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CATALYST
BRIEFS THXGIVING pg.
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November 28, 2018 VOLUME XXXVII ISSUE XI
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OPINION pg.
New College of Florida's student-run newspaper
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Reduced class size leaves students forced to choose between graduation food or PCP BY ALEXANDRA CONTE The annual end-of-year graduation PCP may be cancelled due to a reduction in funding and a $2,000 increase to the commencement ceremony food budget. The New College Student Alliance (NCSA) budget has taken a hit due to the decrease in enrollment this year. The NCSA budget is funded by student fees and is responsible for helping to fund organizations, clubs, graduation and Palm Court Parties (PCP). With this year’s budget restraints, the NCSA cannot afford to fund both the annual commencement PCP and the food that accompanies the graduation ceremony. The administration has offered to
pay $7,500 towards the graduation food. In return for covering most of the food fees, the administration wants the NCSA to forgo PCP and use the funds set aside—$3,500—to pay for the rest of the graduation buffet. This year’s buffet was budgeted at $9,000, a $2,000 increase from last year. “The food has been catered by Metz (NCF’s food service provider) for the last two years and has actually been budgeted as being $7,000 in the past,” NCSA Vice President of Relations and Financial Affairs (VPRFA) Eva Ernst said in an email interview. “I look forward to understanding the reasoning behind upping this by $2,000. As far as I understand, it is usually standard buffet food, small sandwiches, appetizers, etc.” Ernst’s position requires her to work with the NCSA co-presidents and Dawn Shongood, student government business manager/coordinator, to create the NCSA budget for the year. Ernst plans to meet with President Donal O’Shea to determine why the administration is
Photo courtesy of New College of Florida
The 2018 commencement ceremony.
willing to pay $7,500 for graduation food but will not cover the remaining $3,500 balance for PCP. She has already discussed the issue with the Vice President for Finance and Administration John Martin. Martin explained to Ernst that
the $7,500 the administration offered is comprised of profits made from campus vending machines and the rent the Sar-
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Nutrient separating baffle box aims to reduce trash and pollution in Sarasota Bay
BY KATRINA CARLIN
https://doc-0k-18-docs. googleusercontent.com/ docs/securesc/s7jurnmk912se8sp3mgg3hd8llrh0uos/obdpo7fpcdn719co01n4qb7
With red tide in the air all summer, people have had the health of Sarasota Bay on their minds more than usual. Red tide, also known as Karenia brevis, is a naturally-occuring algae. However, water pollution can contribute to the presence of these algae blooms. In the city of Sarasota, all of the storm drainage leads to the bay. According to Bill Nichols, an engineer with the city of Sarasota and the project manager on a new initiative to reduce pollution from storm drainage, “326 acres of discharge” flow out into the 10th street boat basin. Sarasota County received a grant from Southwest Florida Water Management District, a Florida state regional agency, half of which was matched by the City of Sarasota, to install a nutrient separating baffle box that cleans silt and unwanted debris from the storm drainage before it reaches the bay. The baffle box has a series of compartments, skimmers and other mechanical parts designed
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Photo courtesy of Bill Nichols
All kinds of things end up in Sarasota’s storm drainage system.
to divert the trash to the bottom of the box and allow the clean water to flow through. The baffle box design prevents resuspension of the particles and ensures that future rainfall does not wash out the collected debris. The box needs to be cleaned out every three months; it was cleaned out
5 Yoder’s
for the first time at the end of October. When it was cleaned, the city pulled out tires, tree limbs and miscellaneous trash. The box does more than just separate out major debris. It also has built-in systems designed to reduce the amount of pollutants in the drainage. The baffle box separates trash via a few different pro-
6 Activist Newsletter
cesses: skimmers for floating pollutants, sedimentation for those that can sink and a trademarked mixture of “biosorption media” for absorbing hydrocarbons. City engineers believe the baffle box will reduce the amount of trash flowing into the bay. The city first realized it was necessary when they dredged the 10th street boat basin, where much of the storm drainage leads. “We took 20,000 tons out of the boat basin,” Nichols said. “Most of it is from discharge from the stormwater drainage. When we were dredging, we took seven or eight rubber tires out and I thought, ‘Why?’ Nichols assumed people were throwing tires into the bay. He realized he was wrong after completing the baffle box project. “When we cleaned out the baffle box and drainage system leading to it, we took out several tires,” Nichols said.
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8 Small businesses
CATALYST
BRIEFS
Wednesday, November 28, 2018 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
briefs by charlie leavengood
Annual Turkey Trot raises money for ALSO Youth
Participants line up at the start of this 5k race at 7:30 a.m.
Nov. 22, 2018 marks the 9th annual Turkey Trot in Sarasota. The 5K race is part of ALSO Youth’s programming, a nonprofit that supports the young LGBTQIA+ community in Sarasota. The event took place at 7:30 a.m., starting at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Sarasota. Runners received a free t-shirt at the end of the race and winners were divided into categories of age and gender. The Turkey Trot is a significant part of ALSO’s financial outreach. “It’s our largest fundraiser,” Nathan Bruemmer, executive director of ALSO Youth, said. “It’s critical to doing the work we’re do-
ing so that the youth center’s doors stay open and we continue to have staff and we continue to provide outreach.” Along with the money raised from the race, ALSO received $28,000 in donations from their 24-hour Giving Challenge. ALSO Youth has provided education, advocacy and support for LGBTQIA+ youth, ages 13-21, in Sarasota since 1992. The funds raised allow them to maintain their space and increase educational outreach to the community. Besides participating in their annual Turkey Trot, there are many ways to get involved with ALSO Youth. Communi-
Photo courtesy of ALSO Youth
ty members can work with youth, join a committee, help with office work, host a fundraiser or help by purchasing items off of ALSO’s Amazon wishlist. Race results can be found on ALSO Youth’s website. To get involved, contact info@alsoyouth. org. ALSO Youth is located at 1470 Blvd. of the Arts, Sarasota. Information for this article was gathered from alsoyouth.org and active.com.
SPARCC suspended from Sarasota County schools for sex-ed video Parents complained that the video of same-sex couples kissing was too graphic for high-school students. The Sarasota County School District is under fire because of a video that has been deemed “inappropriate.” The video, shown to a single class at Pine View High School by a Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center (SPARCC) counselor on Nov. 7, discussed consent in sexual interactions. The video was created by Planned Parenthood (PP) and depicts couples of different sexualities kissing and touching to re-create scenarios in which people should ask for and give
consent. The issues being faced are that this video was not the consent-education approved by the Sarasota County School Board and that parents have complained that the acted-out consent scenarios in the PP video are too graphic for teenagers. The approved video discusses sexual consent with the metaphor of making and serving tea. The SPARCC counselor went off-script and showed PP’s consent video instead of the approved video without the knowledge of the SPARCC program. The School Board claimed that they were not aware of the change in consent videos and that this counselor “took it upon herself to show this un-approved video.” The physical intimacy displayed in the PP video does not go beyond kissing. Topics discussed in the PP video,
© 2018 the Catalyst. All rights reserved. The Catalyst is available online at www.ncfcatalyst.com, facebook.com/NCFcatalyst instagram.com/NCFcatalyst twitter.com/ncfcatalyst The Catalyst is an academic tutorial sponsored by Professor Maria D. Vesperi. It is developed in the New College Publications Lab using Adobe Photoshop and Adobe InDesign and printed at Sun Coast Press with funds provided by the New College Student Alliance.
and absent from the tea video, are the importance of honesty, trust and open communication with a partner—even after giving consent. The tea consent video includes stick figure drawings and the making of tea in lieu of asking for sexual consent. The main narrator in the PP video ends with this statement: “It’s easy to talk about what consent means, but what does it look like in real life?” According to News Channel 8, “The school district has now suspended SPARCC from presenting in Sarasota County schools and reinforced guest speaker protocols with staff.”
Information for this article was gathered from wfla.com.
General Editor Managing Editor Copy Editor Online Editor Layout Editors Staff Writers & Photographers
Audrey Warne Michala Head Cassie Manz Bailey Tietsworth Charlie Leavengood & Cait Matthews Eileen Calub, Katrina Carlin, Alexandra Conte, Izaya Garrett Miles, Calvin Stumpfhauser
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New Topics New College returns in January
New Topics New College is a community series that hosts national speakers at the Mildred Sainer Auditorium. This year’s series is scheduled from October through April. Each month a new speaker and a new topic are welcomed to the school. There are seven speakers, five men and two women, in the 2018-2019 lineup. According to New College News, the speakers include “two speakers from Disney, a senior fellow at the World Policy Institute, an expert in U.S.-Russia relations, a former U.S. ambassador, a professor of Jewish law and ethics and the former mayor of Detroit.” Speakers are selected by the different academic divisions, the New College Foundation and other outside groups. The most recent speaker, Dr. Andrew Stamper, gave a presentation titled “Feeling the Burn: Ocean Acidification/Warming and Adaptation to a Dynamic Environment” on Nov. 15. In relation to environmental issues, Dr. William Powers discussed sustainability and conservation in communities as the 2018-2019 series’ first speaker in October. This coming March, New Topics will host Mandi Wilder Schook who will discuss the science behind animals in zoos. New Topics New College will not host a speaker in December. The next speaker will be Gregg Gardner on Jan. 22, 2019. His topic is “Excavating the Foundations of Charity in Classical Jewish Texts.” This topic is sponsored by New College of Florida, The Klingenstein Chair of Judaic Studies, The Jay Rudolph Endowment and New Topics New College. Information for this article was gathered from ncf.edu. New topics can be suggested by contacting the New College Events Office at 941-487-4888. Reserve your seat for the January speaker at www.ncf.edu/about/news-andevents/performance-and-lecture-series/ new-topics/. Media sponsors for this event are The Herald-Tribune Media Group and WEDU. Direct submissions, letters, announcements and inquiries to: The Catalyst 5800 Bay Shore Road Sarasota, Florida 34243 ncfcatalyst@gmail.com The Catalyst reserves the right to edit all submissions for grammar, space and style. No anonymous submissions will be accepted. Submissions must be received by 12:00 p.m. Friday for consideration in the next issue.
CATALYST
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Wednesday, November 28, 2018 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
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Wrangling with Thanksgiving’s problematic history BY CAIT MATTHEWS So goes the popular tale of Thanksgiving: the Pilgrims and the Native Americans came together for a “peaceful meal” to give thanks for their bountiful harvest, friendship and survival. Recognition of the indigenous struggle is a step toward understanding the complexities of history beyond this polished narrative. The histories of indigenous Native American peoples have been largely erased from what is “American,” owing to European colonists who came and stole their land and tampered with
“It took me many years to realize that a key part of my job description as someone who teaches U.S. history is the unteaching of U.S. history.” their existence. This history, as well as the narrative of Thanksgiving, becomes skewed through the way it is approached and whitewashed in systems of education and the popular media. “It took me many years to realize that a key part of my job description as someone who teaches U.S. history is the unteaching of U.S. history,” Professor of History Brendan Goff shared. “The mythology that’s all wrapped around Thanksgiving is a really good example of that.”
Goff spoke about the book Playing Indian by Philip J. Deloria, which was published in 1998. In the book, Deloria references the “Indianness” of a popularized American history, in which it is constantly trying to draw upon stories such as those of Squanto and the Patuxet Tribe, and co-opt them in simplified narratives that diminish the Native American experience. This is done by selectively incorporating from that experience what would help the British colonists flaunt themselves as unique to both Europeans and Native Americans as the “new Americans” of a new and independent nation. “So there’s this “Indianness” in the process of the European “becoming American,” but at the very same time this way of approaching things marginalizes and trivializes the Native American experience, existence and contributions, which Deloria touches on,” Goff stated. “In regards to the common story, Squanto was a formerly enslaved person in the Atlantic slave trade who was then brought back to North America, and that’s the only reason why he was even able to serve as a communicator and mediator between the colonists and the Native Americans. He becomes largely a footnote to the story.” Professor of Anthropology and Heritage Studies Uzi Baram wrote on his experience of Thanksgiving this year, which involved spending time with his children, parents and friends, and enjoying the break from work as a collective opportunity to express gratitude. He
Photo courtesy of Elaine Thompson
Ruth Sims, a Navajo/Oglala Sioux, holds a sign during a demonstration for Indigenous Peoples Day in Seattle.
promotes the importance of the awareness of Native American culture when celebrating a holiday with a history that thoroughly demonizes it. “I recognize we are on the lands of the Seminole and Miccosukee peoples; we are uninvited guests here,” Professor Baram shared in an email interview. “Learning their history and some Seminole Creek language (for example, the greeting Istonko, pronounced “iss-tonekoh”) is a start. The Pilgrim story for Thanksgiving is a fairly recent invention of tradition but as Sean Sherman (of the
Oglala Lakota Tribe), who calls himself the Sioux Chef, writes: we can focus this harvest festival on the foods of indigenous North America and learn from and appreciate them.” Sherman Alexie, a Spokane Coeur d’Alene Native American, was asked if they feel they’ve been able to make Thanksgiving their own in an interview with Bitch Media. “You take the holiday and make it
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Be thankful if you avoided talking about politics this Thanksgiving BY IZAYA MILES Talking politics with your family at Thanksgiving is not fun. The chances that either participant in the conversation has a real revelation about the issue at hand is simply astronomical. The only thing worse than arguing with your uncle about Trump is being forced to listen to his version of the argument. It is a loselose situation. According to a 2017 poll conducted by NPR, 86 percent of people have a negative view of talking about politics at Thanksgiving. According to that same poll, 58 percent of people say they “dread” the prospect of political talk invading their holiday festivities. It seems that the only thing all of America can truly band around is that we would like to talk about practically anything else besides politics when the holiday comes around. The student body at New College did not differ wildly from the American public at large. When asked via a Forum post what they had to say about political discussion at Thanksgiving, a clear line ran across the responses. Third-year William Bottorff suggested in an email that when one was faced with talking politics, it would be preferable to “shove your head up a turkey and start dancing.” First-year Sarah Nash found the idea of a family using loud kazoo bombardment as an effective punishment for
Photo courtesy of Diane Rosette
According to a 2017 poll conducted by NPR, 86 percent of people have a negative view of talking about politics at Thanksgiving. those who attempt to bring up politics at the dinner table. “Who cares if tita Bernadette shared another article about trans people in bathrooms?” first-year Maya Wernstrom said. “She’s old as shit and you’re not changing her mind. That’s my strategy: avoiding old people.” This desire to avoid the subject altogether is understandable, especially when one considers that all that arguing can often end up being effectively pointless. “Thanksgiving is not the place
where you are going to change anyone’s opinion,” Dr. Peter Coleman, director of the Morton Deutsch International Center for Cooperation and Conflict at Columbia University, told The New York Times. With the need to avoid this kind of conversation established, what can be done to avoid or, if necessary, endure it? The first step would be to not bring up anything that could stir controversy, even if it feels like ‘common sense.’ What seems absolutely deplorable to one indi-
vidual might seem perfectly reasonable to whoever’s across the table. If supper-time harmony is the goal, one should keep the focus of the conversation on non-partisan matters. Arguments are like quicksand: struggling is only going to make it worse. Trying to ‘win’ arguments just leads to longer and louder arguments, which tends to be the last thing anyone around the table wants, whether or not they are participating in it. After an argument, people often attempt to find solace by talking to people who share more ideological common ground. Whether they want to talk to a relative closer to them on the political spectrum or they need to call a friend after dinner is over, seeking out support can help them to rejuvenate for the rest of the day. The perils of holiday dinners vary little no matter what occasion they are supposed to celebrate. An argument over Trump’s latest tweet is as exhausting on Christmas as it is on the Fourth of July. Even if Thanksgiving turned out to be more aggressive than one may have initially hoped, there are certainly some ways to reduce the tension and avoid another wine-fueled debacle as the rest of the holiday season unfolds. Information for this article was gathered from wsj.com, nytimes.com and nbc.com.
Yoder’s Restaurant Provides the Amish Food Experience BY EILEEN CALUB
On the eve of Thanksgiving Day, dozens of customers lined up in front of Yoder’s Restaurant and Amish Village, eagerly awaiting one of their famous baked pies or a coveted seat inside the old-fashioned restaurant. Year after year, particularly in the holiday season, curious tourists flock to the Pinecraft neighborhood of Sarasota, the winter home of approximately 3,000 Amish and Mennonites, to sample authentic Amish fare. Unbeknownst to many, “plain people,” members of Christian groups which historically settled in the northeastern and midwestern United States, including Amish and Mennonites, have been present on the Gulf Coast of Florida since the 1920s. The Amish community in Sarasota owes its origin to Amish farmer Daniel Kurtz, who brought his family to the South, purchased land and began cultivating celery. Over time, the land came to be known as “Pinecraft” and developed into a winter resort for Amish snowbirds escaping the harsh winters of Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana. Today, passersby can spot members of the Amish and Mennonite communities cycling or strolling across the streets of the Pinecraft neighborhood while wearing traditional, modest clothing: full-length skirts and a prayer bonnet for women and suspenders and a broad-
brimmed hat for men. Amish businesses are booming in Sarasota for their high-quality crafts and food, including eateries like Der Dutchman, an Amish buffet, and Yoder’s, a longtime Sarasota favorite named the “Best Amish Restaurant” by Sarasota Magazine’s Best of 2018 Readers’ Poll. The “Village” area includes a gift shop, deli and fresh produce market. The family restaurant was also featured and commended in season two of “Man vs. Food” by host Adam Richman. With its cozy atmosphere, home decorations evocative of grandma’s house, historical photos of founders Levi and Amanda Yoder and postcards of 20th century Florida, customers can’t help but feel nostalgic while dining at Yoder’s. As soon as food arrives, one quickly realizes that Yoder’s hearty Pennsylvania Dutch meals and comfort food do not disappoint. “One of the reasons I chose New College was because of how close it was to Yoder’s,” first-year Carson Broadwater confessed. “It’s definitely one of my favorite places of all time to eat.” If bread is ordered for the table, Yoder’s homemade apple butter is a musttry. Apple butter is a highly concentrated, caramelized paste of apples and spices, perfect as a spread. This Amish staple is but one of many used to flavor rolls and cakes. The wide variety of jams and jellies,
essential for an Amish pantry, include myriad flavors such as strawberry, black raspberry and peach. Patrons can choose from a large selection of dishes on the Lunch and Dinner Menu. Meals include meat-based dishes such as Mom’s Meatloaf, country fried steak and roasted turkey breast and stuffing, as well as seafood options like shrimp and grits and crab cakes. Customers can elect to “Build-your-own Burger” or order a sandwich, salad or soup. Yoder’s also offers daily specials, which come with two side dishes and homemade bread. A multitude of sides are available, including Amish noodles, Amish potato cakes, cheesy grits and baked hot apples. One of their most popular meal options is the exceptionally tender Southern fried chicken, available in white or dark meat. Diners may also choose between a quarter or half chicken, the latter marked with a warning alongside its menu entry: “You better be hungry.” As seen on “Man vs. Food,” Yoder’s chef uses a special high-pressure fryer which quickly cooks the chicken and “keeps it moist.” “This is some of the juiciest fried chicken I think I’ve ever eaten,” Richman said. Although patrons may already feel full after the main course, they must make room for dessert—namely, Yoder’s famous pies, all made from scratch
following the original recipes of restaurant co-founder Amanda Yoder. In November 2013, Yoder’s pies were included in the “Top 10 Pies Across the U.S.” in Cooking with Paula Deen. Pies come in over 30 flavors, either warm and freshly baked, available with a scoop of ice cream on top, or decadent and creamy. Among these flavors is Shoofly pie, or Melassich Riwwelboi in Pennsylvania Dutch, a classic Amish pie filled with dark molasses and topped with crumbs. The day before Thanksgiving, almost all baked pies had been depleted—a Yoder’s employee told the Catalyst that over 6,000 pies had been sold. “Everyone should order their pies from [Yoder’s] for Thanksgiving and Christmas,” Broadwater said. After eating course after course at Yoder’s, customers waddle out the door satisfied and more stuffed than a Thanksgiving turkey. Regardless of the season, Sarasotans should consider visiting Yoder’s for a taste of Amish cuisine, a part of America’s cultural heritage. Yoder’s Restaurant and Amish Village is located at 3434 Bahia Vista St., Sarasota. Yoder’s is open every day except Sunday. Information for this article was gathered from yodersrestaurant.com, amishamerica. com, america.aljazeera.com and lancasterpa.com.
A Yoder’s customer favorite: fried chicken with a side of stuffing and Amish noodles.
The sign for Yoder’s Restaurant and Amish Village .
Yoder’s baked black raspberry pie.
All photos Eileen Calub/Catalyst
The wide variety of preserves offered available at Yoder’s market.
Yoder’s display of cream pies.
One of the sign’s for Yoder’s Restaurant and Amish Village.
Stacks of pies reserved for customers.
An artistic display in Yoder’s Amish Village showing visitors traditional clothing and transportation.
Yoder’s famous apple butter, the perfect fall spread.
The cozy atmosphere and nostalgic decorations inside the Yoder’s Restaurant, located at 3434 Bahia Vista Street in Sarasota.
Yoder’s fresh produce market.
CATALYST
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Wednesday, November 28, 2018 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
Photo courtesy of The Party for Socialism and Liberation-Florida
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Progressives won in the midterm elections SUBMITTED BY CARTER DELEGAL
The Activist Newsletter Throughout these final weeks of the fall semester (11/28–12/12), activists have the opportunity to participate in holiday gift drives, Hurricane Michael relief efforts, sustainability workshops and public lectures. Read on if you want to get involved in the community regarding environmental protection and conservation, political engagement and donation drives for fellow neighbors in need!
BY CASSIE MANZ Wed., Nov. 28 - Fri., Nov. 30, Holiday Gift Drive @ 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Meals on Wheels Sarasota - 421 N. Lime Ave., Sarasota. Meals on Wheels Sarasota invites community members to contribute to their holiday gift drive. Gifts can be dropped off at Meals on Wheels Sarasota, four Michael Saunders and Company locations or Mattress Firm, located at 5201 S. Tamiami Trail; donations must be dropped off before or on Nov. 30. For more information about the gift drive visit the Meals on Wheels Sarasota Facebook page, email info@mealsonwheelsofsarasota.org or call 941-366-6693. Thurs., Nov. 29, Sustainable Communities Workshop @ 8 a.m. 4:30 p.m. Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida Event and Conference Center - 4740 Cattlemen Rd., Sarasota. The 13th annual Sustainable Communities Workshop will bring together members of the community, including residents, business owners and employees, nonprofit leaders and government officials, to learn about environmental, economic and social aspects of sustainability. Register at www.scgov.net with a discounted $25 registration fee for students. The registration fee includes continental breakfast, lunch and afternoon break refreshments catered by a local green business partner. Mon., Dec. 3, Hurricane Michael Food and Clothing Drive New College of Florida, HCL 4 - 5800 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota. To help out with the lasting effects of Hurricane Michael, Dollar Dynasty, a local humanitarian aid and nonprofit, is sponsoring a U-Haul of clothing and food supplies to be sent directly to Panama City, where
much of the hurricane’s devastation took place. New College Vista Volunteer Coordinator Jada McNeill is overseeing food donations from New College students. Donation bins will be set up in Four Winds and the SA[u] CE office in HCL 4 until Dec. 3. To join Dollar Dynasty’s efforts, email katelyn.grimmett14@ncf.edu with any questions or comments. Tues., Dec. 4, Amendment 4 What’s Next @ 6:30 p.m. Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center - 525 Kumquat Ct., Sarasota. Hosted by Fogartyville, this gathering of community members will address what happens next in Florida after the passing of Amendment 4. How can we make sure the largest number of people possible benefit from this amendment? Representatives from the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition and the Sarasota chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) will be on hand to foster discussion and answer questions. Wed., Dec. 12, “The Boiling River: Adventure and Discovery in the Amazon” @ 6:30 p.m. Mildred Sainer Auditorium - 5313 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota. This lecture, featuring Andrés Ruzo, the founder and director of the Boiling River Project in Peru and a National Geographic Explorer, is presented by the Sarasota World Affairs Council and the New College International Studies Program. Ruzo was the first geoscientist to obtain permission to study the sacred boiling river. In this talk, he will share his research, discoveries and concerns for the future of this unique river and the people who live alongside it. Registration is strongly recommended for this event. To reserve a seat, email info@sarasotawac.org.
Much has been made about progressives ‘losing’ this past midterm election. The National Review’s Michael Brendan Dougherty, in his article “Progressives Lost,” writes, “All the big races that excited passion in the national press and from progressive fundraisers ended in the L column.” Dougherty is right, at least on the surface: Beto O’Rourke, the candidate who captured the most enthusiasm from progressives this election cycle, lost his bid for Senator in Texas, and both Andrew Gillum and Stacey Abrams suffered similar fates in their respective races for governor. Moreover, many progressive House candidates in right-leaning districts lost. In particular, Dougherty points to Kara Eastman in Nebraska’s 2nd congressional district, Dana Balter in New York’s 24th and Scott Wallace in Pennsylvania’s 1st, and we may add Leslie Cockburn of Virginia’s 5th to that list. Despite these losses, Dougherty’s suggestion—that the progressive wing of the Democratic party did not perform as it was expected to— can be refuted. In fact, it seems like we can assert the opposite: progressives won in a significant way this past midterm. It is important to first distinguish between American progressives and American liberals. Of course, the two political philosophies are intricate, with many overlaps and not-so-neat ideological borders, and those nuances cannot be fully ironed out in this article. But as Win McCormack argues in his The New Republic article “Are You Progressive?,” progressivism has historically meant an emphasis on the “common good” whereas liberalism has meant the promotion of individual freedom. So, a modern-day liberal Democrat, such as Nancy Pelosi, will support the removal of barriers that inhibit the realization of individual freedom. As such, Pelosi advocates for affordable health care and policies that tackle student debt in higher education. Progressive Democrats, in contrast, go a step further in championing causes that will promote the common good, even if that means demanding serious sacrifices from some particularly well-off individuals. For instance, the College for All Act, sponsored by progressive Democrat Bernie Sanders, would provide funding to states to make state universities tuition-free for students of families making $125,000 a year or less. This funding would come from a tax on Wall Street speculation. The distinction between the promotion of the community and the promotion of the individual renders all the candidates already mentioned progressive, with Scott Wallace narrowly earning the designation by virtue of his support for campaign finance reform and more thorough climate change action than the average liberal, non-encroaching Democrat. Now let’s come back to Dougherty’s thesis. While it is true that progressives, with the exception of Katie Porter in California’s 45th, failed to pick up any seat that was not reliably blue, it isn’t clear that this entails the major blow to
progressivism that Dougherty seems to be implying in his article. Let’s look at Texas: Ted Cruz won his Senate race by 16.1 percent back in 2012. That same year, Mitt Romney, the Republican nominee for president, won Texas by 15.8 percent. Four years later, then-candidate Donald Trump again won by a comfortable, albeit a bit lower, margin of 9.0 percent. This year? Ted Cruz only won by 2.6 percent. Sure, Beto O’Rourke raised a lot of money ($70 million to be exact, which of course raises questions about just how progressive he truly is, but he retains the designation due to his support for medicare-for-all and other progressive policies) but this itself is a testament to O’Rourke’s popularity, which in turn seems to indicate a public embrace of progressivism. Nor did progressives’ performances in the congressional races that Dougherty mentioned constitute failure by any means. In New York’s 24th, Dana Balter lost by 6.3 percent, but a Democrat lost the same district by margins of 21.2 percent and 18.7 percent in 2016 and 2014 respectively. In Virginia’s 5th, Leslie Cockburn lost by 6.4 percent, whereas the Democratic challenger lost by 21.2 percent in 2016 and by 18.7 percent in 2014. Pennsylvania’s 1st is a new district, created after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s ruling on gerrymandering in 2018. According to Ballotpedia, though, it is physically similar to what was previously the 8th district, which had a Republican win in 2014 with a margin of 23.8 percent and in 2016 with a margin of 8.8 percent. Scott Wallace lost the new district by 2.6 percent. Kara Eastman was the only candidate who did not lower the margin of defeat, but she didn’t fare significantly worse either, losing by only 2.8 percent more than the Democratic candidate in 2016. What’s more, progressive candidates who won in reliably blue districts— women like Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Ayanna Pressley and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez—still had to pull it out in primaries against more mainstream Democrats. Ocasio-Cortez, for example, beat the Democratic Caucus Chairman. This is all to suggest that Dougherty’s argument does not capture the truth of the progressive performance in the midterms. Moreover, and more importantly, it is to suggest that progressives should not get their hopes down. Rather, progressives can feel confident that there is a lot of energy surrounding their cause, suggesting that progressivism could in fact be the answer to the politics of Donald Trump and the modern Republican party. The challenge, then, seems to lie not so much in convincing the public, but in overcoming the centrist element of the Democratic Party infrastructure, championing the common good over strictly liberal-individualist, and thus more high-grossing, conceptions of welfare. Informatin for this article was gathered from Balletopedia.com, The National Review and the New Republic.
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Reduced class size leaves students forced to choose between graduation food or PCP CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 asota Classic Car Museum pays to New College. “The school’s budget that they use for graduation comes from Donal O’Shea’s discretionary and they are not really allowed to use it to purchase food but the A&S (activity and service) fee can,” Ernst said. Graduating students, as well as lower years, are angered over the prospect of losing graduation PCP as it is viewed as a send-off to graduating students before they embark on their next chapter in life. Alumni also recognize the importance of this tradition and have stated on the NC(F) Daimon Facebook group that, if necessary, they would attempt to help fundraise expenses to protect graduation
PCP.
“PCPs are one of the few remaining New College traditions,” second-year Anna Lynn Winfrey said in an email interview. Winfrey is familiar with New College culture and traditions as her mother is an alumna. Winfrey explained that at one point PCPs were a regular event and not as big of a deal due to their frequent occurrence. “Many administrators want to get rid of it because they think everyone does drugs, and they’re afraid that it makes the school look bad,” Winfrey said. “If Donal O’Shea wants graduation food so bad, he should pay for it himself. We’re paying him nearly $300K pro annum, it’s not like he couldn’t afford it.” When asked about the validity of students and alums attempting to fundraise for PCP through donations, Ernst
pointed out that the administration could still decide not to hold the event. “$2,500 of [the PCP] budget goes to security alone so that would be a big chunk of the fundraising,” Ernst said. “I’ve never been confronted with a situation like this before, so I am assuming you would just need to raise the money in an adequate amount of time and get the support of the administration, but of course they still might say no.” Over the last year, Ernst has met frequently with Shongood and Martin on behalf of the NCSA. She has met infrequently with Katherine Becker, secretary for Dean of Student Affairs Robin Williamson’s office, Mark Stier, senior associate dean for student affairs, Courtney Hughes, director of student success programs, Provost Barbara Feldman, Jim Tietsworth, New College Alumnae/i As-
sociation board member, and Kathleen McCoy, assistant director of the Alumnae/i Association, over other minor issues with budgeting. “I think some really great ways for students to voice their concerns is to come to either a [NCSA] member’s office hours in the NCSA office which is advertised on the Student’s List and Forum, or to come to [NCSA] cabinet meetings which are also public,” Ernst said. “We want to hear your thoughts as they come! We are just as passionate about a lot of these issues as you are, and we want to talk to you about what we’re doing.” Ernst sent out a Google form on the Student’s List and Forum so that students can provide input regarding the budgeting issue to the NCSA.
Nutrient separating baffle box aims to reduce trash and pollution in Sarasota Bay CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “Most folks would have no idea this type of debris ends up in the stormwater drainage system.” The city also believes the baffle box will help reduce red tide blooms in the area. Stevie Freeman-Montes, the sustainability manager in the city manager’s
office, was in charge of helping communicate the environmental effects of the project. “When we say it will help with red tide, that means that it will keep a lot of organic debris out of the waterway,” Freeman-Montes explained. “There were a lot of decaying leaves in that area. That equates to nitrogen in the bay as it’s decaying. A lot of decaying organic matter in one location can worsen a [algae]
Wrangling with Thanksgiving’s problematic history CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 yours,” Alexie said. “That doesn’t strip it of its original meaning or its context. It is a holiday that commemorates the beginning of the end for us, the death of a culture. I guess you could say Thanksgiving is also about survival: look how strong we are.” As shown through Alexie’s approach to the holiday, an option that some people choose is to try and personally reframe it, while still fully remembering and understanding its roots. “I guess it’s trash talking,” Alexie stated. “Look, you tried to kill us all, and you couldn’t. We’re still here, waving the turkey leg in the face of evil.” Goff mentioned a paraphrased quote from the late 19th-century French historian Renan: “A nation cannot exist without getting its story wrong.” Thanksgiving, and the whitewashed narrative that surrounds it, is a classic example of this. As Renan believed, nationalisms are intertwined with various forms of collective amnesia to maintain the “usable pasts” that feed into national mythologies. “Especially with national holidays, they’re almost always driven by a certain
agenda that serves the interest of the state and its preferred narratives,” Goff stated. “In doing that, it’s by definition that you have erasures involved. Nowadays it has become all about turkey, Macy’s Day Parade, football games and arguing with your family members about politics.” Instead, Goff thinks we could have a sense of a return to appreciation and acknowledgment of the positive human connections, backgrounds and roots that we have, while still keeping in mind all of the differences and sources of polarization. “People make their own history though not under conditions of their own choosing; many are choosing to focus on Thanksgiving as the start of a holiday consumerism spectacle (and Thanksgiving was set on this fourth Thursday to encourage shopping for Christmas) but others use the holiday to expose myth-making and find other meanings for this holiday,” Baram wrote. “It’s up to us; the holiday has changed meanings over the centuries and can continue to change, if we wish.”
Information for this article was gathered from nytimes.com and bitchmedia.org.
bloom.” Freeman-Montes also emphasized how important this project was for the wildlife and biodiversity of the bay. The baffle box will remove a lot of plastic that would otherwise make its way into the waterway and thus, the food chain. “We built a structure that has a design life of 40 to 50 years,” Nichols explained. While it will be long-lasting, the
baffle box can not be considered the only solution to red tide and pollution of the bay. With all the debris found in the system, Sarasota residents are encouraged to be more careful about what they use in their yards or leave in the streets, knowing it all drains into the bay. Information for this article was gathered from suntreetech.com, myfwc.com, abcactionnews.com and sarasotafl.gov.
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PAGE 8
Sarasota celebrates Small Business Saturday
BY BAILEY TIETSWORTH
During Thanksgiving, moments of gratitude and family-time are sprinkled in throughout a multiple-day binge of consumerism. Large corporations, through the retail holiday Black Friday, have included a national spending spree within the traditional cornucopia. This post-turkey feast of material gluttony has recently skyrocketed in popularity, resulting in companies extending their sales for up to two weeks as a way to kick off holiday spending. However, a movement called Small Business Saturday has also gained a following since it was started in 2010. Largely backed by credit-card company American Express, Small Business Saturday encourages citizens to shop local and give back to their community instead of supporting the large retail companies. Local businesses around the country work with American Express as “Neighborhood Champions” to rally fellow businesses to participate in the movement. Children’s World, located near Interstate 75 off of Bee Ridge Road, has participated in Small Business Saturday since the event first started eight years ago. Tim Holliday, co-owner of Children’s World, has helped Children’s World obtain the “Neighborhood Champion” title from American Express. all photos Bailey Tietsworth/Catalyst
Companies like American Express and FedEx encourage shoppers to participate in Small Business Saturdays through posters like this one.
Each business with that designation receives promotional items from American Express and helps distribute those items to other small businesses in Sarasota. “It’s always been amusing to me that American Express started this whole thing,” Holliday said. Holliday did not initially consider that a nationwide credit card company
like American Express would support this type of event, but after years of monetary backing through television and radio ads for Small Business Saturday, American Express gained Holliday’s respect. Holliday advocates for Small Business Saturday because he believes in the importance of supporting small businesses. According to data from the United State Census’ Annual Survey of Entrepreneurs in 2016, the majority of the 5,601,758 firms with paid employees consisted of small businesses: firms with 499 employees or less. Holliday feels that Small Business Saturday shines the spotlight on these local businesses who rarely get the attention during the holiday shopping season, especially in Sarasota. “We know business owners in other parts of the country that have much more vibrant “shop local” programs, and there’s just really not anything like that around here,” Holliday said. “The couple of [programs] that have started or tried to start over the years have sizzled out before they ever really got a foothold on things.” Children’s World partnered with Sarasota Rocks to hold a six-hour event at the store on Nov. 24 where people in attendance could paint small rocks while shopping at Children’s World. Sarasota Rocks, a group working as a branch of the Global Kindness Project, facilitates events where individuals can paint rocks and hide them in different places around the community. Whenever somebody finds a painted rock, they can take a picture of the rock and post that picture on social media, tagging Sarasota Rocks in the process. With these activities, Sarasota Rocks hopes that they can cause someone to experience a brief moment of joy and create a sense of community at the same time. Holliday wanted to incorporate this event into Children’s World’s Small Business Saturday plans because he believes that local businesses play a role in fostering community bonds. Holliday also feels that the large retail corporations, or “big box” as Holliday calls them, lack the unique aspects which help create a sense of community. “It’s an awesome tie-in to the whole “be-local” and [take part in] your local community kind of thing, because big box certainly is not going to do that when you’re buying online on Cyber Monday,” Holliday explained. “I don’t think they’re going to send you a rock with your package.” While Small Business Saturday encourages consumers to shop local for one day during the Black Friday craze, Holliday feels that people in Sarasota could do more beyond a single Saturday to support small businesses. “In my dreams, I hope that someday something will lever off of Small Business Saturday to become [for example] “Small Business Sarasota” or something, and be more than just one day,” Holliday said. Information for this article was gathered from americanexpress.com, childrensworlduniform.com, visitsarasota.com, the United States Census Bureau and the Sarasota Rocks Facebook page.
Children’s World customers can purchases at the lemonade stand, here adorned with Small Business Saturday decorations.
Aside from children’s school uniforms, Children’s World also houses a plentiful supply of toys and games.
Located off of Bee Ridge Road, Children’s World’s entrance reflects its child-friendly appeal with hopscotch and miniature figures reminiscent of Tube Dudes.