the second half. beat the High Point Panthers 86 to Brown scored 25 points total. 66. Jimmy Gavin was Winthrop’s In the first minute and a half, leading scorer with 29 Xavier Cooks racked points. Keon Johnson up seven points for scored 21. Winthrop. In that same Gavin was quick to praise amount of time, John his teammates for their Brown missed two free contributions to the win. throws. “What (Okeke) is doing If Xavier Cooks reigned is incredible. The best in the first two minutes blocker in the country, of the game, Duby hands down,” Gavin Okeke’s presided in the said. “We played with a eighth minute of the lot of confidence tonight second half. and it was a collective Okeke’s dunk was confidence.” undoubtedly the Okeke commented on highlight of the game Jimmy Gavin Brown’s abilities, saying at 8:13. Less than half Guard for Winthrop “(Brown is a) really, really a minute later, Okeke’s University Basketball good player. We had lock defensive rebound left in on him.” the crowd in screaming High Point head coach Scott for more. Cherry was surprised about his Brown regained his footing team’s performance. throughout the game, making “That wasn’t my basketball team four tip shots, two layups and two out there tonight,” Cherry said. “We jumpers in the first half. didn’t play like we normally do.” Despite High Point’s rally to lead The Eagles will face High Point the game for five minutes in the first again Feb. 25 at High Point. Emily Gill gille@mytjnow.com
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We played with a lot of confidence tonight and it was a collective confidence.
Women’s Basketball 1/23 @ 1 p.m. Winthrop Coliseum 1/26 @ 7 p.m. Farmville, VA
Men’s Tennis 1/23 @ Noon Wofford College
Women’s Tennis 1/23 @ 10 a.m. North Carolina State
Track and Field
1/29 Thundering Herd Open
Lady Eagles fall at Liberty Adarrell Gadsden gadsdena@mytjnow.com The Winthrop women’s basketball team got burned by the Lady Flames of Liberty University as they could not find a answer on defense to keep the Flames cool from behind the three-point line. The Lady Eagles would fall to the Lady Flames by 16 points in a contest that finished 77-61. As the Winthrop coaching staff walked out of the Vines Center in Lynchburg,Virginia they may have been looking for the restart button as the Lady Eagles have dropped their last eight contest and sit at 2-14 overall and 1-6 in current Big South Conference play. The Lady Flames came out hot as their first four scores all came from behind the three-point line, which allowed Liberty to jump out to an
early and impressive 12-2 lead over the Lady Eagles. The Flames shot an even 50 percent from downtown on the day and finished the game on and impressive 11-22 points from three-point land. The Lady Eagles had some big positives in the game. Winthrop forward Erica Williams made the best of the opportunities she was given as she led all scorers on an impressive 22-point game. The Eagles led in points in the paint scoring 30 to the Flames 28, and in second chance points. However, this is a team not getting Photo courtesy of Liberty Flames website much contribution from their Liberty’s Mickayla Sanders player the ball on game against Winthrop. bench. The Lady Eagles bench added their game against Campbell. Campbell Camels. 5 points to the scoreline. While the The score for the Lady Eagles The ladies of Campbell are having Winthrop coaching staff has been game against High Point was their troubles as well and will hope known for their tight rotation of unavailable at press time. The to get back in stride when they face players the Lady Eagles will hope Eagles next game will be played the Eagles at Winthrop Coliseum on for more production off the bench in on Saturday at home against the Saturday.
Emily Gill | Sports Editor gille@mytjnow.com
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A&C
theJohnsonian
Powerball Madness
Millions play for $1.5 billion lottery ticket Kali Coleman colemank@mytjnow.com Two cash registers were open for business Wednesday night at the 7-11 across from Winthrop University’s campus. In the middle of the two marked a sign that indicated one was for lottery purchases only, and the other for non-lottery purchases. While the lottery line stretched all the way to the back of the room, not a single person stood in line for the other register. But the amount of people there was no surprise. With a possible $1.5 billion hanging over each person’s head that night, there was no choice but to participate in the madness. The sight in the 7-11 was truly spectacular. There were kind people explaining how to fill out Powerball cards to many confused new lottery players, people staring intensely at the numbers on the card hoping they were going to pick the right ones, and people asking to purchase ridiculous amounts of tickets. The madness began way before that Wednesday night. All week people were sharing Facebook posts and retweeting Tweets from people ‘promising’ to give money away to those who do if they won. Even celebrities who have plenty of money couldn’t help but talk about it. Kim Kardashian tweeted about it when it was still at $900 million,
January 20, 2016
asking her followers, “Who got power ball tickets???” Hillary Clinton even admitted to buying a ticket on Good Morning America, where she said she would fund her campaign if she won. Celebrities talking about and buying tickets for the Powerball might have seemed outrageous to the average person putting their luck towards the Powerball. After all, they’re rich? But even $1.5 billion is more money than most celebrities are worth. In fact, Kim Kardashian only has a net worth of $52.5 million, which would be easy to scoff at if you win the Powerball and even just take the lump sum, which after taxes would be $632.4 million in South Carolina. So, what do college students think about this? After all, they’re notorious for living the “broke” life. And approximately $630 million is more than enough to pay off student loans, and leave the broke college life behind. Victoria Deatherage, a sophomore Biology major at Winthrop, says she actually doesn’t think she’ll even buy a ticket. “Honestly, I’m a lazy college kid, I don’t want to go out to the gas station, so I’ll probably forget to even buy one,” said Deatherage. Most people claim they’ll drop everything and go crazy after winning that amount of money, never having to work or go to school another day in their life. Deatherage said if she did happen to not forget to buy a ticket and won, she has different ideas. “I’d definitely pay for college, pay off any loans my parents or grandparents have, then truthfully, I’d put that money away. I would definitely still continue my education and get a job,” explained Deatherage. However, Deatherage doesn’t have to worry about what she would do with the money. Like many others, I waited Wednesday night to
Reagan Martin / The Johnsonian
hear if anyone actually won after my numbers weren’t called. After all, no one won the $900 million, maybe no one would win the $1.5 billion, and we could all try again. Quickly, everyone learned that wasn’t the case. Three jackpot winners were announced in California, Florida and Tennessee. And more than 26 million people won combined smaller cash prizes totaling about
$273.9 million. There’s no reason to be discouraged though. The jackpot is estimated to reset to $40 million, with a cash prize around $24.8 million, which is still a lot of money. In addition, chances are that many people will opt out of playing the Powerball this time around since the big cash prize dwindled down, therefore you could be playing against better odds now.
Fans mourn Bowie
Photo courtesy of Victoria and Albert Museum website
Music icon dies of liver cancer Jay Grice gricej@mytjnow.com In the past week, the world has lost one of it’s most admired entertainers, musical innovator David Bowie. Two days after his 69th birthday, David Bowie passed away after an 18 month battle with liver cancer. Bowie’s diagnoses was not public and fans were devastated to hear of the stars passing. Bowie, a London native, was best known for his pop music from the 1970s; however he was also a songwriter, record producer, painter and actor. His first musical hit was “Space Oddity”, a record released in July of 1969. Bowie’s career thrived off his experimentation with different musical styles and alter egos. Bowie’s first character, Major Tom, was the voice behind “Space Oddity”.
Kali Coleman | A&C Editor colemank@mytjnow.com
Photo courtesy of ConsequenceofSound.net
Major Tom was soon followed by Ziggy Stardust, an alien ambassador who became a rock star on planet Earth. This is surely Bowie’s most infamous era of music production, with the widely recognizable lightweight bolt face makeup and over the top androgynous persona. Bowie changed his style repeatedly, and similarly changed the very nature of rock music over his five decade long career. In 1996, Bowie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after reaching nine UK platinum album certifications and five in the U.S. During the span of his career, Bowie sold over 140 million albums worldwide. On the day of his 69th birthday, Bowie released his last album entitled “Blackstar”. Bowie worked through his illness to not only create this final album but five years worth of music to be released posthumously. Bowie leaves behind his wife of fourteen years supermodel Iman and his two children.
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January 20, 2016
Golden Globes 2016 Recap Jay Grice gricej@mytjnow.com On Sunday night, the 73rd annual Golden Globe awards aired on NBC. The event was held at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California. The Golden Globes are an award show that honors the absolute best American of television and film of the previous year, in this case 2015. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) decides the nominations and the winners. For the fourth time, comedian Ricky Gervais hosted the show. Gervais has received much criticism the past times he has hosted for his raunchy and overly offensive jokes. This year was certainly no exception. During his opening monologue, Gervais made fun of the entire audience with his opening line. “Shut up you disgusting, pillpopping, sexual deviant scum,” scowled Gervais to the audience full of actors and actresses, screen writers, directors, producers and other random celebrities. Throughout the evening, Gervais was as crass as ever. One joke that Gervais caught a lot of heat over was a joke about Caitlyn Jenner. Gervais told the audience that this year’s event would be different, because he has changed, “but not as much as Bruce Jenner. Now Caitlyn Jenner, of course. What a year she’s had. She became a role model for trans people everywhere, showing great bravery in breaking down barriers and destroying stereotypes.” Then the punchline: "She didn't do a lot for women drivers. But you can't have everything, can you? Not at the same time.” Viewers on Twitter immediately began to lash out at the host for
what they considered a transphobic, sexist and overall ridiculous attempt at a joke. Yet he was completely unfazed. Gervais wrote back to angry tweets by saying “Suggesting a joke about Caitlin Jenner is automatically transphobic is like suggesting a joke about Bill Cosby is automatically racist.” “The Revenant”, a film directed by Alejandro G. Iñárrit and starring Leonardo DiCaprio was the film to win the most awards during the event. “Revenant” won Best Motion Picture — Drama, as well as Best Director. DiCaprio also won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama. After thanking the film’s director and crew, DiCaprio said “I want to share this award with all the First Nations people represented in this film, and all the indigenous communities around the world. It is time that we recognize your history, and that we protect your indigenous lands from corporate interest and people that are out there to exploit them. It is time that we heard your voice and protected this planet for future generations.” DiCaprio’s win came just days before the actor was nominated for an Academy Award for the same role. DiCaprio has been nominated for six Academy Awards, but has never won. Critics, analysts and fans agree that this could very likely be his year. Notable wins of the night under the Musical or Comedy film section include Matt Damon for his role in “The Martian” and Jennifer Lawrence in “Joy”. The Golden Globe for Best Original Song went to Sam Smith and Jimmy Napes for “Writing’s on the Wall”, the theme song for “Spectre”, 2015’s James Bond film. For the television awards of the evening, two winners stood out. The first being Taraji P. Hensen
Photo courtesy of www.dailyherald.com
DiCaprio accepts the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama for his role in Revenant. winning Best Performance in a Television Series – Drama for her role as “Cookie” Lyon in FOX’s series, Empire. The second big television win for the night was Lady Gaga, Best Performance in a Miniseries or Television Film. The win comes from her role as
The Countess on “American Horror Story: Hotel”. This being Gaga’s first major acting role, she was visibly shocked when her name was called. “I feel like Cher in that John Patrick Shanley film ‘Moonstruck’ right now,” she said once she got to the mic. “It’s like one of the greatest moments of my life.”
#OscarsSoWhite
OSCARS • from front
White actor Sylvester Stallone was nominated for best supporting actor in “Creed”, but black actor Michael B. Jordan was missing from the best actor nominations. “Straight Outta Compton” was nominated for best original screenplay, to two white screenwriters. However, its black filmmaker, F. Gary Gray, failed to receive a nomination for best director, despite the buzz surrounding him. Is it truly surprising though? In 2012, the Los Angeles Times published an analysis on the demographics of the estimated 6,000 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The majority of voting members were comprised of white men with a 94 percent white ratio and a 77 percent male ratio. Black voters comprised only 2 percent of the population, and Latino voters made up less than 2 percent. Not only did the Los Angeles Times reveal that the voters were majority white men, but also old white men. The study found the median age of voters to be 62, with voters younger than 50 making up only 14 percent. If people want to see more non-white actors nominated, it seems that they need to attack the root of the problem. That is, the lack of diversity in the voting members.
After all, majorly white nominees are being nominated by a mostly white voting board. While the majority of voting members are white men, the current President of the Academy Awards happens to be a black woman. Cheryl Boone Issacs, the 35th president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, expressed her own disappointment with the strictly white nominations this year. "Of course I am disappointed," said Issacs, in a statement. "But this is not to take away the greatness [of the films nominated]. This has been a great year in film; it really has across the board." These are not just words from Issacs. After the backlash of the lack of diversity in the 2015 nominations, she started the A2020 initiative, which is a 5-year plan aiming to improve the diversity in the Academy. “When it comes to fair and equal representation in our industry, words are not enough," explained Boone. "We also have a responsibility to take action, and we have an unique opportunity to do so now." This improvement will have to take time. Most voters, who again are mostly white men, are members for life. Therefore, it is unlikely people will see a big percentage change in the diversity of voters for some time.
Screenshot courtesy of Design & Trend
Upset movie-watchers take to Twitter using the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite symbolizing the lack of minorities nominated for the Academy Awards.
WINTHROP EVENTS CALENDAR / / Jan. 20 - 26 WED
THURS
Katie Stegall, Charlotte Area Transit System, Art-In-Transit
Voices Panel Discussion on Domestic Violence
Family Feud
Lock and Key Mixer
Rutledge 119 7:30pm
Owens Hall 102 7pm
So What Happens Now Series
Dina’s Place 7pm DIGs 114 11am
FRI Taekwondo Training
West Center 206 2pm
DSU Presents: GlowCade
Richardson Ballroom 5pm
SAT
MON
TUES
South Carolina Intercollegiate Honor Band
Mike Gerson: Foreign Aid and the Race for the White House
Teach: It’s not a job. It’s a mission
Byrnes Auditorium 2pm
Owens Hall G01 or G02 4:30pm
SUN
Barnes Recital Hall 4pm FOR FUN
CULTURAL EVENT
FILM
GALLERIES
DANCE
THEATER
Spring 2016 Common Book Series: Half the Sky Dina’s Place 7pm
Friends of the Conservatory Concert Series: The Transcontinental Piano Duo
DIGs 114 7pm
Plowden Auditorium 6pm
MUSIC
This calendar may not represent all events on campus. More detailed calendar coming soon at mytjnow.com
Jay Grice | Assistant A&C Editor gricej@mytjnow.com
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OPINION
theJohnsonian
January 20, 2016
Reaching out to refugees Americans need to support refugees Sabrina Dorfman Staff Writer War does not discriminate and neither should we. There are approximately 13.5 million people, many of which are children, who are in dire need of assistance with money, shelter and food. Thousands by the day are fleeing the war ridden country of Syria. As January approached, temperatures plummeted and many are left sleeping in tents, if that, and have little clothing, food and fuel to help keep warm. Millions of children have been uprooted from their schools, and while learning is important, it is not nearly as important as finding a home and food to fuel their growing brains. Just in 2015 alone, over 3,700 people have perished due to lack of resources and unsafe traveling conditions. The setbacks and hardships that the Syrian people are facing is one of the worst crisis’ to take place within
a century. Millions are not only faced with the immediate struggles of providing necessities to stay alive, but also the uncertainty of their future and that of their children. With no place to go, no home and no defined “light” at the end of the tunnel, both the current and future life of millions is looking devastating and bleak. In America, we are blessed with a strong military and freedom to work as well as a plethora of programs to assist those in need. Chances are we have enough to give. The $5 dollar latte you purchase everyday, that extra pair of shoes that won’t even fit in our closet might seem like unneeded excess in comparison to those in need across the sea. I consider myself to be a citizen of the world. I do not believe that a barrier sets the standard for who is “our own.” We are just as much humans as the millions of Syrians who are struggling and because we are blessed with being on the right side of the border, we have the opportunity to help make the world a little better for someone else. If you would like to aid their struggle, there are plenty of ways to help make a difference. Worldvision. com is a website where you may donate.
We are just as much humans as the millions of Syrians who are struggling.
Althea Holenko / The Johnsonian
Three of their donation packages include $80 for a child to receive socks, shoes, and a winter coat, $74 provides a refugee family with 30 days worth of fuel canisters for heating and cooking and $161 supplies an entire refugee family with winter coats. Unicef.org/syria is another website with information and donation options. Savethechildren. com is popular charity that shows evidence of their work which makes them a solid choice for donation purposes. Because there are fraudulent charity organizations, be careful
when choosing where to donate. The organizations listed above are reputable and have been audited to prove that most of the money donated is used for moral reasons and the organizations use little for overhead. When we look back on this crisis much like we look back on the Holocaust, we will be able to say that we aided the cause to ease the burden of those displaced by war and hate. Helping is something to be passionate about now, and proud of having done so later.
Controversy: Breastfeeding in public
Breastfeeding no different from scandalous commercials Brittany Rauch rauchb@mytjnow.com If you turn to any channel on your television, you will probably end up on one with a commercial. You might see a fast food commercial, a car commercial, an online dating commercial or a fashion commercial. The likelihood that at least one of these commercials will attempt to sell a product with a woman’s sexuality is high. Why? Because it is common in our society to sexualize body parts as a way to sell products. You want a new car? Well if you buy a Lexus, the girls will fall all over you. You want to get the ladies in bed? Then you should buy this type of beer or this type of cologne. Yet, why is it when a mother attempts to breastfeed her child in public, she is attacked? Because it is indecent? To me, it is not anymore indecent then having a half naked woman sell a car on the television. Girls in bikinis more often than not show more skin than a mother feeding her child. I’ve been informed that what people are really arguing about is the fact that her nipple is showing. So, you can be as naked as you want as long as you’re not showing your
nipple. I suppose this means that the “free the nipple” movement and breastfeeding in public acceptance movement are like controversial cousins. However, the only thing I’m concerned with at the moment is breastfeeding in public. While I, personally, probably would never want to pop open my top in public, the ridicule and shame heaped upon mothers who breastfeed their children in public is just too much. My main question is: Why is a mother breastfeeding her child in public a problem? Breastfeeding is not only socially expected for many women, it’s biologically natural. So, what is the big deal? For many, the major defense is, “Well, I just don’t want to see that.”It’s funny because that is exactly the same defense that I heard against gay marriage and two men or women kissing in public. And I will say the exact same thing as I said to that, if you don’t want to see it, either look the other way or leave. Even the popular, well known actress Alyssa Milano argues that breastfeeding a child should be acceptable in public because it’s natural. But, some women are so uncomfortable with the idea and parts of society have taught them that if you breastfeed your child in public, you should be ashamed. I disagree. I don’t think anyone should be ashamed of something that is natural. If you want to breastfeed in public, not my business. If you want to go to the bathroom or to the car to breastfeed your child, again, not my business. I don’t think either woman should be ashamed or ridiculed for her decision. There is enough of
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Ad Manager Nykia McKenzie mckenzien@mytjnow.com News Editor BETH WEST
that going around. Women’s bodies are oversexualized and used to sell products all the time. Breasts are exposed to the public on a daily basis. According to US magazine, Fifty Shades of Grey - known for its nudity and sexually explicit themes (yes, with the exposure of breasts) made $248.7 million in box office sales. It seems obvious to me that a female’s nudity is not the problem here if that many people paid money to see it. Some people don’t think breastfeeding is controversial. I was one of those people. But, watching poor women publically humiliated, shamed, and screamed at for breastfeeding their child in a restaurant or a park is just ridiculous. It has made me realize that, yes, it is controversial. Those who feel that it is their duty to publically humiliate women they don’t even know and the advocates for breastfeeding in public have made it controversial. I think that a mother should have the right to breastfeed her child in public. It’s not the end of the world if she does. Breastfeeding is natural and it shouldn’t be treated as a crime. I was raised on the idea that we need to pick and choose our battles. Fight the wars that need fighting, not the tiny skirmishes that don’t mean anything. Why are people arguing over public breastfeeding, when there is war and violence across the ocean? Why not fight for something more important?
Assistant News Editor THOMAS CALAMIA Opinion Editor BRITTANY RAUCH Arts & Culture Editor KALI COLEMAN Assistant Arts & Culture Editor JAY GRICE
Science & Tech Editor DANIEL JAMES
Sports Editors ADARRELL GADSDEN EMILY GILL Head Copy Editor ADAM MATONIC Copy Editor ELIZABETH MCKNIGHT Lead Graphic Designer ALTHEA HOLENKO Graphic Designer REAGAN MARTIN
Layout Editor ERIKA SMITH Multimedia Editor JANAY REECE Faculty Advisor GUY REEL Webmaster ROMAN VITANZA
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January 20, 2016
Keeping up with health resolutions How to stick with your New Year’s resolution Alyssa Danaher Staff Writer Getting the body you’ve always wanted: the most common New Year’s resolution, but one that many people fail to actually stick to. For three years, I have tried--and failed-to lose weight, but there is one thing I’ve learned: although losing weight is hard, it’s not impossible. One way to kickstart your health is to visit Pinterest. It’s a website that’s overflowing with healthy recipe options, as well as step-by-step workouts to try out at the gym. Make a board to store all of your health-related pins. I have two of my own boards: “Body Goals,” in which I pin pictures of toned bodies to remind me of what my goal is, and “Healthy Eating” for all of my recipes. Another way to maintain your health streak is to find fun ways to do it. If you work out with a friend, for instance, you may find that both of you can be one another’s motivators. You may also look into the idea of creating a workout playlist. Something as easy as having the right music makes your time at the gym go
by that much quicker. Like any bad habit, it’s much harder to quit “cold turkey” rather than to slowly wean off. Instead of completely dropping the option of having any sweets ever again, try having a “cheat day,” a day reserved for eating desserts and drinking soda. If you tell yourself you’re going to cut out sweets and sodas entirely from your diet, it will be much harder to stick to. Have one day a week that you say, “I’ve worked out hard this week, I at least deserve this chocolate ice cream.” The thing to keep in mind with cheat days is that you need to make sure you choose the right one for you. For me, it’s Thursday, because that’s the day I find myself going out with friends the most. For others, it may be better to choose a Monday or a Wednesday, that way you can reward yourself in the midst of all the workout routines and schoolwork. By having a cheat day, you allow yourself one day out of the week to treat yourself to sweets and sodas. When limiting yourself like this, you may find that your cravings for junk food disappear quicker and easier. Another simple way to maintain your health kick is to observe your surroundings. If you
are following any pages on social media that promote unhealthy eating, unfollow them. Without having the stimuli of junk food around you, you won’t be reminded of or gain a craving for it. Instead, flood your social media feeds with pages that promote healthy lifestyles, such as a healthy eating page or some fitness junky accounts. Surrounding yourself with the things that will make you reach your goal will motivate you to work that much harder. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, is this: remind yourself that everyone makes mistakes. We’re only human. Even if you set a cheat day, there will be days other than you cheat day that you binge on some junk food--and that’s okay! I think what makes maintaining your healthy New Year’s resolution hardest is coming in with a mindset of, “I either go all in, or I don’t try at all.” Don’t torture yourself by saying, “Being healthy and losing weight means I can only eat salads for dinner every night,” or say, “I ate a slice of cake when it wasn’t cheat day; I knew I wasn’t going to make it.” Realize that you will make mistakes, and there will be days that you decide not to go to the gym. What matters is that you accept your defeat and start again tomorrow.
Surrounding yourself with the things that will make you reach your goal will motivate you to work that much harder.
Understanding different sides of teen pregnancy Brittany Rauch rauchb@mytjnow.com Just a few months ago, I scoffed at the girls on television shows such as Teen Mom and 16 and Pregnant. While I do not condone or encourage teenage pregnancy and neither do I think it should be commercialized, I can feel sympathy for these girls. I understand that a mere few hundred years ago, girls could be married off as young as 8-years-old and engaged at birth. But, that is not today’s expectations and from what the modern world has been able to do in science and the medical world it is no longer necessary. At 21-years-old, I am certainly not ready for a child. So, it’s almost impossible to imagine that a 16-year-old is. However, in recent months, through a series of epiphanies and revealed circumstances with someone that I know, my opinion has altered. Some of Winthrop’s students are parents, and I’m not just talking about the students who are obviously of the age where having children is not only predicted, it’s expected. Now, I am in no way insinuating that becoming pregnant or having children is a requirement for anyone. The idea of pregnancy terrifies me. And I actually have the body built to endure such a feat. But, pregnancy isn’t something (at least in my opinion) someone decides without thinking through the consequences of having a child. The changes in a body when pregnant include constant nausea, known as morning sickness, strange cravings, such as pickles and vanilla ice cream (together), stretch marks, as well as the pains that come with giving birth. Plus, the idea of having something inside of me kicking around that isn’t controlled by
myself is so foreign and odd is an added reason for my aversion to “the miracle of life.” For a teenage girl, though, once they have made their decision what some consider mistakes - as teenagers will do, there really isn’t a way out past a certain point. Sure, there’s the choice of abortion, however, abortion can be dangerous and can leave someone with lifelong regret and personal issues. I still scoff at the girls on 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom simply because I feel as though they showcase to the world that Americans are greedy, thoughtless, and often unpleasant. Which for many Americans is wholly untrue. Despite the fact that the girl I know is, indeed, pregnant and a teenager, I had to fight with myself not to express what great disappointment I had with her. The first thoughts that ran through my mind were “she could have been so successful,” “it’s so awful, one stupid mistake and her freedom is gone,” “she’ll never know what it’s like to be a young adult,” “Will she even go to college?” Then I thought of what I learned from Gaby Rodriguez, a 17-year-old high school girl from Washington. Rodriguez pretended to be pregnant, only telling her mother and her boyfriend of the elaborate social experiment which she developed on her own with clearance from the school’s principal and the superintendent. I remember the comments that she wrote and spoke about in interviews. People telling her that she had “ruined her life” or that they had expected her to get pregnant all along. For some people, regardless of age, pregnancy can have a wonderful effect. I’ve heard of stories where drug addicts used their newfound expectancy to turn their lives around, get jobs, and create a life where they felt safe to bring their child into the world. I am not so naive as to think that all
A teenage pregnancy in no way indicates that one’s life is ruined.
Althea Holenko / The Johnsonian
women are like this. However, this brings up my belief that there are two sides to a teen pregnancy. A teenage pregnancy in no way indicates that one’s life is ruined. And while it pains me that some girls are so obviously proud of their ability to give life at such a young and ripe age where they are just learning the ways of the world, I can also see that some may put on a pseudo bravado in order to move through the public shame that is heaped upon them for a mistake that they made. Yes, many don’t understand the necessity of certain skills that are required to live such as searching for and attaining gainful employment, how to drive a car, balance a checkbook, pay a car or
house payment, or how to apply these skills to everyday life with a child in tow. But, how is telling them how awfully they have ruined their chances of being anything other than “barefoot and pregnant” help them? Here’s the answer: it doesn’t. I would like to believe that America is still the land of second chances and dreams. That, no matter who you are or the mistakes you have made, you can still metaphorically pull yourself up by your bootstraps and change your circumstances. You can still go to college. You can still get the job of your dreams. Yes, it will be hard. Much harder with a child. But, it isn’t impossible.
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theJohnsonian
January 20, 2016