The Signal | Ouachita Baptist University | 2.20.19

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2.20.19 | Vol. 127, Issue 16| www.obusignal.com

International Food Festival celebrates new foods, cultures

By WILL GOODSON Staff writer The International Food Festival was held in the Walker Conference Center last night to celebrate Ouachita’s international student body. This annual event, which is co-sponsored by the Grant Center and the International Club, recognizes Ouachita’s rich history of cultural diversity.

Not only does the International Food Festival celebrate our international students, but it also draws from the experiences of faculty, staff and students who have spent time abroad.

“Places to go, people to meet, food to eat,” was this year’s theme for the International Food Festival.

This theme speaks to the greater purpose of the event. Not only will you find the most diverse collection of cuisine anywhere in Arkadelphia, but you also have the opportunity to engage with different cultures on a personal level.

“Students are usually shocked by the various countries represented on our campus,” said Ian Cosh, Vice President for Community and International Engagement, and this event gives students an opportunity to meet new people and make friends with someone they may not have ever gotten a chance to know otherwise.

And bonding over good food is always a great way to connect with someone’s culture.

Kameron Barnard z Photo lab

Kameron Barnard z Photo lab

(LEfT) MRS. Sharon Cosh and community members of Arkadelphia sample foods from the Asian line in last night’s International Food Festival. (RIGHT) Hannah Cohen join international students and American student volunteers to serve in the African line.

In addition to sharing various dishes, the event was also filled with entertainment from other cultures as well. For example, Dylan Bester, President of the International Club, had the club curate a Spotify playlist filled with musical favorites from all the cultures represented at the Festival. Mary Chong, Music Professor, orchestrated a traditional Korean performance put on by her students.

Another objective of Ouachita’s

International Food Festival is to get students to consider the benefits of studying abroad that they may not have thought about before.

“After we have new experiences, we have more references points to draw from,” said Cosh. “When you have not traveled and experienced other cultures you may not even know what you are missing out on, so helping to lower fear of the unknown and helping students embrace that unknown is also a

senior mass communication major from Little Rock, Ark., loves OSF and wants to see the organization continue their hard work after he graduates this May. “My absolute favorite part of being in OSF is getting the chance to serve the Ouachita student body. My favorite element of OSF is helping students receiving scholarship money that helps them stay at OBU. I adore watching as students’ lives are being transformed by the hard work of other students,” Edmonds said. “I love getting a chance to really make a difference. This organization has grown me to become the person I am today. It has humbled me, made me confident, grown me spiritually and given me a chance to grow closer to so many students on campus.”

But OSF doesn’t just put on Tiger Tunes and Traks, the club does so much more. “ We g e t t o w o r k J PA C productions, serve concessions during football games and host families of prospective students while giving them tours of OBU,” junior Maggie Donnell, a social justice major from Rogers, said. “I think we each realized just how valuable an education at Ouachita is and we realize that this doesn’t come at a cheap price.”

Students that have attended an OSF interest meeting and have submitted their application prior to the Feb. 25 deadline will be

possibly be selected to attend an interview.

The interview process is straightforward—students helping students quickly shifts to students interviewing students.

Experienced OSF members know what qualities they’re looking for in their applicants and are keen to pick up on candidates that are strong in these skills. Students should dress appropriately for

big part of what the International Food Festival is all about.”

While the faculty has these goals in mind when considering the impact the International Food Festival can have on campus, it is still very much student-driven.

The students of the International Club formed a committee to work closely with Amy Gattis, Associate Director of the Grant Center for International Education. These students organized the event,

helped to provide the dishes and sourced the entertainment for the festival.

“I have a wonderful committee, and I am so thankful for them and their hard work in putting this event together,” Gattis said.

Ultimately, the International Food Festival is all about new foods and having conversations around the culture of the dish with old friends and new friends, and that is a wonderful thing. n

OSF holds final informational meeting RockFest climbing event to be held this weekend

By WILL BLASE News editor

The Ouachita Student Foundation will hold one last informational meeting this Thursday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. Students that wish to submit an application toward joining OSF must attend this meeting if they haven’t attended a previous interest meeting.

Currently, OSF has been working under the goal statement, “Since its creation in 1974, OSF has maintained focus on its mission to be a group of students helping their fellow students, and a primary emphasis has been offering financial assistance. OSF raises funds for scholarships annually through events like Tiger Tunes and Tiger Traks in an effort to help upperclassmen complete their studies at Ouachita. Members also serve as ambassadors for President Sells, give campus tours and more.”

While operating under many different mottos over the years, one theme remains poignant and steadfast—OSF seeks to cultivate a community of ‘students helping students.’ Whether it be through raising scholarship funds during the beloved Tiger Tunes festivities or the friendly competition invoked by Tiger Traks, OSF has achieved this goal and seeks to continue its track record of success.

OSF president Alec Edmonds, a

“My absolute favorite part of being in OSF is getting the chance to serve the Ouachita student body..”

ALEC EDMONDS

these interviews and gravitate toward business casual attire.

The interviews will be held from March 4-8 and will feature varying time slots for those invited to choose from. OSF will reach out to those selected and help to negotiate time slots.

For more information on the Ouachita Student Foundation, or to view the online application, students can go to https://obu. edu/osf/application. n

By WILL BLASE News editor This upcoming Saturday, Feb. 23, OBU RecLife will be hosting its 9th annual RockFest climbing competition. The event will be held at the OBU Climbing Center, located in SPEC, from 1 to 4 p.m. RockFest will be free to all students and attendees will have the opportunity to win prizes and enjoy competition with friends.

The event doesn’t require students to register and they can show up at any point during RockFest’s duration.

“Students can bring their own gear if they have it, but we provide all the gear [in the climbing center] just like usual,” said Shane Seaton, director of RecLife at OBU. “Climbing is a community kind of event,” said Alex Blankenship, senior mass communication and communication studies major from Little Rock, Ark. “It’s a mental challenge, not just a physical challenge.”

“We have people that climb in there all the time, so we’ll have harder stuff in there for them,” Seaton said, “but we’ll also have easier routes so that people who have never climbed before can climb. It’s a fun atmosphere for people to come in a try it out.”

A set of rules both fair and

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challenging allows competitors of any degree to enjoy the competition and potentially leave with prizes.

Alongside prizes given to winners in each category, prizes will be raffled off throughout the event.

“We get prizes from Ouachita Outfitters in Hot Springs, Ozark Outdoor Supply in Little Rock and most of the local restaurants and things like that we get gift certificates,” Seaton said.

While the event is offered to both OBU and Henderson students, “usually the event leans more toward OBU students,” Seaton said. Henderson offers a bouldering wall, a shorter, more technical wall, on its campus, which OBU students have access to.

“RockFest is going to be fun because a lot of people will come out,” Blankenship said. “Pretty much everybody gets a prize.”

Through the partnership, Seaton hopes to cultivate a larger interest in rock climbing and bouldering on both campuses.

“Don’t let the competition aspect scare you away,” Seaton said.

“It’s really just an opportunity to have some fun, learn some new routes, climb together and learn something new.”

For a comprehensive set of RockFest rules, students can visit obu.edu/reclife/rockfest. n

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“Bohemian Rhapsody.”

“Annihilation.”

“Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse.”

“Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse”

“The Grinch.”

TOP 5 4 3 2 1

What’s your favorite film of 2018?

5

Things to expect when watching the Oscars

at least thirty minutes late going over schedule speeches that are too long uncomfortable jokes mispronounced names

News Briefs

A look at the biggest news of the week 5 dead in Aurora shooting Gary Martin, a 45 year old man from Aurora, Ill. shot and killed five people at a company he had just been fired from.

Martin had worked at the Henry Pratt company, a manufacturer, for 15 years. Martin went into work that day armed with a pistol and killed five people. During the gunfire, Martin injured mulitple police officers before being killed in the altercation.

Martin was allegedly “stressed out” by being labeled as irrelevant at the company, which mainly produces water valves.

The community knew him as a happy individual, who didn’t show signs of rage the day of the shooting.

This mass shooting came just one day after the anniversary of the horrific Parkland shooting.

Source: AP

Valentine’s Day CAB Pancake Party success, events planned for future Campus Activites Board z Courtesy

By SARA PATTERSON Staff writer L a s t T h u r s d a y, F e b . 1 4 , Campus Activities Board hosted a Valentine’s day themed pancake party in the Evans Student Center.

The party was jokingly named “Eat Your Heart Out” and took place from 7 to 9 p.m.

Members of Campus Activities Board served attenders heartshaped pink and red pancakes with toppings like cherries, strawberries, whipped cream, and chocolate. Throughout the event, upbeat and classic 80’s love songs played over the speaker.

The event’s decorations were all Valentine’s Day themed. There was also a Valentine’s Day themed photobooth, complete with heart props, balloons and all kinds of pink and red everywhere.

Grace Kemp, president of Campus Activities Board, enjoyed seeing so many Ouachita students come together to celebrate friendship and community.

The Campus Activities Board Valentine’s Day party invited anyone to come “to enjoy their Valentine’s Day- whether they want to do it by themselves, with a group of friends or with their significant other. Anyone who wants to come- dating, not dating, whether you’re there for Valentine’s day or you’re there because you love pancakes,” Kemp said.

For the rest of the semester, CAB has some more exciting events for students coming up.

In early March, CAB is planning to host a video game tournament.

Later in March, CAB will host a bingo competition with the possibility of big prizes.

“On March 29, to kick off the spring, we’re going to have a bingo tournament. We’re kind of jokingly calling it ‘Springo’ right now. We’re planning on giving away some really big prizes. The

STUDENTS GATHER at a griddle station, eagerly awaiting the pancakes provided by the Campus Activities Board. CAB held the event on Valentine’s Day, inviting anyone, single or in a relationship, to attend the event.

word ‘Television’ has been thrown around a couple of times, so we’ll see. It’s going to be completely free, open to whoever wants to come and play- just spend some time relaxing and having fun,” Kemp said.

Campus Activities Board will host its biggest event, Spring Fling, at the beginning of April.

“On April 5, CAB is hosting spring fling, which is our biggest event of the entire semester. We’re going to have inflatables… the different clubs on campus get involved… from the social clubs all the way to the astronomy club and the chemistry club, if they want to have a booth and just have some games for people to play. Just [to] give everybody an afternoon to relax at the end of the semester. So that’s a lot of fun and everything there is completely free,” Kemp said.

Campus Activities Board will host its last event on May 1.

Members will serve free root beer floats for students in the Student Center to celebrate and support students at the end of the semester.

With all the events that the club has put on this year, Kemp is especially excited about the new

members who have been willing to serve Campus Activities Board in a variety of ways.

“This year we’ve had a lot of Freshman come in to our club, so I really got to enjoy seeing all of them step up within CAB and take on roles that maybe at the beginning they weren’t 100 percent comfortable with but, as the semester has progressed, they’ve really evolved and kind of blossomed in CAB. We have girls running a social media account for CAB, we have members who are spending their time going to the grocery store to pick up the things we need. We have people designing posters and we’re having them printed and placed around campus, so I’ve just enjoyed seeing, really, all these freshmen plugging in with CAB and deciding how they’re comfortable serving Ouachita Baptist University,” Kemp said.

Any students who are interested in joining Campus Activities are welcome to attend their weekly meetings. Campus Activities Board meetings take place on Mondays at 7 p.m. in Lile 308.

There are no membership fees or induction requirements. n

Film industry Oscars backlash After intitially saying they wouldn’t be airing four categories at the 91st Academy Awards, the Academy has rescinded their statement and will be airing a full broadcast. Hollywood quickly fell into harsh backlash against the Academy.

The cinematography, film editing, best live-action short and makeup/hairstyling categories are vital to the success and overall vision that writers and directors have for their films.

Hollywood icons like Roger Deakins, Brad Pitt and Martin Scorscese joined forces and issued an open letter to the Academy berating them for their decision not to air the categories.

The Academy responded, saying that poor circulation of news mislabeled their original statement.

Source: AP

States sue over border wall 15 states moved to sue President Donald Trump over his emergency declaration for a border wall funding.

Attorney generals within California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Virginia have all moved toward a lawsuit.

Trump’s declaration of a national emergency allows him to bypass congressional debate over the highly controversial issue. The decleration targets the president’s promise that a US-Mexico border wall would be built.

Many of the states say that the diversion of military funding to wall-building will hurt their economies.

Source: AP

Ouachita’s Jazz Band to present spring concert

By KATELYN MYERS News Bureau Ouachita Baptist University’s Division of Music will present its spring Jazz Band concert on Monday, Feb. 25, at 7:30 p.m. in JPAC on Ouachita’s campus. The concert is free and open to the public.

The Jazz Band concert will feature special guest artist Dr. Bret Steed, a trombonist and music educator originally from Idabel, Okla. Steed earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in trombone performance from the University of Oklahoma. He also holds degrees from University of Central Oklahoma and Ouachita Baptist University (’14). Steed performs with the Edmond Jazz Orchestra, Al Good Orchestra, Bret Steed Combo and many other various groups, and he released his debut jazz album “Bring It!” in 2016.

“I am excited that Dr. Steed will be returning to campus to solo with the Jazz Band. It’s going to be a great concert,” said Dr. Craig Hamilton, Lena Goodwin Trimble Professor of Music and director of bands at Ouachita.

The concert will begin with “Come Fly With Me” arranged

by John Berry; “That’s What I Thought” by Paul McKee; “Boplicity” arranged by Mike Tomaro; “Kick It” by Kris Berg; and “Perdido” arranged by Victor Lopez. The band will then continue with “Zsa Zsa Queen” by Matt Harris; “Afro Blue” arranged

by Philip Mossman; and “Sioux Falls Fusion” by Doug Beach. The band will add vocals to the final pieces: “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” arranged by Mark Taylor; “Fascinating Rhythm” arranged by Dave Wolpe; and “Someone to Watch Over Me” arranged by Dave Wolpe.

Members of the band include: On saxophone—C.J. Slatton

(alto), a senior instrumental music education major from Paragould, Ark.; Austin Clements (alto), a senior social justice studies major from North Little Rock, Ark.; Andrew Lockhart (tenor), a senior worship arts major from Rogers, Ark.; Cross Brandon (tenor), a freshman instrumental music education major from Little Rock, Ark.; Kailee Morehart (tenor), a junior music major from Alexander, Ark.; and Morgan Taylor (baritone), a senior music industry major from Hot Springs, Ark. On trombone—Cayli Campbell, a senior instrumental music performance major from Texarkana, Texas; Andrew Coop, a junior worship arts major from Gladewater, Texas; Michael Burer, a junior instrumental music education major from Forney, Texas; and Allan Schroeder (bass), a junior worship arts major from Carrollton, Texas.

On trumpet—Justin Trostle, a junior music industry major from El Dorado, Ark.; Dalton Heinsohn, a senior music major from Hallsville, Texas; Jared Wainright, a freshman computer science major from El Dorado, Ark.; and Tyler Sanders, a senior music industry major from Arkadelphia, Ark. On rhythm— Josh Conard (piano), a sophomore music major from Denton, Texas; Beaux Schmidt (guitar), a senior music industry major from Rowlett, Texas; Jacob Brown (bass), a junior music major from Carrollton, Texas; and Justin McKinney (drums), a junior instrumental music performance major from Lee’s Summit, Mo. Vocals—Hannah Saunders, a senior musical theatre major from St. Paul, Ark. The concert will be live-streamed from www.obu.edu/band. For more information, contact Dr. Hamilton at hamiltonc@obu. edu. n

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A Day in the Life: Jordan Ford on Valentine’s Day Abigail Putterill z Photo lab

By MANDY HALBERT Staff writer

A 7 a.m alarm screams into the silence as a groggy Jordan Ford rolls over to shut it off.

She sits up in bed for a moment and thinks about all that the day ahead of her holds and what she needs to accomplish. She makes a mental list.

First on her list: homework.

Jordan crawls down from bed and slowly makes her way to the living room. She pulls her laptop from her bag and plops down to write a journal article for her 11 o’clock class. She clicks away on her keyboard until all of her homework is finished.

She reaches the end of her homework for the morning and shuts her laptop. It’s about 8:30 now. Jordan makes her way to the bathroom to get ready for the rest of her day. After a shower, she dries her hair, blots on a little makeup, changes clothes and is ready to face the day. She grabs her car keys and heads out the door for the next thing on her list.

Jordan parks her car in front of the nail salon. She gets out, slams the door behind her and enters the building. As she waits, a little boy in the salon strikes up a conversation about YouTube and blindfolds himself and proves his excellent memory of the layout of the salon. She laughs along to his silly stories as she gets her nails done a light pink for Valentine’s Day, because, as Jordan says, “sometimes you have to treat yourself.”

She drives back to campus so she can make it to her classes, Child and Adolescent Development and then Professional Writing. She sits down with her friends Bret and Mason in Professional Writing and laughs along with their dumb

JORDAN FORD spent her Valentine’s Day preparing for social club events and gatherings with friends. Ford is a sophomore elementary education major from Benton, Ark.

jokes until class starts. Dr. Pool teaches about lesson planning and helps them prepare to write their own lesson plans soon.

They also learn about connecting subjects that normally do not go together, and Jordan chooses to write about connecting some of the things she enjoys most, art history and literature.

Class wraps up and Jordan collects her things. Normally, she would head to band, but today it is cancelled. She is secretly grateful, because this gives her time to do laundry and clean her room, which is something she takes very seriously. Jordan refuses to live in a mess, and she keeps her life as orderly as possible, which can be hard sometimes when you’re as busy as she is.

She remembers her plans for later tonight and decides that she better make a quick trip to Walmart. When she arrives, she strolls through the aisles

and tries to decide which sweet treat would be the best for the occasion. When she notices the strawberries, Jordan knows exactly what to do. She grabs some chocolate candy melts, skewers, decorative bags, and heads to the checkout line.

When she arrives back at Gosser, she puts her groceries away and relaxes for a bit until it’s time to get ready for her show. Tonight is the opening night for Muse and Jordan is cast in the show “Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind.”

For a normal production, actors and actresses would have to leave early to get their hair and makeup done, but this show is different. Jordan Ford is playing the role of Jordan Ford. Because she gets to play herself, she will be her own hair and makeup artist.

Jordan arrives at Verser Theater for the cast’s improv warm-up.

me for every venture in life that I have had, but the friendships and connections that I formed at OBU have really made me who I am.

Most importantly, I met the woman of my dreams who has journeyed through life with me. We may never have met if it hadn’t been for OBU. As we have progressed through life, we have encountered friends from OBU at every step.

Even when we served as IMB missionaries to Russia for 8 1/2 years, we constantly ran into OBU people. That continues to today. OBU gave Lori and I the firm foundation in all aspects to know we could succeed in life, but it also gave us a confidence that we could achieve any dream we dreamed.

first heard at OBU in one of my literature classes: “They may not remember all that you said, they may not remember all that you did, but they will never forget the way you made them feel.”

I want people to feel better about themselves every time they have an encounter with me.

Whether a moment of laughter or a time of self-reflection, I want to be the kind of person who really helps people find hope that tomorrow will be better and that they can achieve the life they were meant to have.

When you believe God can do that through you, it motivates you to really make the most out of every single happening in your day!

After warm up, she and the other cast members head out to mingle with the incoming audience until the show starts. Despite this being her first ever show, Jordan is not afraid and she is not nervous.

She feels prepared and confident, because she is encouraged to be herself on stage.

The show begins and the crowd response is great. She feels proud to be a part of this production, and she feels excited to see all of her friends there supporting her on the front row. She looks at each of them and their smiling faces. She loves them all.

She knows they love her too.

The show goes great and the cast is proud of the way it all went. They talk about how much energy the crowd had and how awesome the response was. She feels proud of her work.

When the second show, “The Things That Bind Us,” finishes, she meets all her friends in the

lobby of the auditorium. She thanks them all for coming to support her, and they tell her how proud they are of her. She sees that one of them brought her yellow tulips. This has been a great opening night.

When the after-show buzz is all over, Jordan heads back to her room to get ready for her friends to come over and celebrate Galentine’s Day. When they all get there, they all make chocolate dipped strawberries and watch “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” a recommendation from her 80s-loving friend Bri. She shares laughs and stories with her friends late into the night.

When they all head back to their rooms, Jordan climbs back into bed and settles in for the night.

She lays in bed and thinks about her day. She feels content.

She feels loved and blessed.

Today has been a good day. n

Guess Who: Rusty Hart details Ouachita experience

By GRACIE STOVER Staff writer

I wanted to conquer the challenge of finding someone whose life story was not only interesting, but also inspiring.

An individual who not only believes in serving, but actually serves. A self-starter who strives to be relevant, passionate, and relatable. Any ideas? Here are some hints…

Q: Tell me a little bit about your OBU experience.

A: Year Graduated? …1985, then stayed and got my master’s degree in 1988 Favorite memory? …being a Tiger Tunes Host. We became very close and remains so even today. Would go back and do it again today Favorite class? …even though I was a music major, I always loved psychology. Has really been beneficial to me all through the years as I work with people regardless of what job I have had.

What extracurricular activities did you participate in? I was in the first pledge class of Kappa Chi, Tiger Tunes every year (including hosting twice), Miss OBU Court of Honor, Student Senate and Blue Key.

Q: Could you describe your typical workday?

A: I spend days now working with women all across the state. We do a lot of work with pageants, and it is so meaningful to play a small part in helping young women dream the dreams of life and then make them reality.

I never know what is going to happen in the store on any given day, but I have a firm belief that God sets up divine appointments for me. I love seeing him work Q: How did OBU shape your through me in small ways to help others. Our store really is a personal and professional life?

A: When you become part of ministry for Lori and I. the OBU family, you begin to Q: What motivates you? realize it is a family for life. The A: I have always loved the education I received prepared quote by Maya Angelou that I

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The

Q: Did you encourage all three of your daughters to attend OBU? A: Of course, we did! Lori and I had a tremendous experience at OBU. We wanted our daughters to have the same great educational experience we had, but also to have a chance to build lifelong friendships in a loving environment.

In the end, we allowed each of our daughters to make their own decision about college, but I think they saw the Ouachita advantage in our lives and it ultimately drew them to OBU to find that same advantage for each of them.

Q: As a Ouachita alumnus, what single factor do you think makes OBU the top private university in Arkansas?

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RUSTY HART smiles alongside his wife, Lori Reeves Hart. Rusty graduated from Ouachita in 1985 and got his master’s degree in 1988,

A: I know the academics are very important, but I think the single most important factor is the way the faculty teaches you things far beyond the classroom topic for the day.

I think back to Charles Wright, Mary Shambarger, and so many others who were not only my teachers, they were my life mentors. They definitely made sure I knew the material, but we became friends and they showed me what life can be. They believed in me and opened my eyes to a world of possibility. My life would not have been the same without their loving guidance and personal investment into me.

Ouachita Baptist University Office: Evans Student Center E-Mail: signal@obu.edu Phone: 870.245.5210

When you combine that with top level academics, a student body that is filled with some of the best people in the world, I think you find that OBU is not only one of the private schools in Arkansas, it is one of the best schools of any kind in the world.

Ouachita Baptist University’s primary mission is to be a Christcentered learning community. To embrace the liberal arts tradition by preparing individuals for intellectual and spiritual growth, lives of meaningful work, and thoughtful engagement with the world. This man is a perfect living example of this mission.

His name is Rusty Hart. n

The Signal is the student newspaper of Ouachita Baptist University, and is published every Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters when school is in session. The newspaper is distributed free of charge; 1,200 copies are placed in more than 20 locations across campus.

Opinions expressed are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the newspaper staff or university. The Signal is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the Associated Collegiate Press and is printed by the Nashville Leader.

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Spencer Ewing z Photo lab “BELOVED COMMUNITY,” inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s idea of the Beloved Community, is open now in Hammons Gallery in the Mabee Fine Arts building. The above artwork, Tyson Hume’s “Unity,” is one of the many artworks within the exhibit.

Student centered “Beloved Community” exhibit now open

By ADDY GOODMAN Staff writer

With the white walls lined with specks of art, the Hammons Gallery in Mabee Fine Arts Building has transformed into an exhibit mirroring the vision of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., open from Feb. 11-28.

Facilitated by Donnie Copeland, chair of the visual arts department, the exhibit showcases the idea of Dr. King’s “beloved community,” an idea that claims this community is found only with reconciliation and redemption. Students and community members were invited to make and display their inspired work.

During the fall semester, Kimberly Blackford, a black campus ministry and Greek

ministry specialist from Louisville, KY, introduced the idea of a “beloved community” to Ouachita at chapel. Inspired by this, Multicultural Student Programs Director Nicole Porchia enlisted Copeland to dream up an art exhibit that captured the meaning behind a beloved community during Black History Month.

“We wanted to give students and really any community member an opportunity to make their own contribution and response to discussions and celebrations related to the topics of Dr. King’s notion of beloved community specifically and Black History Month in general,” Copeland said.

While the gallery walls consist of various works from non-art students, a majority remains to be created by members of a graphic

design course on campus. These students both made work for the exhibit and played a crucial role in preparing the gallery for an audience.

Mallorie Svercauski, a junior graphic design major from Hot Springs, created a piece entitled “Something Beautiful” for the exhibit. The artwork, created with a pencil and pen medium on Adobe illustrator, depicts four friends of different ethnicities, sharing fellowship over cups of coffee and tea.

“To be vulnerable with people that are unlike you and who come from different walks of life can be one of the most rewarding things you ever do,” Svercauski said. “One way people are often the most vulnerable and open is when they meet for coffee to talk about life and share their thoughts on specific topics. This

piece should inspire the viewer to share their life with and get to know someone who comes from a completely different walk of life than them.”

Another powerful piece found within the Beloved Community Exhibit is Sara Rothwell’s “you are…” A simple block of space, filled with sixteen paint swatches depicting varying skin tones, Rothwell, a junior art and graphic design major from New Boston, Texas, addresses unity through giving each color of skin a word of encouragement.

“No matter the color of your skin, you are included, loved, valued, gifted, talented, cherished, adored, wanted, needed, supported, admired, appreciated, celebrated, saved and accepted,” Rothwell said.

“And through it all, we are united.”

Popular cartoons acceptable for both children, adults

By CATHERINE LYP Arts / Features editor

In today’s world, there are a multitude of platforms for watching tv shows. From Netflix, to Hulu, to network television and so on, there are so many possibilities of shows to watch that it can be overwhelming to choose.

With live-action television being the most popular type of TV show for adults, one commonly forgotten form of entertainment is cartoons.

Over the years cartoons have gone from something that were commonly meant for children, to a steadily growing form of entertainment for adults as well.

One of the most popular and well known cartoons for children and adults alike is “Adventure Time.” Beginning in 2010 with the episode “Slumber Party Panic,” “Adventure Time” followed it’s main characters Finn the human and Jake the dog on their adventures in the Land of Ooo. From playing video games to fighting the Ice King, Finn and Jake saved the people of Ooo in each episode. With it’s colorful and unique character style, “Adventure Time” can seem strange, but once given a chance, proves to be an exciting, funny, and heartfelt journey with friendship at it’s core.

With new cartoons getting developed every year, there are always new cartoons to enjoy. In the summer of last year “Summer Camp Island” began airing on Cartoon Network. The cartoon follows an elephant named Oscar as he travels away from home for the first time to attend a summer camp with his best friend, Hendehog. The main characters, and their soon to be friends, believe they are going to a run-of-the-mill summer camp, but when their parents leave, realize the island is magic. From counselors that are witches, trees that can talk, aliens and monsters, their summer will be anything but normal. With it’s bright pastels and cute, simplistic art style, “Summer Camp Island” is a calming cartoon that anyone can enjoy.

Another cartoon that is suitable for older age groups is

“Gravity Falls.” “Gravity Falls,” which aired from 2012 to 2016, follows twins, Mabel and Dipper Pines, as they stay with their Great Uncle Stan for the summer. The twelve year olds spent their first few days working in their uncle’s oddity museum, The Mystery Shack, thinking that Gravity Falls, Oregon was just a boring town, but nothing is as it seems. The two seasons that make up the series follow Dipper, Mabel, Gruncle Stan and their new friends as they encounter strange occurrences within the town and attempt to uncover their meaning. While not as brightly colored as other cartoons, Gravity Falls has a colorful cast of characters that keep the story rooted in heart.

While in the past cartoons may have only been found on tv, now it is possible to find them in a variety of places, such as YouTube.

“Bee and Puppycat” was first posted on the YouTube channel Cartoon Hangover in 2014. The cartoon follows a girl named Bee and her pet cat, Puppycat, as they earn money by doing various magical freelance jobs given to them by their friend, Temp Bot. While the concept of a girl and her cat doing odd-end jobs might sound strange, the pastel palette, bubble-like animation style and charming adventures of Bee and her friends are sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face.

Despite television shows being a common form of entertainment, cartoons are often forgotten by adults, but one cartoon that has become popular among adults is Steven Universe. Since its premiere in 2013, “Steven Universe” has steadily grown in popularity, to now being on it’s fifth season. The show follows a 13-year-old boy named Steven Universe, along with his friends and guardians the Crystal Gems, as they protect Earth. The Crystal Gems, Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl, teach Steven to use his powers against invaders from their home planet, they call Home World. “Steven Universe” has a unique art style with vibrant colors, interesting shapes and story building character design.

With it’s heartfelt story,”Steven Universe” can be enjoyed by children and adults. n

The center of the exhibit brings the original inspiration full circle. Warmly lit on the stand alone wall in the middle, Mandy Berry’s “United by the Light” reminds visitors of the speaker behind the idea of a beloved community. Her painting of Dr. King, textured with his words and the shadows of other people surrounding him, ties each piece of the exhibit to each other.

“In honor of [Dr. King], may this painting remind us that we are all more alike than we are different. We are all tied together by the same Creator,” Berry said. “No matter what or where we end up doing with our lives beyond this campus, may we always strive for beloved community, a society based on justice, equal opportunity and the selfless love of one’s fellow human beings.” n Universal Pictures z Courtesy

“Green Book” tells inspiring true story

By WILL JOHNSON Staff writer

Peter Farrelly’s biographical film, “Green Book,” explores an unexpected, lasting bond between two men of different careers and cultures.

The two protagonists, Don Shirley, played by Academy Award-winner Mahershala Ali, and Tony Vallelonga (Tony Lip), played by the charismatic Viggo Mortensen, embark on a troublesome voyage through the Deep South. Lip, in need of a new job after the New York nightclub that he worked as a bouncer for gets shut down for renovations, is advised to meet with Shirley to discuss a potential job as a driver that would require two months of ceaseless travel across the Unites States. Shirley concludes that Lip is the best candidate for the job due to his experience with driving during past occupations.

Though Lip turns down the job initially, he eventually decides to take the offer, and the eight-week trip commences.

The film surrounds Shirley’s career as an African-American pianist trying to maintain success on his band’s tour despite unyielding racial discrimination at each stop. Lip, who is shown early in the movie as someone who judges individuals based on race, quarrels with Shirley many times early in the trip. The pair’s back-and-forth conflict displays the stark differences and lack of connection between the two.

As the film continues, both characters begin to show weaknesses. Although Lip’s aggressive frustration and racism is presented as an issue from the start, Shirley struggles with finding a culture he feels connected to. He’s unable to sleep in motels or eat at restaurants that are not listed in the Green Book, a book detailing locations where African-Americans are welcome in America. He also has trouble “fitting in” with other AfricanAmericans and prefers to keep to himself. These problems surface as bonding points between two imperfect individuals.

Farrelly magnificently displays a slow-growing connection between two eventual friends on the big screen. Shirley helps Lip craft beautiful letters to his wife, while Lip hilariously shows Shirley how to eat fried chicken from KFC. The travelers have clear flaws, but their strengths shine through the vulnerabilities by their positive interactions with each other. Lip gains an interest in his partner after seeing him perform a musical piece for the first time. On the other hand, Shirley realizes his driver’s desire to defend him at all costs when he protects Shirley from bar fights, police arrests and countless racial remarks. The relationship accurately shapes the entire film.

“Green Book” encapsulates redemption by both characters.

Shirley’s issue with finding a culture where he feels welcomed comes full circle in one of the

final scenes. Shirley turns down his final performance after the venue doesn’t allow him to eat at the club’s restaurant. He instead heads with Lip to a nearby bar primarily populated by AfricanAmericans. Shirley decides to perform a few songs on stage, and the audience responds with utter joy and fascination, giving him a sense of belonging. The movie closes with Lip asking Shirley to have Christmas Eve dinner with his family. Shirley rejects the offer but rethinks his decision after returning to his empty apartment. The film cuts back to Lip’s family dinner that’s suddenly interrupted by a knock at the door. Lip opens the door to find Shirley on the other side. At first, Lip’s family is silent, and Shirley seems to regret his decision. After the brief pause, the entire family cheerfully welcomes Shirley into their home, a home that was once brimming with racial judgment.

Both Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali earned Oscar nominations for their performances, Mortensen for Best Actor and Ali for Best Supporting Actor. “Green Book” was also nominated for Best Picture. The film won a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, and Ali received an award for his acting performance.

“Green Book” captures a true story about two individuals who put their feelings aside to learn from each other despite growing up in different cultures. n

OPINIONS

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Scripture promises rest, fulfillment of future and he will be God tomorrow. He is also God today. He is ready for Online editor us to lean on Him and fall into his arms.

Walking around at Ouachita, We often forget that God has you simply cannot help but made us a priority. He calls us to hear the footsteps of the future call out to him in prayer and he creeping up behind you. Whether will intercede on our behalf. you’re doing homework, hanging out with your friends or sitting in class, the temporary nature of college echoes in the back of your mind making you constantly question the future and what is in store.

Where to next? What’s after this? How do I get from where I am now to where I want to be? These are questions I’ve asked myself and that I hear my peers asking daily.

I think the best answer, of course, is found in the book of all books—the one that has all the answers, the Bible.

Psalms 46:10 says “Be still, and know that I am God.” The fact that we’re even worried about or questioning the future at all is wrong to begin with. God calls us to trust Him and be encouraged by knowing that He has a plan—one that is greater than we could even imagine.

This not only applies to the job we want right after college or even where we will be in the next five years.

Phillipians 4:6 says to “not The Lord’s mercies are new and be anxious about anything, but enough for each and every day. in everything by prayer and His peace is no exception. supplication with thanksgiving God knows that our human let your requests be made known tendency is to stress about that to God.” of which we should have no Our generation is so selfconcerns. God was God yesterday consumed that we have forgotten

By ETHAN DIAL

Pokémon Go unites community

By HAYDN JEFFERS Staff writer

Not too long ago, I sat in one of my classes and listened to a professor explain that augmented reality (AR) mobile games first became popular with the 2016 launch of Pokémon Go. She asked if anyone had ever played the game, and a few people raised their hands.

“Now raise your hand if you still play it,” a student snarkily commented.

I raised my hand even though the professor hadn’t been the one to ask the question. I was the only one in the classroom who raised it at all, and I don’t think anyone even noticed. That’s all well and good, because I’ve never been one to care about being noticed.

However, I spent the rest of that day annoyed at the fact that nearly everyone in that room thought this game I love is stupid and no one plays it.

If you don’t know what Pokémon Go is, it’s an AR mobile game that thrusts the nostalgia of the ‘90s in the faces of adults everywhere. To play, you simply install the app, create an account and start catching Pokémon. The game connects to your phone’s GPS, and you walk around in the real world to find Pokémon and spin Pokéstops for items.

When the game was first launched, its mechanics had several newsworthy issues. There was a problem with unobservant players placing themselves in danger because their eyes were glued to the screen—they walked into traffic and fell down.

These incidents were few and far between, but some were serious and received wide media coverage. Thus, Pokémon Go got a bad rep right off the bat. Even I stopped playing for a solid year, because the game mechanics were so wonky that I got annoyed. But those mechanics have been fixed for a long time.

Since no one talks about Pokémon Go anymore, many people are under the assumption

that it’s because no one plays it.

The truth, though, is that plenty of people play it. We just don’t act like idiots while doing so.

The truth is that so many people still play Pokémon Go, and that new players are creating accounts all the time. I play it. My boyfriend plays it. My friends and half the people I work with play it. It’s not just an occasional thing, either.

We play it every single day. We complete our in-game Research tasks, trade and battle with each other, and send gifts to one another.

We “catch ‘em all” together.

Yes, I am aware that I sound like the most sentimental nerd on the planet. That’s alright; I don’t mind sounding lame, especially when I know that Pokémon Go truly has become a community. I mean, the game has events called Community Days. It was bound to happen.

In fact, if you were on Ouachita or Henderson campuses Saturday from 1-4 p.m., or even around downtown Arkadelphia and Walmart, I can guarantee you passed people who were playing Pokémon Go. It was a Community Day, and we all gathered to walk around together and catch a Pokémon called Swinub.

And guess what? It was fun.

It was cold, and my hands were numb by the end of the three hours, but I spent that time walking around with my friends, catching Swinub and competing over who could catch the most shinies (shiny Pokémon are rare and colored differently than usual).

My friend Tray won with nine, but we found out later that a player from Henderson caught 23.

We ran into several other players while we played. We would nod at the players as they passed by and sometimes stop to chat with them.

Everyone we met was nice and had good things to say about the game bringing people together.

No matter how cheesy it may sound, the truth is undeniable: Pokémon Go brings people together. It’s also good for my health because it motivates me to take long walks, but that’s a story for another time. n

how to pray and what to pray for.

God makes it clear that we are to be in constant communication with the Lord. We have put such an emphasis on worhsip and preaching in the church, that prayer has been neglected.

Though there’s nothing wrong

with making a point to say a prayer in the morning with your devotion or right before you go to bed, there should be no limits on how often you pray.

We shouldn’t be able to count on our fingers how many times we have prayed in a day because we

should be communicating with God non-stop. While this might seem difficult, and is definitely something that I myself struggle with, we have to remember that God is with us in every moment and He wants us to tell Him about all the things going on in our life

heart out recalling all that the Lord has done for her and why she can choose to trust him right now. Even “in the darkest hour,” we can rest in knowing that God has all of the power. He has made “giants fall,” “mountains move” and “waters part.” To rest, all we need to do is take a minute and remember all that God has done. If we do, how can we fret the future, whatsoever?

So, the next time you can’t sleep because you can’t stop thinking about what tomorrow, and the day after that and the day after that holds, sit up in your bed, take out your phone or something to write with and make a list of all of the things that God has done for you. Remember as much as you can. Write down both the little things and big things. Write about the things that God has used to make you smile or bring you joy. Write about the hard times and how God brought you through.

If you can’t think of anything, write down “I’m alive.” Just in case you have forgotten, you are breathing right now. God created you and is sustaining you right at this very moment. The breath you’re taking is His. He has provided you with the greatest gift of all, your life.

No matter what, know that you are here for a purpose. God has a plan and that He already knows. He has he will follow through. Life will be also promised that he will have hard, and there will be many days will always have an answer, even in which we question what’s to though it may not be the one that come, but in the end, everything is we like. in God’s hand. Psalms 27:14 says, One of my favorite songs at the “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and moment is called “Remember” by let your heart take courage; wait Lauren Daigle. Daigle sings her for the Lord!” n

Ask The Signal

By JACOB COTTRELL Staff writer

Should I play Intramural water polo?

This is a question that people ask because first of all, “What in the world is this sport our school puts on?” and secondly “What?” Let me explain to you and highly encourage you to play this game for at least one season while here at Ouachita.

This sport can accommodate pretty much anyone and everyone. From more-athletic students to students who have never played before, to Michael Phelps or someone who can only doggy paddle, this game is for everyone. It’s for anyone who is looking for some good laughs and competitiveness in a funny sport to watch and play.

You might be asking yourself, “What is innertube water polo?” It is water polo without having to swim and not touch the bottom of the pool for long periods of time. This should be a sigh of relief for most of us, because personally, I can tread water barely, much less have to be throwing a ball while doing so. This game is designed for a player to sit in a tube and just kick one’s feet and swing one’s

arms as fast as they can to fight over an actual water polo ball.

The ball is one of the two things besides the net that I would say is actually connected to the real game of water polo. While in the tube, you pass the ball to your teammates who hopefully are not spinning out of control, but beside you open for the pass.

As you work your way down the length of the pool you need to watch out for the other team.

They can push your tube, block the pass and even flip you out of your tube. You need to have a laser for an arm and good pool vision, but honestly, if you can just stay upright in your tube, you will be good. I need to keep emphasizing that this is a game anyone can play and have a good chance of doing well. To score you need to stay behind the rope that is suspended in the air over the pool, so you do not get dangerously close while throwing the water polo ball ninety miles an hour. The goalie will float in their tubes as well and use their head, arms, legs and even stomach to stop the fastball flying in at them.

The hardest part I would have to say is blocking the shots that come skipping across the water like a flat stone on a lake.

These are hard, because you get water in your eyes and can’t see

because your eyes are on fire from the chlorine in the pool.

Next thing you know you’ve scored your first goal in this fun game and then the hardest and most tiring part of the game begins. The slow swim back to your side of the pool for the start of the game again.

This is a brief and probably dramatic version of what this game is, but to me, it’s one of the most fun games that you can play here. I play football and softball but if you need a good laugh at yourself and at others this is the game to play. Everyone getting into innertubes and trying their hardest to throw a ball into the net is a great thing to partake in and to watch being played. Do not worry about being judged on your performance in this game because I can assure you no one played inner tube water polo in high school, so no one can brag about how many state championships they have won.

To those of you reading and questioning if you should play, I say do it. Do it at least once for the laughs and the memories of flipping, pushing and competing with people in yellow innertubes. If you do play I say buy some goggles just in case you are on the receiving end of the ball being thrown. n

Submit your “Ask The Signal” questions at signal@obu.edu.

SPORTS

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OBU Softball snaps losing streak in Alvy Early Invitational

By CAITY HATCHETT Staff writer

Ouachita’s softball team had a tough time this past weekend, losing to Missouri Western State University, William Jewell College and the University of Missouri at St. Louis. The Lady Tigers fought hard though, and they were rewarded with a win on Sunday, beating Northeastern State University with a final score of 6-3 and ending their seven-game losing streak.

In the game against Missouri Western State on Friday morning, the Lady Tigers fell to the Lady Griffons, 4-2. The Lady Griffons scored first, with four runs in the top of the fourth inning. Juniors Natalie Jackson and Macy Wilson scored two runs for the Lady Tigers in the bottom of the fourth, making the score two to four, with the Lady Tigers on the losing side. Neither team scored for the rest of the game, but both teams played well and put up a solid fight.

During their second game on Friday against the Lady Cardinals of William Jewell College, the Lady Tigers fought hard, but could not keep up. The Lady Cardinals scored three runs in the top of the first inning, but the Lady Tigers prevented them from scoring in the second and third innings. Several Ouachita players struck out, though, and the Lady Cardinals came back to score one run in the top of the fourth inning and three runs in the top of the fifth. The Lady Tigers lost the game, 7-0.

On Saturday, the Lady Tigers put up a fight against the University of Missouri at St. Louis. Sophomore Tobi Finley scored a run for the Lady Tigers in the bottom of the third inning, and the Lady Tigers

Spencer Ewing z Photo Lab FRESHMAN PITCHER MABRY SMITH tosses a pitch midway through her dominant outing against Christian Brothers University on Feb. 2. Smith threw for eight innings without giving up an earned run in a 16-strikeout performance.

kept the Lady Tritons from scoring until the top of the seventh, when they made a comeback. The Lady Tritons scored two runs, making the final score 2-1 and handing the Lady Tigers another defeat.

To finish out the weekend, the Lady Tigers played against the Lady River Hawks of Northeastern State University. The game was

drastically different from the others played this weekend, with the Lady Tigers scoring four runs in the bottom of the second inning, one in the bottom of the third and another run in the bottom of the sixth. Senior Samantha Ortiz, freshman Mabry Smith, Finley, freshman Leighton Withers and Jackson all scored runs for

the Lady Tigers, and freshman Madison Miller hit a home run for the team. The Lady River Hawks scored a run in the top of the fifth inning and two runs in the top of the seventh inning, but it was too little, too late. The Lady Tigers finished their final game of the weekend with a 6-3 win sparked by the home run.

Ouachita will play two doubleheaders at home next weekend.

All four of its games are against the University of Arkansas at Monticello. The Lady Tigers play their first game against the Cotton Blossoms at 2 p.m., and their second game will start at 4 p.m. On Saturday, the teams will play at 1 p.m. and again at 3 p.m. n

Money leads to NFL demise

By CALEB BYRD Staff writer

Alex Blankenship z Photo Lab Editor DAN KAPLAN (LEFT) AND SANTIAGO KEARNEY (RIGHT) encourage each other after winning a point in their Feb. 2 doubles match versus Texas A&M-Texarkana. The Tigers swept all three doubles matches over the Eagles, including Kaplan’s and Kearney’s 7-6 win.

Tennis teams hopeful for bounceback season

By WILL JOHNSON

Sports / Opinions editor The Ouachita men’s and women’s tennis teams take to the court with hopes to improve on last season’s results.

The men have already doubled their win total from a year ago.

The Tigers (4-2) were just 2-15 in the 2017-18 tennis season, but they return quite a few players on the team. Ouachita was projected to finish third out of five teams in the preseason Great American Conference poll, large in part due to its returning talent. Juniors Nair Adi, Dan Kaplun and Juan Moncada all return to help lead a senior-less Tiger team. Adi was the No. 4 singles player for Ouachita last year and finished with a 5-10 record. Kaplun earned First Team All-GAC honors and at times was the No. 1 singles player for the team. Moncada thrived on the doubles court, ending the 201718 year with a 7-6 record while performing mostly on the No. 1 doubles team.

The sophomore duo, Javi

Sanchis-Fito and Carlos SolorzanoValencia, look to encourage the newcomers with their work on and off the tennis court. The freshmen class features three players eager to make an impact in the early season. Tobias Fuerschuss, a native of Austria, won the U16 regional championship three times in his career. Santiago Kearney, from Argentina, was awarded a top 15 ranking for players under 18 years old in his home country. Francisco Oliveira grew up in Portugal and now transitions to the collegiate level. Head Coach Craig Ward has a knack for finding spectacular players outside of the United States, and he looks forward to seeing the current Tiger roster of players mold into excellent athletes and teammates.

The Ouachita women’s team finished 0-15 in the 2017-18 season, the second straight year without a victory. This season, Head Coach Rachel Jones guided the Tigers (2-5) to their first win in over two years.

Jones played Division-I tennis at Oklahoma State University and came to Ouachita with valuable experience competing against

some of the top collegiate players.

She instructs a roster primarily made up of underclassmen, with the two exceptions being seniors Kendra Dinsmore and Mallory Tabler.

Dinsmore and Tabler were paired as the No. 1 doubles team last year. They defeated Texas A&M-Texarkana and Southeastern Oklahoma State, and the pair hopes to build on those positive results in 2018-19. The rest of the roster is compiled of two sophomores, Claire Phillips and Shirley Hernandez, and four freshmen, Haylee Cannon, Elaina Carbo, Lindsay Gills and Taylor Hansard. Jones’ first victory as Ouachita’s head coach is a stepping stone in the right direction for future success toward the coveted GAC crown.

Ouachita’s women’s tennis team faces its next opponent, Angelo State University, on Friday at 5 p.m. The match will be played at Ward Tennis Center. The men go on the road and play on Saturday against Jacksonville College in Texarkana. The match is set to begin at 2:30 p.m. n

Wi t h t h e l o w e s t S u p e r Bowl ratings in a decade and the recurring controversies of concussions and the National Anthem popping back into the mainstream media, it has not been a good few weeks for the National Football League.

It all began about a month ago when an apparent blown call sent the Los Angeles Rams to the Super Bowl over the New Orleans Saints.

The way in which the league has handed the Rams franchise over the last few years — moving them from a loyal fanbase in St. Louis to a non-existent one in Los Angeles — has not given it a good image, but sending the Rams, who are due to move into a $2.6 billion stadium next season, to the Super Bowl in the manner in which it did makes the situation even worse.

Then, the Super Bowl subsequently had the lowest ratings since 2008. This was an indication of a lack of interest in the game. While some of the lack of interest may have stemmed from on-the-field incidents, such as the way in which the RamsSaints game ended, other off-thefield incidents may contribute to the cause. In the last two weeks alone, there have been extensions of the two controversies which have plagued the NFL — the brain damage issue and the National Anthem debacle. The way in which the NFL has handled these issues run the risk of alienating large portions of the population and hurting the game’s success in the future.

In the past two weeks, two significant issues have come to light regarding the NFL. The first was how NBC Sports and the league handled Bob Costas’ involvement in the 2018 Super Bowl broadcast after his public comments about football-related brain damage. The second was the NFL’s settlement with Colin Kaepernick earlier this week in his collusion lawsuit. These two incidents demonstrate the NFL’s

willingness to prioritize short-term profit over doing what is right and, potentially, the long-term viability of the league.

There are two facts which the NFL has ignored in these two cases which may jeopardize the league’s future success. The first of these two facts is that concussions and brain damage are scientificallyproven to correlate with football involvement. Playing football at any level places one at a higher risk for brain damage. The league’s desire to ignore that issue and sweep it under the rug may be its downfall in the near future.

Despite the league’s recent efforts to protect players, enough progress is not being made. Violent contact is a fundamental part of the game of football, and it will take a major restructuring in the way the game is played to make significant progress on the game safety front.

Ignoring this fact may increase the league’s short-term profits, but as the negative effects of football become more evident, the sport will be in trouble.

The second fact the league may be ignoring is the diversification of the United States. Whites are predicted to cease being the majority demographic within the next 25 years. The league’s settlement in the Colin Kaepernick collision case proved at least some validity in his case. The fact that the NFL and its owners so feared the National Anthem controversy speaks that they have prioritized its white, conservative fanbase over the expanding diverse and liberal American population by colluding to exclude the leader of the movement from its league.

This could be worrying as that aforementioned, favored population diminishes and the larger ostracized population is turned away from the league because of its actions over the past few seasons.

The NFL’s safety issue and its diversity issue are two problems which have taken national spotlight over the past two weeks and are two issues which the league must resolve to retain volatility in the coming generations. n