News: MSA hosts memorial service after Christchurch Page 4
Opinion: Iowa caucus shouldn’t Sports: Wake Forest football hosts Life: Queer Eye releases its third NFL pro day go first season Page 11 Page 9 Page 17
Old Gold&Black
WAKE FOREST’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1916 VOL. 105, NO. 9
T H U R S DAY, M A RC H 21 , 2 019 “Cover s the campus like the magnolias”
wfuogb.com
BSA receives lounge in Kitchin residence hall After meetings with President Hatch, BSA was able to obtain this new space on campus BY REN SCHMITT Print Managing Editor schmwm16@wfu.edu
Georgetown. Nearly 50 people — including over 30 parents — were implicated in the case. At the center of the scandal is William Singer, the owner of the Edge College & Career Network, also known as “The Key,” a for-profit college counseling business. In addition, Singer had established The Key Worldwide Foundation (KWF), a non-profit corporation that was purported to be a charity. The released affidavit states that it is believed that the parents and Singer, through his company and supposed charity, conspired to bribe standardized test administrators to facilitate cheating on exams, to bribe coaches to designate certain applicants as recruited athletes to facilitate the applicant’s admission and to conceal the nature of the bribe payments under the guise of a charitable organization.
In an email shared with the Wake Forest community on Monday, March 18, President Nathan Hatch announced the designation of a lounge in Kitchin for use by the Black Student Alliance (BSA). BSA, which formerly had a smaller lounge in Benson, works both independently and with student organizations across campus to create a sense of inclusion and camaraderie among African-American students at Wake Forest, which they accomplish through meetings and social events. “As Wake Forest continues to expand and further develop the campus, they need to keep in mind minority students that are not offered their own spaces,” said junior Kai Jordan, president of the BSA. “Building safe spaces that appeal to minority students is vital for their wellbeing on this campus.” Hatch’s decision to designate this lounge for use by BSA came after meetings with minority students and members of BSA who expressed a desire to create more spaces for minority students on campus. Prior to these meetings, a list of demands disseminated in late February by the Anti-Racism Coalition requested “a space explicitly for black students.” “With taking the Barn offline as a social space, it just seemed like a logical request,” Hatch said. “It was the right thing to do.” On Jan. 20, 2018, Winston-Salem State University student Najee Ali Baker was shot and killed during a social event hosted at the Barn. Following this tragedy, event-hosting protocol across campus fell under scrutiny, and policies regarding hosting and planning events underwent a lengthy review. After this review, the decision was made during the fall semester of 2018 to suspend future events hosted by student organizations in the Barn due to concerns about the building’s size and its isolation from the rest of campus. This decision primarily affected minority organizations, which frequently used the Barn as a venue for hosting social events. “Before the meeting with President Hatch, we expressed our concerns and need for a space with other administrators at the university,” Jordan said.
See Ferguson, Page 4
See BSA, Page 5
Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics
Head Volleyball Coach Bill Ferguson is currently on administrative leave after being implicated in a national college admissions scandal for allegedly accepting $100,000 in bribes. The FBI investigation also charged actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman.
Volleyball coach indicted in scandal Next Monday the head volleyball coach, Bill Ferguson, is scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston BY LILLIAN JOHNSON Editor-in-Chief johnlg16@wfu.edu
Following the news of a nationwide college admissions scandal being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice, Head Volleyball Coach Bill Ferguson was suspended on March 12. Ferguson has been indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit racketeering. He is due to appear in federal court next Monday, March 25, in Boston, Mass. According to the original statement by Wake Forest Athletic Communications on March 12, the university is “aware of the allegations” and “has
retained outside legal counsel to look into this matter.” The statement also notes that Ferguson has been placed on administrative leave and that Randi Smart has been named interim coach, effective immediately. In addition, the website for Ferguson’s volleyball camp held at Wake Forest, formerly billfergusonvolleyballcamps. com, now redirects to a new URL, randismartvolleyballcamps.com, with Smart’s name listed across the website instead of Ferguson’s. The college admissions scandal, which has been internally referred to as “Operation Varsity Blues,” alleges that wealthy parents, such as actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin, bribed athletic coaches and standardized test insiders to help their children gain admission into elite universities, such as Yale, Stanford, University of Southern California (USC) and
OGB
“ Admissions scandal shines light on flawed system This column represents the views of the Old Gold & Black Editorial Board.
Colleges and universities across the country ... pledge to increase socioeconomic diversity, but it is essential that they patrol the system enough to make good on that promise."
While Wake Forest students enjoyed spring break last week, the university was embroiled in Operation Varsity Blues: a national conspiracy between wealthy parents, athletic coaches and others to game the U.S. college admissions system. Wake Forest women's volleyball Head Coach Bill Ferguson was indicted for allegedly accepting a bribe totaling $100,000 to influence a student's admissions status. While the scope of the scandal was stunning in its breadth and audacity — more than 50 people were indicted, and bribes totaled millions of dollars — many Demon Deacons were relatively unsurprised by the U.S. Department of Justice's revelations.
The Editorial Board of the Old Gold & Black believes that Operation Varsity Blues is emblematic of the advantages privilege can buy in the U.S. college admissions system, creating a grossly uneven playing field. While the alleged actions of those named in the scandal were criminal and deserve to be prosecuted, they are illegal versions of legal ways that wealthy families can rig the system — for example, the father of Jared Kushner, son-and-law and senior adviser to Donald Trump, promised Harvard
Old Gold &Black
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF WAKE FOREST UNIVERSIT Y SINCE 1916 LILLIAN JOHNSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF johnlg16@wfu.edu
REN SCHMITT PRINT MANAGING EDITOR schmwm16@wfu.edu
>> NEWS
Olivia Field, fielor17@wfu.edu Assistant: Caroline Walker, walkct18@wfu.edu Elizabeth Maline, malied17@wfu.edu
>> SPORTS
Sam Wexler, wexlsn17@wfu.edu Assistant: Rafael Lima, limara17@wfu.edu
>> OPINION
Kyle Ferrer, ferrka16@wfu.edu Assistant: Jack Portman, portjt17@wfu.edu Senior Opinion Adviser: David Ajamy, ajamdg15@wfu.edu
>> LIFE
Emily Beauchamp, beauea17@wfu.edu Assistant: Catherine Regen, regecl17@wfu.edu Andy Killebrew, killae17@wfu.edu
>> SCI & TECH
Kiley Price, prickj15@wfu.edu Jonathan Trattner, tratjd17@wfu.edu
>> DIGITAL MEDIA EDITOR Mary-Hallet Culbreth, culbmh16@ wfu.edu
>> ADVISER
Phoebe Zerwick, zerwicp@wfu.edu
>> STAFF MANAGERS
Becky Swig, swigrr15@wfu.edu Julia Haines, hainjm15@wfu.edu
University $2.5 million just as his son was applying. Actions such as these, which are not uncommon, elevate money over merit. How different are they from illegally bribing coaches to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars? Why are these methods deemed legally, morally and socially permissible? In addition, colleges and universities across the country, Wake Forest included, pledge to increase socioeconomic diversity, but it is essential that they patrol the system enough to make good on that promise. The college admission system is highly subjective, variable and unpredictable, especially because seemingly objective metrics such as the SAT
are strongly correlated with family income, but colleges should do their part to minimize opportunities to further game the system. Further, the Wake Forest Office of Admissions and admissions offices nationwide need to examine their practices regarding the admission of athletes. Admissions offices often defer to coaches for advice on prospective student-athletes, and rightfully so, as coaches are much more qualified to determine a candidate's athletic prowess; however, increased oversight and diligence will be necessary moving forward to prevent nefarious practices, like those uncovered by Operation Varsity Blues.
FOLLOW THE OGB ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK.COM/OGB1916
GRACIE FIRESTONE
BUSINESS MANAGER
firegk16@wfu.edu
AMANDA WILCOX ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR wilcaf16@wfu.edu
>> POLICIES
The Old Gold & Black is published Thursdays during the school year, except during examinations, summer and holiday periods, by Triangle Printing of Durham. © 2014 WFU Media Board. All rights reserved. The views expressed in all editorials and advertisements contained within this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the OGB. As part of our commitment to reporting news fairly and accurately, we will not remove any previously published content. If an error in either our online or print content is brought to our attention, we will revise the originally published article with an appended correction. In order to facilitate thoughtful and appropriate debate, profane, vulgar, or inflammatory comments on our website are not allowed and will be deleted. For more information on our commenting policy, please see our website. We reserve the right to reject advertisements deemed inappropriate. Our full policy, and how to advertise with the OGB, can be found on our website.
>> SUBMISSIONS
The OGB welcomes submissions in the form of story tips, columns and letters to the editor. Letters to the editor should be fewer than 500 words, and columns should be around 500 words. Send yours via e-mail to johnlg16@wfu.edu the Monday before publication. We reserve the right to edit all letters for length and clarity. No anonymous letters will be printed.
>> ONLINE MEDIA
Web: wfuogb.com Facebook: facebook.com/ogb1916 Twitter: @wfu_ogb Instagram: @wfu_ogb Snapchat: @wfu_ogb
@WFU_OGB
@WAKEFOREST_OGB
News | Old Gold & Black
BY OLIVIA FIELD News Editor fielor17w@wfu.edu
Thursday, March 21, 2019 | Page 3
Deacon Profile: Craig Fansler
After studying art in college, Preservation Librarian Craig Fansler has been able to use his skills to help upkeep the materials in the university’s special collections and archives. Although he has been working at Wake Forest for 24 years, he began his career in preservation in 2005. Along with refurbishing and protecting books, printing plates, posters, art and other materials, Fansler is also able to exercise his creativity by making bookmarks and promotional materials for the library. Discreetly located on the third floor of the library, Fansler’s office is filled with tools, a variety of letter presses and a multitude of his own artistic creations. Between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., one can find him working away at any of his one specific projects, which require both his ingenuity and a skillful hand. Generally, what does the preservation process look like?
The main things are do no harm, don’t do anything Olivia Field/Old Gold & Black you can’t reverse and use materials that have a neutral Craig Fansler, pictured above in his office, works pH, so not acidic or alkaline. This, in a nutshell, are to preserve archival material for the library. the basics in terms of guidelines. Then, you know, every item that I work with is individual, so usually is really unique in a job, to be able to have something I sort of approach them as individuals. Some things creative that you did. I love that, I love it. need a box, or certain kind of box; some things need On the flipside, what would you say is your least to be put in a folder. favorite part about this job? What would you say is your favorite part about this job?
and any other information about it. So, this is going back to statistics in a way. We created a spreadsheet with all this information in it. Because they were just in boxes, loosely categorized. Some of our older things include items from the 1300s, and handling those things is sort of special for me, just seeing those things and being able to work with them. We have some of the earliest things published by former slaves. We have a pretty large collection of writings from former slaves. Those things are super rare because those people were African Americans and they were treated badly, still are. Just to have something like that, it’s even more rare in a way, because probably some people burned them. We have such a great collection of a variety of things. I like seeing what we have, handling it and making something to protect it. You kind of touched on this but obviously you work under Special Collections and Archives, so what do you think is important about having a strong archive, having these collections?
Well, the reason we have it is for scholars to use it. And so, with the Dolmen Press, going back to that, several scholars have come here with a grant from the provost to do research on the it. We hold so much of that material, and there’s no other place they can get it. So everything that we do to make that available is good. It’s all for students who want to do research, faculty and external scholars. That’s why we do it, and for the future. Because a lot of the materials in any library are duplicated in pretty much any other academic library. But the unique stuff, we’re the only people that have that, so that’s special and we take pride in that. I would say it’s fair to say that we take pride in our collection and really want to care for it.
Probably keeping statistics. I understand the importance of it, but it’s sort of drudgery a little bit. The way I think of it, it helps people understand the The opportunity to do something that’s tangible, so amount of work I’m doing and the kind of work at the end of the day I have something that I can look I’m doing. There’s also a method of knowing where at and see that’s a concrete thing. I really like that. It’s things are, physically. That is sometimes an issue in rewarding. You know, “Look, I did this.” Also, I have special collections, as it can be hard to find things, so You’re definitely behind the scenes in terms of a degree of autonomy. I think everyone likes that, it’s a tracking mechanism as well. I try to keep that what’s happening in that department and in the to have a little bit of autonomy over their work and in mind, but that’s my least favorite thing probably. library in general, so what do you want people, implied trust from my director and colleagues and students, someone reading this article to know creativity. There’s a degree of creativity in a lot of the What would you say is one of the coolest projects most about your job? things I do, and I like that. I have an art background you’ve ever completed? so a little bit of creativity goes a long way. I mean, one of the most important things is just I would say one of them is the Dolmen Press. The Could you talk a little bit about your background Dolmen Press is an arch press that we acquired back that my job is a key component in making materials in art? in the 1980s. It sat around for a long time until it was accessible to them. So, if something’s in bad repair, finally processed, and part of that press was print- they can’t use it. If it’s in good repair or it’s protected I went to art school at East Carolina [University]. I ing plates. The Dolmen Press was an all Irish kind of by a box or an enclosure of some kind, they can use really enjoyed it until I graduated and then I’m like, thing, so it was Irish authors and poets, Irish artists it. We did a big project two years ago on the anni“What do you do with this stuff, you know?” But I and then the people running the press were Irish, so versary of World War I. We have a large collection still enjoy doing art. I minored in printmaking, so I everything was done with that focus. In the begin- of World War I posters, so I made a lot of repairs. have strong drawing skills and a design background. ning, they were printing books on their kitchen ta- I spent an entire year during repairs on World War With the letter press that we have, I do a lot of cre- ble. They had a little, tiny printing press. And so, we I posters, the whole collection. For some of them, I ative things with that, drawing and making prints. somehow or other got all the printing plates. You can made a protective, temporary enclosure so students I’ve been doing linoleum cuts on the press for book- look at a printing plate and not be able to tell what could use it. I think that’s the most important part marks and for poetry broadsides, sometimes some it is. Two years ago we had a library fellow, and she about what I do. My job is to make things available for Wake Forest Press, for Lifelong Learning, for the and I worked on a project together where we went until they’re protected or repaired. Sometimes it’s library or for keepsakes when we have events. For through every single printing plate. There were over only one thing and it needs to be repaired but someexample, we had the "200 years since Frankenstein" a thousand of them. We went through every one, we times it needs to be put in a box. That’s important. reading this year, so I made a Frankenstein broadside found out the author, what book it was printed in, Otherwise, it sits on a shelf and nobody is going to with his face on it. It’s fun, it’s all over the place. That where in the book it was printed, the year it was done see it, that’s not what a library is about.
Page 4 |Thursday, March 21, 2019
Old Gold & Black | News
Ferguson: Coach involved in national scandal Continued from Page 1
According to PBS NewsHour, U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling said that the investigation will continue and that it is believed that other parents are involved. No students, who in many cases authorities have said were not aware of the fraud, were charged; the schools themselves are also not the targets of the investigation. Regarding Ferguson, the statement of indictment charges reads, “In or about 2017, Singer directed $100,000 from one of the KWF charitable accounts to be sent to FERGUSON, including a $10,000 check to the Wake Forest Deacon Club, a $40,000 check to Wake Forest Women’s Volleyball, and a $50,000 check to a private volleyball camp FERGUSON controlled.” The statement continues, “In exchange for this money, FERGUSON agreed to designate the daughter of one of Singer’s clients — who had previously applied to Wake Forest and been placed on the waitlist — as a recruit for the women’s volleyball team, thereby facilitating her admission to the university.” No parents involved with the alleged bribery involving Wake Forest appear to have been charged, as Wake Forest is not mentioned in the affidavit that has charged parents with fraud.
President Nathan Hatch sent out an email to students, faculty and staff later on the afternoon of March 12, the same day the news of the scandal broke, to acknowledge the allegations against Ferguson. “The alleged conduct is in direct conflict with the values and integrity of Wake Forest and its athletics program,” Hatch wrote. “The university’s outside counsel is conducting an internal review, and Wake Forest has and will continue to cooperate fully with federal authorities as the legal process unfolds.” Hatch sent out a follow-up email on March 13 to affirm his previous message and clarify questions regarding Wake Forest’s involvement with the scandal. In his follow-up email, Hatch wrote that this does not suggest a larger problem with the university’s admissions policy and that that the other allegations in the investigation of cheating on admissions exams “do not pertain to Wake Forest.” “The review completed to date by outside legal counsel underscores that Bill Ferguson acted independently and was the only person at Wake Forest with knowledge of, and involvement with, the alleged misconduct,” he wrote. Hatch also stated that the student mentioned in the indictment charges was admitted and is currently enrolled, but that they “have no reason to believe the
student was aware of the alleged financial transaction.” It remains unknown who the student is or who their parents are. Athletic Director Ron Wellman declined to comment or answer additional questions, noting that he could not really add anything to the university’s statements on the matter. “We just need to let the legal process play out and not get ahead of it,” Wellman said in an email to the Old Gold & Black. In an email sent on March 18, Hatch updated the Wake Forest community on what was happening following the investigation. “I am charging our Director of Athletics and our Dean of Admissions to focus their attention jointly on reviewing and fortifying our admissions process,” Hatch wrote. “They will report to me regularly on enhancements to and compliance with processes and policies.” In addition, Hatch wrote that he was going to have the $50,000 — $10,000 of which went to the Deacon Club and the remaining $40,000 of which went to the Women’s Volleyball team — received by Wake Forest from the Key Worldwide Foundation redirected to the Magnolia Scholars program, which supports firstgeneration college students. In the wake of this scandal, much of the criticism and conversation about college
admissions has focused on the unfair, legal ways in which parents can “buy” their child’s way into a university — through a donation or the purchasing of test prep or tutoring services, for example. In response, Dean of Admissions Martha Allman highlighted the ways in which Wake Forest has committed itself to being accessible for low- and moderate-income students through scholarships and a holistic admissions process. “We have always valued a holistic, rigorous and thoughtful admissions process which includes a personal interview and an application which requires numerous written responses,” Allman said. “Ten years ago, Wake Forest became the first top 30 national university to become test optional and attempt to ‘level the playing field’ and make the admissions process fairer by emphasizing academic achievement, intellectual curiosity, creativity, talent and character over standardized test scores.” Ferguson joined Wake Forest as head volleyball coach in June of 2016, following the resignation of former head coach Ken Murczek, who had denied claims of ongoing abuse detailed in the Old Gold & Black. Ferguson, who had previously served as head men’s volleyball coach at USC for ten years, has a 22-41 record with the Demon Deacons, with a 10-30 record in conference play.
MSA hosts memorial service after NZ shooting A memorial service honoring the lost lives of 50 Muslims took place on Manchester Plaza Tuesday BY LILIAN NASSIF Contributing Writer nassl17@wfu.edu In light of the recent mass shooting in Christchurch, New Zealand, where 50 Muslims were killed, the Muslim Student Association (MSA) held a memorial service to commemorate the lives lost. The event, which took place on March 19 at 6:30 p.m., drew a crowd of students, staff and faculty to Manchester Plaza. “It was 50 different lives. Wives, husbands, couples, brothers, children,” said senior Noor Alghanem, president of MSA. “It was the first thing I saw when I woke up in the morning. Every time I’d check my phone the death tolls would keep rising.” On March 15, Brenton Harrison Tarrant, a 28-year old Australian white supremacist, opened fire at the Al Noor and Linwood mosques, killing 50 Muslim citizens in 36 minutes. Footage of the attack at Al Noor was broadcasted live on Facebook. Senior Aadam Haque, who is also the secretary of the South Asian Student Association, attended the memorial service. Although he had the option to speak, Haque decided not to. “I thought about [speaking at the podium], but I was too afraid I would break down,” Haque said.
Seven minutes prior to the attack, Tarrant shared a 15,000 page “manifesto,” which denounces immigrants as “invaders,” with several politicians and media outlets. Although the memorial was focused on commemorating the lives lost, there was also discussion about the political ramifications of the shooting. “White supremacy just needs to stop. It has to end,” said attendee and senior Maaheen Hasnain. According to Alghanem, MSA decided to host the memorial to stand as a unit against terrorism and white supremacy. Photo courtesy of Riley Herriman At the podium, students and faculty members spoke to parallels existing be- Student attendees hold up a sign that reads “Peace = tween the Christchurch shootings and the Islam.” The memorial service was held on Manchester Plaza. racial plights of African American comHanging on the railings of Manchester “As students of Wake Forest I think it’s munities here in the United States. Plaza were individual pictures of each vic- important that we feel some type of weight “This is a racist act … an act rooted in lifted off of us,” Alghanem said. “That it’s Islamophobia … a fear of immigration,” tim, along with their names. “I wanted people to know who they not all on us. That we don’t have to be the said Michael Pisapia, assistant professor in were,” Hasnain said. “The politics behind ones planning everything, and doing evthe Politics & International Affairs departthis is important, but people need to know erything at a time when we feel kind of ment. Alghanem echoed this same idea during that they are interacting with Muslims ev- alone in that sorrow.” ery day.” Alghanem noted the importance of her address. Three-year-old Mucad Ibrahim was the non-Muslim individuals participating in “Even though so many tragic events are youngest victim of the mass shooting. the dialogue produced by the attack. happening around us, we won’t let them “I was trying so hard not to cry the en“I think that the non-Muslim people silence us because that’s what perpetratire time,” said senior Yaffa Ali. “Especially that spoke today showed that we are not tors want,” said Alghanem. “They want to when I saw the picture of the child.” alone. However, it would have been nice make you afraid. They want to push you In response to the tragedy, the university to witness a more active approach towards into a corner, and not let you practice your responded with an email sent to all stu- helping us to organize this memorial, inreligion freely. They want you to be afraid dents and faculty members. However, it stead of leaving us kids to physicalize and to practice it, or speak out about it, and be to be afraid to say that you are proudly a did not take action to organize a memorial commemorate our own grieving,” AlghaMuslim.” service of its own. nem said.
News | Old Gold & Black
Thursday, March 21, 2019 |Page 5
BSA: New lounge in Kitchin acquired Continued from Page 1
Initially, the Sutton Center was named as a potential alternative venue for hosting late-night social events, but issues arose due to the volume of entrance and egress locations throughout the building. The designation of the lounge in Kitchin for use by BSA comes during a period of
heightened frustration and awareness regarding the historic marginalization of minority groups on campus. In early February, images of students posing in blackface in numerous editions of the Howler resurfaced, and in late February, images of Dean of Admissions Martha Blevins Allman and Associate Dean of Admissions Kevin Pittard standing before a Confederate flag in 1980s editions of the Howler
were circulated among the Wake Forest community. “There’s so much more that needs to be done,” said Dean of Students and Associate Vice President of Campus Life Adam Goldstein. “Wake [Forest] is increasingly diverse, and we have to engage in the long conversation around what it means to be inclusive, and every member of our community should be involved in that conversation.”
Moving forward, BSA intends to use its new lounge for a variety of functions, including meetings, casual events and social events. “It’s vital [that] the university provides spaces and events for minority students to bring forward their concerns and issues [that] endure on campus and that the university actively listens and creates resolutions for these problems,” Jordan said.
Mental Health Week held on campus The series of events led to a conversation about mental health within the university’s culture BY AMANDA WILCOX Online Managing Editor wilcaf16@wfu.edu
Left untreated, it leads to persistent feelings of hopelessness, insomnia, risktaking behavior, decreased academic performance, psychosomatic illness and disordered eating. It increases the risk of substance abuse, self-harm and suicidal ideation, and it is increasingly prevalent on college campuses, particularly those of high-ranking and academically demanding universities such as Wake Forest. Mental illness, according to results of the National College Health Assessment in the past decade, is a problem that most students confront at some time during their college careers. In 2018, the survey found that 40 percent of college students reported feeling “overwhelmingly anxious,” while 20 percent said they felt “so depressed it was difficult to function.” Thirteen percent said that they had considered suicide in the past year. Statistics among Demon Deacons are comparable to those nationally — according to a recent campus-wide wellness survey, onefifth of Wake Forest students reported that they had experienced depression. Four years ago, Wake Forest Student Government (SG) decided to address this trend by founding Mental Health Week, a five-day series of events devoted to increasing mental illness awareness and combating stigmas some students may feel when admitting that they are struggling. SG operated Mental Health Week in conjunction with Thrive’s SOS (Signs of Stress) Week in order to provide the campus with a combination of educational opportunities and activities. “I think what’s really good about the combination of the two is that it attacks the issue of mental health in two different ways,” said senior and SG President Danny Reeves. “Student Government is doing programming, awareness and education while Thrive and Wellbeing are attacking it more from decorating cupcakes and having Puppies on the Quad, yoga and Stress Less kits … I think it’s great to team together because there’s not a onesize-fits-all solution for mental health. We have a diverse campus and what works for one person might not work for someone else.” Some students have criticized Mental
Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Student Government
Student Government’s Mental Health Week focused on creating a conversation to destigmatize mental illnes on campus. However, some students criticized the week for not addressing long-standing health problems on the university’s campus.
Health Week’s programming — which included a petting zoo on Manchester Plaza, cupcake decorating in the Pit and “Soiled Hands, Happy Hearts” at Campus Gardens — as inadequate solutions for long-standing and systemic mental health problems on Wake Forest’s campus. “I can certainly understand criticisms where some people may say, ‘What is a puppy going to do to cure my depression?’ but I think what it does is that it gets people talking about the larger conversation, which is the most important thing, and for another person, seeing a puppy or a dog may make their day,” said Reeves. “You come because you see food or a speaker or puppies, but you leave having a conversation about mental health and you leave learning more about mental health.” Sophomore Matthew McIlwain, who serves as co-chair of SG’s Public Relations Committee, reiterated that SG did not intend for Mental Health Week’s programs to be seen as solutions to Wake Forest’s mental health problems, but rather as conversation-starters. “We’re not going to fix mental health
in five days. That was never the intention of this week,” said McIlwain. “This week is to have people understand that there are other people on campus struggling with it, there are people and resources on campus to help you with it, and through that awareness, everyone will start to have a more successful college career.” Junior Rance Orrell elaborated on the concerns students have expressed regarding how mental health is treated by university administration and campus leadership. “There are so many systemic issues that feed into mental health issues on our campus, like a toxic culture of overwork, the restriction of low-income students’ ability to lessen their course load to part-time status and long wait times (sometimes up to four weeks) for a single 30-minute appointment at the University Counseling Center,” he said. He also called on SG to support the work of other groups on campus, such as the Support Survivors Coalition, who have advocated for increased resources to the University Counseling Center in order to address mental health at Wake Forest long-term.
“This includes hiring more counselors, specifically counselors of color and of marginalized identities. It also means paying our counselors more so that they stay here for more than a few years and are able to become more deeply embedded in the Wake Forest community,” Orrell said. Reeves also emphasized that because the quality of a campus’ mental health cannot easily be put into numbers, he felt that the impact of Mental Health Week cannot be simply quantified, such as with the number of visits to the University Counseling Center. “When I was first lobbying for this, I had a lot of administrators say to me, ‘How are you going to quantify the success of Mental Health Week?’” he said. “If I don’t hear from one person whether it helped them or not, I’m fine with that as long as there’s one person who reached out to their roommate and said, ‘I think I need to get help, can you talk to me?’ That’s the win right there.” Mental Health Week will continue with a keynote speech from Michelle Williams, a former member of Destiny’s Child, in Wait Chapel on March 21.
Old Gold & Black | News
Page 6 | Thursday, March 21, 2019
Downtown Confederate statue removed The Confederate statue was removed from downtown Winston-Salem on March 12 BY MARY DANIEL CHEEK Staff Writer cheemd15@wfu.edu
After months of contention, the city of Winston-Salem removed the Confederate monument on March 12 from its downtown location. Since 1905, the statue has stood on the corner of Fourth Street and Liberty Street, but was moved to an unspecified location last week. During the removal, the intersection was blocked off with fences and road barriers. Crews worked for multiple hours to remove the statue because it had to be disassembled piece by piece. The city’s decision to proceed with the removal was made out of concern for public safety. City officials, including Mayor Allen Joines and City Attorney Angela Carmon, have cited past incidents of vandalism as reason for the
statue to be removed promptly and in a civil manner. In the week following the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, the Confederate statue was first vandalized on Aug. 17, 2017. In this incident, someone spray-painted “shame” on the base of the statue. In December 2018, the statue was vandalized once again. This time, someone wrote “cowards and traitors” on the base of the statue. After both incidents of vandalism, the city directed the Winston-Salem Police Department to temporarily patrol the area around the statue. Joines referenced this violence in Charlottesville when explaining why the city took such lengthy security measures when removing the statue. “We did this carefully because of public safety issues. You saw what happened in Charlottesville with the crowds there and the car that drove into the crowds, and that’s the reason we’ve established these barriers here to make sure that any work that’s being done is being done safely,” said Joines.
The removal follows recent developments in the ongoing legal battle between the city and United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) regarding the status of the statue. The James B. Gordon chapter of the UDC erected the Confederate statue in 1905. In a Jan. 30 letter to James A. Davis and Associates, the legal representation for the UDC, Winston-Salem City Attorney Angela Carmon, denied the UDC’s request for a delay of action that would have prevented the city from taking further action regarding the statue for sixty days. In this letter, Carmon cited concerns for public safety as the main reason for seeking a resolution to the controversy around the statue’s location. “It is clear that the presence of the Confederate statue, in its current location jeopardize [its] preservation and is prejudicial to public safety,” Carmon said. Prior to these recent developments, in December 2018, Carmon ordered the UDC to “remove and relocate” the
statue to “a more secure location.” In a letter sent to the UDC in December, the city stated that the group must remove the statue from its current location before Jan. 31. In response to the letter from the city, the UDC issued a statement on Jan. 3 vowing to fight for the preservation of the statue in its current location. “We wish for the memorial to remain in its place … and will do everything in our power to see that it continues to remain,” said the statement. The city’s proposed new home for the statue is Salem Cemetery, where 36 Confederate soldiers are buried. Joines said he supports the relocation of the statue to this site and has offered to finance the movement of the statue to this location. Joines has also stated that any movement of the statue to the cemetery would be a “quiet and serene” event. The relocation of the statue to Salem Cemetery will not happen immediately, and it will likely be weeks before crews begin work to relocate it.
Wake students exemplify civic leadership Over spring break, Wake Forest students volunteered in communities across the country BY CAROLINE WALKER Asst. News Editor walkct18@wfu.edu While many Wake Forest students spent their spring break relaxing on vacation or within the comforts of their hometowns, a select group of students decided to engage in community service through participation in Wake Alternative Break (WAB). The WAB program was established 18 years ago and was inspired by the nationwide push towards civic engagement and active citizenship that was modeled and promoted by the Break Away program, a national nonprofit focusing on alternative breaks. The WAB director, Irving ZavaletaJimenez, reflected on the goal of the program to combine Wake Forest’s commitment to Pro Humanitate and a lifelong engagement in learning, even outside of the classroom. “The mission of WAB is to facilitate service in the community, connect participants to each other, encourage experiential learning around a social issue and inspire participants to return to campus motivated to positively impact their university, local, national and international communities,” ZavaletaJimenez said. These students led endeavors for civic engagement and experiential learning in one of the following five locations: Chicago, Ill.; Shenandoah, Va.; Otway, Ohio; New Orleans, La. and Warsaw, N.C. Each group was assigned to a location-specific community service project.
In Chicago, students tutored elementary and middle-school children while volunteering at Casa Central, an organization focused on providing support and resources for the Hispanic community in the Midwest. The Chicago trip’s leader, freshman Rotchild Dorson, reflected upon the importance of providing opportunities for disadvantaged children through tutoring sessions, as well as the impact of this community service project. “Not only did I have fun, but I felt as if I was making a change. Being from a low-income, minority neighborhood I understand the obstacles that are places against students in these environments,” Dorson said. “Getting even a week to help them maneuver through
these obstacles and helping them see that they have support no matter what, I feel like will hopefully help show them then they can overcome anything and dream big.” Meanwhile, another group of students focused on environmental conservation and the practice of mindfulness during the trip to Shenandoah. This group worked on restoring Shenandoah National Park through collaboration with the Virginia Department of Conservation. In Ohio, the students volunteered at Hurricane Run Farm, a small farm that utilizes sustainable farming practices to cultivate organic products. These students experienced organic farming and learned more about the importance of environmental sustainability.
Photo courtesy of Caitlin Graham
Students improved the environment of New Orleans through the removal of invasive Brazilian grass from the ecosystem.
During the trip to New Orleans, students assisted with disaster relief through rebuilding houses and responding to natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina that ravaged the landscape and displaced many residents from their homes 14 years ago. These students partnered with the United States Recovery Project, which is a non-profit organization that provides assistance to communities and residents affected by natural disasters through volunteer-based, grassroots efforts to rebuild homes and to improve the quality of life for residents of the impacted area. Trip leader sophomore Caitlin Graham spoke to the benefits of volunteering in New Orleans. “We learned a great bit about the city itself from engaging with the residents of the community through service,” Graham said. “We were able to see that the impact of Katrina is far-reaching and still continues today.” Students also worked toward disaster relief on a local level while rebuilding houses that were recently destroyed by Hurricane Michael on North Carolina’s coast. This trip was unique because Wake Forest alumni were afforded the opportunity to sign up for this WAB group and join current students working on this community service project. The WAB program leader commented on the importance of this opportunity for students to travel across the country in order to better serve other communities outside of the context of the Wake Forest and their academic classrooms. “It is my hope that students reflected on the service work that they were doing, whether it was disparities in education or which communities get most affected by natural disasters and why,” Zavaleta-Jimenez said.
T H U R S D AY, M A R C H 2 1 , 2 0 1 9
PAG E 7 Online
at : w w w. w f u o g b . c o m
A s s o c i at e E d i to r s :
Kiley Price, prickj15@wfu.edu J o n a t h a n Tr a t t n e r, t r a t j d 17 @ w f u . e d u
OLD GOLD & BLACK
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Epigenetics research sheds light on genome A visiting scientists presented his research on epigenetics to Wake Forest students BY STEPHANIE BILODEAU Staff Writer bilosm13@wfu.edu
Shiv Grewal of the National Cancer Institute spoke to approximately 40 students and faculty about “Heterochromatin inheritance and epigenetic control of the genome” in this week’s Frontiers in Biology seminar on March 18 in Winston. Grewal is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and much of his research within the field of epigenetics focuses on the formation of heterochromatin, which is the tightly packed form of DNA. “Grewal’s research in the early 2000s laid the foundation for the then-young field of epigenetics,” said Wake Forest PhD candidate Fadi Marayati. “His focus on how environmental stress factors alter gene expression could change our understanding of how we are more than just our genomic sequence, but also what choices we make and what environment we live in, on a daily basis.”
In other words, he helped show how nature and nurture affect us on a molecular level. Grewal began his talk with a brief introduction to epigenetics, the study of how genes can be switched on and off within an organism’s cells, without actually altering the genetic code stored in DNA itself. Epigenetics help to control cellular differentiation, the process by which two cells in your body can develop into completely different specialized cell types, despite having exactly the same DNA. Some diseases, including cancer, have also been linked to epigenetics, and certain epigenetic changes, whether good or bad, can even be inherited. Your body turns off, or “silences,” certain genes so that not every protein encoded in your DNA is expressed all at once in a single cell. This silencing occurs by adding methyl groups to the histone proteins that your DNA winds around, which blocks transcription (the first step of gene expression) in these regions of your DNA. Histone proteins are important for keeping DNA structurally organized. Together, the DNA and histones form chromatin, the material chromosomes are made from. There are two types of chromatin: euchromatin, which is loosely wound
and easily accessible for transcription, and heterochromatin, which is tightly wound and harder to transcribe. Grewal explores heterochromatin using fission yeast as a model organism. One feature he found involves complexes of silencing effector proteins, which bind to heterochromatin and promote genome stability. Mutants without these silencing effectors allow transcriptional access to gene sequences which should be suppressed. Stress is also an important aspect of epigenetics, as organisms like yeast and humans can modify their gene expression to better deal with stressful conditions. “The reason you should care about this is this is the system which allows your cells to change gene expression as cells experience stress,” Grewal said. Grewal found that certain genes that are simply switched on or off under normal conditions can instead be regulated using a different mechanism under stress, which allows some gene expression, but only within a certain range. Grewal also found that iron uptake is very important for heterochromatin assembly and epigenetic genome control in cells. His research team is currently working to understand how the iron helps with this process
and why cells without iron uptake cannot form heterochromatin correctly and may mis-express genes. Grewal took time at the end of his presentation to thank his collaborators and the many researchers in his lab, many of whom are connected to Wake Forest. “I particularly enjoyed seeing my current advisor, Dr. Ke Zhang, and my former lab partner, James Tucker, get recognized for their contribution,” Marayati said.
Photo courtesy of National Cancer Institute
Grewal studies heterochromatin inheritance at the National Cancer Institute
Why does vacationing makes you sick? Figure out why spring break may have been a breeding ground for disease BY KILEY PRICE Associate Science &Technology Editor prickj15@wfu.edu
It is the first week back from spring break and many students are sporting bronzed tans, souvenir t-shirts from foreign countries and, unfortunately, a nasty illness. As fun as traveling is, it can also have a range of negative impacts on the body. If you are one of the students holed up in your bed surrounded by tissues and NyQuil, mournfully scrolling through pictures of your poolside break in Punta Cana, you may be wondering why your body is falling apart. The first leg of spring break festivities often includes a cross-country plane ride that travels from one time zone to another. The effect of this flight is one that many jet setters are familiar with called jet lag. Symptoms of jet lag include intense exhaustion, indigestion, moodiness and more that are caused by
the disruption of your body’s internal clock, driven by something called circadian rhythm. Many of your body’s internal biological processes, from hormone release to sleep, are controlled by a 24-hour timing system roughly based on day and night. When you switch time zones or severely alter your daily routine, your mind and travel plans for the day become desynchronized with your body’s internal clock. With your body and mind at odds along with a weakened immune system, you are easy prey for a host of opportunistic pathogens and annoying illnesses. The bacteria and pathogens attacking you have to originate somewhere and are often present on the plane itself. According to a 2015 study done by TravelMath, the surface of a plane tray table has approximately eight times more bacteria per square inch than the bathroom flush buttons. As you are enjoying the lukewarm pasta covered in mysterious sauce served by a surly flight attendant, bacteria are proliferating all around you and taking advantage of your weakened immune system to strike. A good way to avoid this cesspool of disease is to use a disinfectant
wipe before eating or maybe just wait to eat when you land. Unfortunately, communities of bacteria are most likely waiting for you when you land, too, specifically those residing on public transit systems. In London, a country where over 1.3 billion people use the underground transit system known as “the Tube” every year, there are over 121 different bacteria and mold strains growing among the businessmen and women trying to get to work. During the London Under the Microscope project led by London Metropolitan University, researchers found nine bacteria species associated with antibiotic resistance, so it would be smart to always carry a bottle of hand sanitizer. If you manage to dodge the slew of illnesses lurking on the plane and train, another thing you might have to worry about is the food and water. Several foreign countries have different cooking techniques and water management systems than the United States and your body is not always equipped for the organisms that may hide in the food and water like local populations. Locals already possess a semi-immuni-
ty to many of the illnesses that are omnipresent in their community because their bodies developed the antibodies specific to defending against that organism. For an outside visitor, defense systems are not quite as ready for these brands of attack from foreign invaders and may be more susceptible to illness. Some communities in Africa have even adapted and acquired immunity to certain strains of malaria due to consistent exposure to the disease. Although spring break is filled with fun, sun, and relaxation, it is always important to be aware of the illnesses hiding around the corner.
Kiley Price/Old Gold & Black
The London Underground is full of illness causing bacteria.
OPINION OLD GOLD & BLACK
T h u r s d ay, M a rc h 21 , 2 019
PAG E 8
Online Editor:
at : w w w. w f u o g b . c o m
K y l e F e r r e r, f e r r k a 1 6 @ w f u . e d u
A s s t . E d i t o r : J a c k P o r t m a n , p o r t t j t 17 @ w f u . e d u
The views expressed in all opinion columns represent those of the article’s author, not the opinions of the Old Gold & Black Editorial Board
“ a blinkered concept of discourse Republicans show Political Hypocrisy
Censorship of Ilhan Omar represents Republican hypocrisy as they contend with historical ills
Jack Portman
Staff Columnist porttjt17@wfu.edu On Saturday, Rep. Steve King, a Republican congressman from Iowa, shared a meme on Facebook that suggested that the south would win a renewed civil war against the north, given that “one side has about eight trillion bullets, while the other side doesn’t know what bathroom to use.” The meme depicts a pastiche human figure comprised of southern states punching a similarly personified pastiche of northern states. King deleted the post, likely because he represents the northern state of Iowa; in the meme, Iowa forms the bicep of the blue human figure getting gut-punched by the south. In one poorly crafted meme apparently circa early-2010s, King managed to forget which state he represents, commit an illegal act of sedition and egregiously offend trans folks.
Rep. Steve King is an unabashed racist, yet the GOP failed for the majority of his problematic tenure to address his conduct.” In January, the congressman made headlines after asking, “White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization — how did that language become offensive?” An opponent of immigration and multiculturalism, King was described by The Washington Post as “the U.S. congressman most openly affiliated with white nationalism.” Steve King is an unabashed racist, yet the GOP failed for the majority of his problematic tenure to address his conduct. Only following his January comments concerning white supremacy was King removed from his committee assignments by the Republican Steering Committee. He was never denounced by President Trump. While King’s blatant racism has been tolerated for years, Republicans unloaded a circus of criticism when Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar suggested that the disciplinary measures she faced because of her criticisms of Israel were financially motivated, tweeting, “it’s all about the Benjamins baby.” Many accused her of employing an antisemitic trope,
and a House Resolution condemning antisemitism was resultantly passed, a resolution clearly targeting Omar. Trump was expectedly vocal about Omar’s tweet, going as far as to call for her resignation. Controversy surrounding Omar circulated for weeks following her tweet, even as she offered a timely apology for her words. Republicans exacerbated the criticism, and resultant negative news coverage of Omar is profoundly hypocritical, reflecting the privileged capacity of white male politicians to largely avoid punishment for offensive behavior. Considering that the GOP failed for years to address the blatantly white supremacist rhetoric of King, its criticism of Omar is disingenuous, merely a ploy to provoke negative news coverage of a prominent democrat. Likewise, Trump explicitly supported Alabama Republican candidate Roy Moore, who allegedly committed sexual assault against underage victims and who suggested removing all amendments after the Bill of Rights would “eliminate many problems.” Given Trump’s record of offensive behavior and language, illustrated by the leaked Access Hollywood tape in which he brags about committing sexual assault, his condemnation of Omar is outrageously hypocritical.
The reprehensible behavior of Steve King is not surprising given his history of offensive language, neither is it unexpected that Trump defended a Fox News host who was suspended this week for suggesting that Omar’s hijab reflects her ideological opposition to the constitution. Trump and King are each subsumed in a narrative of white-supremacist entitlement that disavows criticism as censorship and fake news, and Omar, a black, female, Muslim refugee, serves as an existential threat to the presence of white supremacy in U.S. governance. Following the tragic terrorist attack in New Zealand, enacted by a white supremacist who idolized Trump as a “symbol of renewed white identity,” Mick Mulvaney, acting White House chief of staff, clarified before the press that “Donald Trump is not a white supremacist.” However, white supremacists apparently believe otherwise. GOP members have consistently disregarded the profanity, white supremacy and unchecked privilege of its white-male membership while simultaneously lambasting Democratic members such as Omar for lesser offenses. That Republican members condemn Omar but fail to acknowledge the blatantly offensive nature of their colleagues and Trump reflects either an intense cognitive dissonance or a pathological partisan hyper-loyalty.
net’s infinite knowledge highlights the impossibility of human omniscience. The dearth of persuasive opinions stems not from their lack of objective accrual but of subjective conviction, and although this statement sounds as if it may further empower the prevailing movements, whose opinions are expressly allergic to facts, it is meant to clarify a 21st-century paradox. The limited mind’s access to unlimited information extends the wide net metaphor into an incessant, exhausting exploration of everything, collecting in a commitment to nothing. The claim that “I don’t know enough” to have an opinion may sometimes be true, but that logical end has morphed into an illogical fear and deterioration of articulation. The nervous, verbal backpedaling infecting expression stems from the frazzled mind’s confrontation with the Internet, and the lack of editorial commitment comes from quashed passion that engenders a powerlessness akin to human confrontation with the sublime. Although the Internet, in its simplest denomination, creates opportunity to build a reasonable foundation, and then workshop a subjective argumentation out of it, we are simply lost in the intimidating myopia and become dismayed at our lack
of scope. Loosing ourselves from the tantalizing paradox of informational infinity and committing to subjective specificity, rhetorical novelty and layered opinion may be the only means of escaping captivity. This fleeing inward can restore the confidence necessary to stir our torpor, and enliven expression and argument, which ultimately is the key to a successful democracy. At some point, we must reject the fish the Internet feeds us and teach ourselves to rigorously test and refute opinions using dense, subjective metrics. The restorative way back from our lurching and feeble opinions is through a personal rearmament that comes from the inside rather than outside. This call to passion is not a call to internal demagoguery but a reignition of desire, that oft-suppressed spark of the creative that kneads our nuanced thoughts into verbal flourish. As it stands, we articulate a million semi-sweet nothings, to no avail. Our opinions are not subtle, they are timid, yet a re-commitment to ourselves and our mind can change that. As Napoleon is thought to have said, “from the sublime to the ridiculous is only a step; let the future generations decide.” Engage with subjectivity and passion, bolster their intrinsic treasures with fact, then decide, decide.
“ The age of equivocation enfeebles opinions Cultural Conundrums
The Internet and its infinite information enervates opinion and scatters thought
Kyle Ferrer
Staff Columnist ferrka16@wfu.edu
Opinions are usually heavily researched, either subjectively through periods of intense mental argumentation, or objectively through factual analysis and synthesis. The strongest opinions overlay the rhetorical benefits of subjective interrogation with the fact-based firmament that comes from external research. The current climate, editorially speaking, is one of equivocation and intimidation. The reality of unlimited information fosters doubt, and the mind has become enfeebled due to the threat of a speedy, web-based debunking. Our subjective, internal argumentation atrophies at the paralytic impossibility of researching everything we think necessary to articulate an opinion. Since we stand to be objectively proven wrong at every step, we
The limited mind’s access to unlimited information extends the wide-net metaphor into an incessant, exhausting exploration of everything...” choose to inhabit a vague, non-committal space where we feel a sort of fleeting safety, but nonetheless remain in uncomfortable flux as our passion dwindles into a state of privation. The opinions we choose to half-have are scared attempts to hedge our egotistical, intellectual bets, spreading our minds out like a thousand hands, hoping that if one is severed our compensatory, enervate body of opinions will rescue us from the harsh, combative reality of argument. We spread ourselves so thin so that saving face becomes synonymous with no longer having one; instead, we operate in as meek frontiersman, happy if our wisps of novelty inch into untrammeled land but liable to retreat into frantic brandsalvaging at the sight of something truly wild. The stale dictum about more power and more responsibility dissipates in the face of infinite knowledge, becoming incommensurate in degrees when facing a world-wide-web of degreelessness. Ironically (and somewhat cruelly), the Inter-
Opinion | Old Gold & Black
Thursday, March 21, 2019 | Page 9
Iowa caucus“could stunt Democratic competition Electoral Tradition
Because the Hawkeye State is one of the whitest and most rural states in the country, its priorities likely don't reflect those of the larger Democratic electorate."
The pre-eminence of the Iowa caucus could blight healthy competition too early on
Amanda Wilcox Staff Columnist wilcaf16@wfu.edu
The presidential primary election cycle is an entirely different animal every four years, but we can count on one aspect to stay the same. A mélange of intrepid senators, governors and other elected officials, all with visions of themselves at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office alight in their eyes, will invariably start by paying a call to the state of Iowa and consuming copious quantities of corn on the cob. Why? The small “flyover” Midwestern state holds its caucuses first, followed by primaries in New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada. Consequently, those four states exercise a significant degree of influence over who voters in the rest of the country will see on the ballot in later primaries. The winner of the early contests is generally anointed as the frontrunner with all of the electoral advantages that the title conveys — media coverage, attention from prominent donors and the Democratic National Committee and the imprecisely defined but existentially crucial “momentum.” Candidates who suffer a weak showing in
Letter to the Editor While we applaud the Student Government’s intention to combat antisemitism on campus, the resolution passed in December 2018 (and slightly amended in January 2019), Student Resolution 6 “Supporting Wake Forest’s Jewish Community by Recognizing and Fighting Anti-Semitism and Acts of Bigotry” will do little to combat anti-Jewish hatred and instead threatens to curb dramatically free speech and academic inquiry. In spite of the well intentions of the student legislators, the language of the resolution draws from and duplicates a larger legislative effort taking place nationwide that is less concerned with combatting actual occurrences of antisemitism than with trying to suppress growing criticism on college campuses over Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and the United States' complicity with it. As campus groups such as Students for Justice in Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace and Open Hillel become more active and convince their fellow students to take a closer look at the desperate situation of Palestinians living under Israeli occupation, pro-Israel organizations such as Students Supporting Israel, Birthright, the Anti-Defamation League, AIPAC
Iowa and New Hampshire often suspend their campaigns soon after. Obviously, the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary will be the most important moments when it comes to paring down the crowded Democratic field. However, problems arise when one considers the fact that the populations of Iowa and New Hampshire are poor reflections of the increasingly diverse Democratic Party. In addition, no heir apparent has emerged yet among the 17 Democrats who have so far lined up to run, and when so many aspirants split the vote, no candidate will need a commanding lead to win the Iowa and New Hampshire contests. While the diversity and size of the field is inarguably its strength, as I wrote in another column earlier this semester, it could potentially compound the problems inherent in the order of the state primary lineup. The bank of candidates is surely varied in experience; there is Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former congressman and Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke and a sizable group of U.S. senators including Bernie Sanders, Cory Booker, Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Amy Klobuchar and Kirsten Gillibrand. While all of the candidates share core progressive values, they each contribute different policy priorities
“
The truth is that S.R. 6 is a part of a broader attempt to suppress student activism and academic speech that is in support of Palestinian human rights." and the Simon Wiesenthal Center find themselves on the defensive and seek to cast these groups as inherently antisemitic. Since they are losing the battle over student opinion on a fair playing field of public debate on college campuses, supporters of this legislation are trying to demolish the entire field and stop any debate from occurring at all. This legislation utilizes a questionable definition of antisemitism to determine if a wide array of incidents on college campuses, including student protest, are in violation of current anti-discrimination law. The definition (refer to https://2009-2017.state. gov/j/drl/rls/fs/2010/122352.htm) of antisemitism is one formerly employed by the State Department and is written in such a way that even many of the current debates concerning Israel that occur among Jews in Israel and within the American Jewish community would themselves be classified as antisemitic. Even the original author
and areas of expertise, such as the climate (Inslee), labor and the economy (Sanders and Warren), single-payer health care (Booker and Sanders), immigration (O’Rourke) and women’s and family issues (Gillibrand). When all of the candidates face off in Iowa, the winner, as you might reasonably expect, will reflect the concerns of Iowans. However, because the Hawkeye State is one of the whitest and most rural states in the country, its priorities likely don’t reflect those of the larger Democratic electorate. Meanwhile, other candidates who may better represent the opinions of Democrats across the country may not perform as well in Iowa and subsequently be weeded out — even if they could have done well later on down the road and been stronger candidates nationally. This may not have been a significant problem in 2016, when Hillary Clinton’s candidacy in the general election was almost a foregone conclusion, but now, when the primary is anyone’s game, it could have a much larger impact on the state of the race. Obviously, some state has to go first, but it doesn’t have to be Iowa. Let’s say for the sake of the argument that Democrats could order the primary calendar in any way they wanted. How should they do it? FiveThirtyEight’s elections analyst, Geoffery Skelley, scrutinized this question using data from the Cooperative Congressional Election Study, a survey of more than 50,000 people conducted by YouGov in conjunction with Harvard University. He then estimated each state’s
potential Democratic electorate, breaking it into five groups: white voters with no college degree, white voters with a college degree, African-American voters, Hispanic voters and all others. Finally, Skelley analyzed how each state’s Democratic demographics differed from those of the country. Based on his analysis, the states that come closest to being a cross section of national Democratic voters are Illinois, New Jersey, New York and Florida. As the primary election calendar exists now, several of those states go the polls fairly late in the game, so if they were to go first, candidates’ paths to victory would be significantly altered. It’s also worth noting that reordering the calendar based on Skelley’s analytical work would heavily favor states that have diverse electorates within their borders, which are often also more heavily populated. However, because multiple states vote on the same primary days, the advantage of larger states could be evened out if smaller states that are not particularly representative of the Democratic electorate on their own are grouped with others to form a pool of voters that does look like the party as a whole. There is certainly no perfect primary calendar, but there is also no reason that an Iowa caucus in early February should be accepted without some discussion over whether the current schedule is worth keeping. For the 2020 race, the primary calendar has already been established, but in future years, if Illinois and New Jersey went first, primary candidates could face
of the definition has testified that it is inappropriate for the purposes of legislation and, when used as a standard on college campuses, “will actually harm Jewish students and have a toxic effect on the academy” (see https://www. tikkun.org/tikkundaily/2016/12/14/ kenneth-sterns-letter-to-the-houseon-the-antisemitism-awareness-act). The truth is that S.R. 6 is a part of a broader attempt to suppress student activism and academic speech that is in support of Palestinian human rights. The bill defines opposition to Israeli government policy as antisemitism, equates Judaism with Zionism and threatens to penalize student groups that engage in Palestinian human rights. Such legislation will do nothing to stop actual antisemitism on college campuses, which, like ethnic hatred of all sorts, has been growing since the election of President Trump. Just as African-American, Muslim, Arab, Native American and Latinx students face increased hostility, so too have many Jewish students experienced hatred from white supremacists. All of these forms of hatred and intolerance are out of bounds and must be resisted wherever and whenever they occur.
Criticism of Israel, be its policies, laws, or even existence as a Jewish state, is not the same thing as antisemitism, even if some antisemites couch their hatred in criticisms of Israel. Although identification with Zionism may be a core belief among many Jews, Israel remains a country complete with borders, a military, an electoral system, a nuclear arsenal and a complicated history that involves both the rescue of one people and the forced displacement of another. As is the case with all other countries in the world, Israel must be subject to critical debate and scholarly inquiry. It can be protested, contested, challenged and even boycotted. Students and faculty should not be placed in violation of the law for doing so. Michaelle Browers, Professor and associate chair of Wake Forest University’s Department of Politics and International Affairs, director of the Middle East and South Asia Studies Program Barry Trachtenberg, Rubin chair of Jewish History, director of the Jewish Studies Program at Wake Forest University.
Opinion | Old Gold & Black
Letter to the Editor A little over one year ago the editorial staff at Old Gold & Black wrote an opinion piece entitled “Gun Violence in the U.S. Needs to be Better Addressed.” The article started a conversation on the effectiveness of strict gun control legislation. Singled out in the conversation was the reduction in gun deaths and mass shootings in Australia since the Australian government implemented strict gun control. Last week, we witnessed a terrible mass shooting in New Zealand. It was apparently organized and perpetrated by an Australian who lived about three hours outside Brisbane. Brisbane is a major city with over 2 million inhabitants. In fact, it has a population almost half the size of New Zealand. It also is home to more than a dozen mosques. Why would a person fly to New Zealand (an over three hour flight) to commit murder? Perhaps the major reason is that it would have been difficult to obtain a large quantity
“
Only 4 percent of the world's people live in the United States, but Americans make up a full third of the people worldwide who die by gun suicide each year."
of the desired weapons in Australia. However, in New Zealand, with weak gun control laws, it was possible to obtain a large array of weapons. We can see the effect of stricter gun control laws here in the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control the gun deaths are rated by state — the lowest, with relatively strict gun control laws are: Hawaii: 2.5 Massachusetts: 3.7 New York: 3.7 Rhode Island: 3.9 Connecticut: 5.1 New Jersey: 5.3 California: 7.9
Thursday, March 21, 2019 | Page 10
The highest, with relatively lenient laws are: Wyoming: 18.8 Arkansas: 20.3 Mississippi: 21.5 Missouri: 21.5 Louisiana: 21.7 Montana: 22.5 Alabama: 22.9 Alaska: 24.5 You are more than ten times more likely to be killed by a gun in Alaska than Hawaii. The latest gun deaths tally produced two grim milestones: At nearly 40,000 deaths, America recorded the highest absolute number of gun deaths in nearly 50 years. According to the Center for Disease Control research, 39,773 people were fatally shot in 2017, a figure that has grown by more than 10,000 people since 1999. CDC data going back
to 1979 shows that last year had the highest rates of gun deaths in nearly 40 years. Only 4 percent of the world’s people live in the U.S. but Americans make up a third of the people worldwide who die by gun suicide each year. Over 3,200 youth and teens were killed or injured by gun violence last year alone — including more than 90 incidents at schools. This is the biggest spike that we have seen in a decade. More Americans have been killed by guns domestically since the end of World War II than in all the wars combined. Polls show most Americans, even Republicans and NRA members, want devices that increase the rate of fire of semi-automatic weapons to be banned.
all overseas terrorism in one blow, they’d say he’s out of line for that and should be impeached. However, deposing Trump should not be their sole campaign message (Trump’s was the wall and Obama’s was bringing home the troops and cleaning up bureaucracies). Obviously as the election transpires, Democrats like Pelosi will develop a more in-depth campaign message. But if you listen to the rhetoric of the left’s candidates right now, it’s all about persisting and taking the White House, but they don’t talk much about post-election economy, the trade war or foreign policy. But what happens if they actually do win? If the Democrats want to take the White House, they need a foolproof agenda afterwards and a more fiscally conscious one at that. This idea of being a socially motivated party will not hold up well in office. If they have a good enough agenda with a large enough constituency, they can achieve their goal of dethroning Trump and actually have a plan for the following four or possibly eight years. Seize power: The Judiciary is red and has the potential to go even more red. If Ruth Bader Ginsburg isn’t healthy enough to con-
tinue, Trump will nominate a conservative in her place. This isn’t corruption; this is party politics. Obama did it with his attempted nomination of Garland, a left leaning juge. That wasn’t corrupt either, it was strategic. Democrats can’t be afraid to fight tooth and nail to gain seats. They also need to sway Republicans to vote in their direction. How do they do this? Not through social issues. The vast majority of Republicans want to hear about health care, the market, Syria or infrastructure, because those things are more relevant on a global scale than social dilemmas. In November of 2020, we will see how this all plays out. I hope, for the Democrats’ sake, that they nominate somebody with a straight head on their shoulders. I hope for the Republicans’ sake, that they can throw all the petty conflict away, unify and get behind Trump. Also, for those of you who don’t know, popular vote holds less weight than the Electoral College. The popular vote will be essential but in this election, the Democrats will rely on flipping delegates. It’s a pretty easy concept, and the quicker you grasp it, the quicker you can watch this thing transpire with a substantial understanding of what is going on.
Tom Daly '69
“ galvanize on all fronts to succeed Democrats must Politics
In order to get elected, Democrats must compile a robust and succinct set of principles John Manos
Staff Columnist manojd18@wfu.edu In the fallof 2020, President Trump will seek re-election. Between now and then, the Democrats take on the heavy task of finding the right candidate to defeat him. If Trump wins, the Democrats will face their worst nightmare in having to work against their most oppositionary president in recent history. In the hypothetical situation of Trump’s victory, this would mark a monumental step for the Republican Party which was previously in shambles. Some even discussed the end of the party if they did not win the 2016 election. For a party some people thought was on its last legs, having a twoterm president would be pivotal. To avoid this, the Democrat must do as follows: Campaign: Yeah, I get it. This one is obvious. But I’m serious. The Republicans came in and at one point had control of the White House, Senate, House and judiciary. Now, the Democrats control the House. With Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) as the speaker, their tactics are simple: oppose as much legislation from the right as they can and use their newfound power to influence their constituency. If the Democrats can keep Trump from building the wall, it can hurt his campaign immensely and therefore is an honest and possibly effective political tactic. This is why many of them oppose his wall — not necessarily for moral reasons, but for the election’s sake. This is not a bad plan for the Democrats, even the ones who voted for the border fence in ‘06. Go back to the classic candidates: Pelosi, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) all hold important seats as Democrats. More imperative than this, from the left’s perspective, their
With Pelosi as the speaker, their tactics are simple: oppose as much legislation from the right as they can..." words hold power. Like the Republicans, there is a division in the Democratic party. A division between policymakers like these who actually have experience in the aisle and the more socially focused Democrats like Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders. The Democratic Party has some economic integrity, but they throw a lot of it away with the more radical leftists like these. I throw Sanders in there because he is a huge perpetuator of democratic socialism, which Omar and Ocasio-Cortez take to so vehemently. Historical icons of the Democratic Party (Roosevelt, Truman, Kennedy, Clinton) would look at the idea of democratic socialism and be deeply saddened, partly because it’s so different from our constitutional principles. Get a plan together if elected: We get it, Democrats hate Trump. If Trump cured cancer, ended our debt and destroyed
Photo courtesy of MCTCampus
SPORTS
T H U R S D AY, M A R C H 2 1 , 2 0 1 9
PAG E 11
Online at: www.wfuogb.com Twitter: @sports_ogb Editor: Samantha Wexler, wexlsn17@wfu.edu Asst. Editor:: Rafael Lima, limara17@wfu.edu
OLD GOLD & BLACK
Wake Forest baseball slowly hitting stride The Deacons struggled against Notre Dame, but were able to win against Boston College BY JOSEPH RAFSHOON Staff Writer rafsjm17@wfu.edu
Wake Forest Baseball is struggling to live up to high preseason hopes. The Diamond Deacons limped through the start of their ACC play with a 3-3 conference record and a lone win against non-conference Appalachian State. A bright spot is sophomore slugger Chris Lanzilli who received multiple awards with an outstanding week at the plate. The week started with Wake Forest’s first conference series against Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish took two of three, and Wake Forest lost those games after leading in the seventh inning. The third game of the series was a stunner for the Deacs as they blew a 7-4 lead in the ninth. Notre Dame ended up winning in the tenth. An even bigger stunner was the down week for sophomore pitcher Antonio Menendez. The sidearmer has been terrific for the Deacs as their shutdown guy in the bullpen. Last week was different for Menendez. The righty gave up the lead with four earned runs in the first
game they lost to the Irish. Menendez also gave up two runs in the ninth inning of the rubber match against Notre Dame. Expect Menendez to hunker down after this week and return to his star-studded ways. Coach Tom Walter will continue to call on Menendez in important times as he leads the team in 11 pitching appearances. After winning a lone game against Appalachian State at home, Wake Forest slowly righted the ship as they took two of three games against Boston College. The Deacons dropped the first matchup against Boston College before putting up a combined 35 runs in the next two games. Wake Forest’s sophomore ace Jared Shuster got his fourth win despite giving up four runs in the first inning. The reason was a record setting 13-run inning for the Deacons in the fifth. Junior Patrick Frick had a grand slam, accompanied by freshman Michael Turconi’s first home run as a Deacon. Sunday’s Saint Patrick’s Day game was lucky for the Deacs, as they rocked fresh green uniforms. The main storyline was the outstanding batting display by Lanzilli. The right-handed slugger broke the Deacon record with 10 RBIs in a game. Lanzilli ended the week with unbelievable numbers recording a .444 average, three home runs and 16 RBIs. The
Stoneham, MA, native leads the ACC upcoming week. with 10 doubles and is second in the naThe three-game Duke series starts Frition with 31 RBI’s. day in Durham at 4 p.m. Last week illustrated that the Deacons have been hit-and-miss. Wake Forest has had some unbelievable performances at the plate, with seven batters hitting above .300. Along with Lanzilli, Frick is on a tear at the plate after a slow start. However, the bats have come up short in some key situations. Wake Forest had an opportunity to win the at the plate against Notre Dame, but they went 0-9 with a walk in the last three innings. The Deacons are still playing well. They are above .500 and there are many positive signs for the rest of the season. However, Wake Forest is losing games and series they need to win. Losing two out of three against an under .500 Notre Dame team must frustrate head Walter. Wake Forest must beat under .500 teams if they want a shot at a regional. Even dropping only one game against Boston College is a little frustrating for the team. After losing a heartbreaking series against an inferior opponent like the Irish, Wake needed a sweep against Boston College. The season is in full swing, and it is yet to be determined if the Diamond Deacons will live up to their beginning-seaPhoto courtesy of Wake Forest Athletic Communications son hype. Wake Forest will want to turn The Deacons struggled offensively it around against their rival Duke this
early, but have improved as of late.
NFL: Wake Forest hosts pro day workouts Hopeful Demon Deacons showcased their talent in front of NFL scouts for a shot at making into the big league BY RAFAEL LIMA Asst. Sports Editor limara17@wfu.edu
On March 20, Wake Forest football hosted its official NFL Pro Day to showcase upperclassmen and draft-eligible athletes to NFL scouts coming from all over the country so that they could evaluate potential draftees. With the NFL Scouting Combine done and the NFL Draft about a month away, the pro day is possibly the last opportunity for athletes to make a good impression with NFL teams and improve their odds of getting a professional contract. Around 30 NFL teams sent scouts to Winston-Salem to evaluate the Deacs. Headlining this year’s group of athletes were Greg Dortch, Alex Bachman, Phil Haynes, Ryan Anderson and Cameron Glenn — all key starters for the 2018 football team that set a record for the most bowl game wins in a row in Wake Forest’s history. Dortch and Haynes were arguably the two players with the highest draft stocks heading into the pro day. Haynes had a great season in 2018, starting all 13 games for the Deacs and earning second-team All-ACC honors. He followed his strong senior campaign with an impressive combine showing that saw him put up 33 repetitions on the bench press and jump 31 inches on the vertical jump, both marks were in the top-10 among offensive linemen. Haynes solidified his draft stock with another good per-
formance throughout the pro day activities. He is projected to get selected at the beginning of day three of the draft. Dortch, on the other hand, entered the Deacs' pro day with a lot to prove to scouts about his athleticism. Dortch sat out all the athletic tests during the scouting combine due to a right scaphoid injury on his wrist that required surgery during the offseason. “I’m a big competitor. You’re in [the combine] with the top prospects in the nation. You just want to showcase your abilities. You’ll never get another chance to be in front of every NFL coach in your life,” said Dortch reflecting on his experience at the scouting combine. “[Not being able to perform] definitely took a lot out of me. I had a long talk with my agent, and he told me to wait for this day. I did what I needed to do, and now I just have to wait.” Dortch didn’t disappoint. He displayed his quickness with an impressive sub-4.0 on the 20-yard shuttle drill. Dortch also showcased a lot of fluidity during the threecone drill and posted a respectable time at the 40-yard dash clocking in around 4.46s. “I feel like I did pretty well. I was a little worried about my 40, just because I didn’t have a lot of time to prepare for it because of my previous injury,” said Dortch. “I thought I came out here and did what I was supposed to do. I think I opened a lot of eyes.” Dortch’s biggest drawback heading into the combine was his height. He measured at 5 feet 7 inches tall at the combine, which is considered small for NFL standards. Yet, with a strong pro day, Dortch showed some of the athleticism that earning All-American honors as an allpurpose player. The expectation is that he might be drafted as early as the fourth round.
The most surprising performance, however, belonged to another former Wake Forest receiver. Bachman had a great day overall with strong performances at both the three-cone drill, 20-yard shuttle and 40-yard dash. Bachman also led all athletes with a 10.7 feet long broad jump. The broad jump drill is usually used as a measuring stick for how explosive a player can be. For Bachman, who has been labeled as a possession receiver and not necessarily a superb athlete, posting strong numbers at his pro day can massively help his draft stock. Before his impressive workout, Bachman was more likely going to be an undrafted free agent. Now, there is a good chance he gets drafted in the later rounds. The NFL Draft will be in Nashville, Tenn, between April 25 and 27, 2019. Make sure to tune in to find out where our former Deacs will be playing next year.
Sam Wexler/Old Gold & Black
Approximately 30 NFL teams were represented during the 2019 Wake Forest Pro Day.
Page 12 | Thursday, March 21, 2019
Old Gold & Black | Sports
Bucks and Warriors clinch spots for the playoff It is make-or-break time for teams in the National Basketball Association to make or miss the playoffs for this year. BY RENTNG CAI Staff Writer cair17@wfu.edu After the Warriors won their away game against the Thunder, they became the second team in the league and the first team in the Western Conference to guarantee a spot in the playoff. Despite the absence of All-Star forward Kevin Durant due to ankle injury, the Golden State Warriors won 110-88 with captain Steph Curry scoring 33 points in the game on March 16. The Warriors are now in the playoffs for the seventhstraight season, their new franchise record, beating the old one set in 1952. The first seed in the Eastern Conference, the Milwaukee Bucks, were the first team that clinched a playoff spot in the league. At their away win against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 2, the Bucks got their 48th victory with point guard Eric Bledsoe scoring 31 points. Last season, the Bucks were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. They played against the Miami Heat for a whole seven game series. This season, the Bucks came back with the improvement of MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo and new coach Mike Budenholzer, who formerly led the Atlanta Hawks to the Eastern Conference Final. They hold the best record in the league so far and are expected to go further in the playoff this year. As for the Warriors, they are working hard towards winning championships for the third-straight season. Despite
shaky performances this season, they are still the top seed in the Western Conference with two former MVPs and three former All-Star players. In the past two games, the Warriors played against the Rockets and the Thunder, who were among the biggest threats to the Warriors in the Western Conference. However, the Warriors won them both without Durant playing. Thus, the key for the Warriors in the remainder of the season is to stay healthy. With one month remaining in the regular season, the playoff picture is not yet clear for the rest of the teams. In the Eastern Conference, the fifth-spot Boston Celtics are pushing to get themselves into the top four seeds in order to ensure home court advantage in the playoffs. As for the Pacers, although their All-Star player Victor Oladipo is out for the season due to knee injury, their resilience has helped them to keep the fourth spot in the East so far. For the teams at the edge of the playoff in the Eastern Conference, the competition is tight. The Nets seemed to end their playoff drought with 36 wins in the seventh spots, while the Heat, the Magic and the Hornets are competing for the last spot the playoffs. The Heat was one win ahead of the Magic and the Hornets, and the Magic as well as the Hornets were desperate to end their playoff droughts. In the Western Conference, the teams at the edge of the playoff seem to have lost momentum. The Kings were very close to their first playoff in the last decade, but they have now lost three games in a row. They are now six wins away from the eighth spot Los Angeles Clippers with only 13 games left in regular season. The Timberwolves and the Lakers are having another disappointing season, as they are in the 10th and the 11th spot in the Western Conference, respectively. Despite the solid performances of Karl-Anthony Towns from the Timber-
wolves and LeBron James from the Lakers, both teams are more than eight wins away from the eighth spot and have struggled to look like a playoff team.
Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune/TNS
Year after year, Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors find a way to will their team into top playoff seeding.
NCAA: Bold Predictions for March Madness 2019 March Madness truly never goes as anyone predicts, so here are some upsets to look for this year in the madness BY CHRISTIAN ODJAKJIAN Staff Writer odjact18@wfu.edu #14 Old Dominion Upsets #3 Purdue Yale over LSU is the trendy No. 14-seed pick, as LSU appears to be a potential upset target due to the investigation surrounding the recruiting scandal restricting Head Coach Will Wade from his coaching duties. However, LSU is still an uber-talented team, and I believe that the biggest first round upset will come from a different No. 14-seed — Old Dominion. The Monarchs boast a 26-8 record and come out of Conference USA, a league that has enjoyed recent tournament success. The last four tournaments has seen a Conference USA team pull off an upset (UAB in 2015, Middle Tennessee in 2016 and 2017 and Marshall in 2018), so multiple teams in the league have displayed their ability to compete with schools from power leagues. The Monarchs are a stout defensive team, ranked 43rd in defensive efficiency in the KenPom metric. Old Dominion is led by an impressive and experienced backcourt, a key ingredient for upsets, that features seniors BJ Stith (a UVA transfer) and Ahmad Caver, who both average over 16 points per game. Also, the Monarchs have proved themselves against quality competition, beating two tournament teams this season, No. 8-seeds Syracuse and VCU. Purdue, however, will be their toughest test to date. Purdue is definitely an elite team well deserving of a No. 3-seed, sharing the regular season title in the Big Ten with Michigan State. The Boilermakers are a popular pick to make a deep run, led by star point guard Carsen Edwards, who averages 23 points a game. However, Edwards has been in a recent shooting slump, which is likely correlated to the lingering back injury that he is playing through. Purdue also lost in their first game of the Big Ten Tournament to a mediocre Minnesota team, so they aren’t entering the tournament with much momentum. Don’t be surprised if the Monarchs pull off the upset. All Seven ACC Participants Reach the Sweet 16 The ACC is the best conference in college basketball and
could potentially secure seven spots in the Sweet 16, which would break their own record of six from 2016. It isn’t bold to assert that top four seeds Duke, North Carolina, Virginia, Florida State and Virginia Tech can make the second weekend, so instead I will focus on the other two teams — No. 7-seed Louisville and No. 8-seed Syracuse. Louisville is seeded on the seven line, but is ranked 17th in KenPom, which means they deserved a No. 5 or No.6-seed. They initially take on a mediocre Minnesota team that they should not have much of an issue with. The upset I am predicting is a win over the No. 2-seed Big Ten Champion Michigan State Spartans. The Cardinals have a win over North Carolina on their resume, and although they blew a 23-point lead to Duke, proved that they can play with any team in the nation. Two of Michigan State’s top eight rotation players entering the season will not be available for the tournament, so the Spartans are not at full strength, creating a realistic upset chance for Louisville. The team who knocked off Michigan State in last season’s tournament, Syracuse, also has a feasible path to the Sweet 16. They initially match up with No. 9-seed Baylor, a completely average team by all metrics, which should not be much of an issue for the Orange. Their next game would be against the top seed Gonzaga Bulldogs, the only team to beat Duke at full strength this year. There are two main reasons why I think Syracuse can upset Gonzaga. One is Head Coach Jim Boeheim's historical success in the tournament. Boeheim won a national championship in 2003, but in recent years has led teams with underwhelming regular seasons to impressive tournament success. Syracuse was a No. 10-seed in 2016 when they made the final four, and last year, as a No.11-seed, made the Sweet 16. The core of that team is still intact, and that experience is very valuable in March. Also, the notorious two-three zone of the Orange causes problems for teams who have minimal time to prepare for the game, having to create a different offensive game plan. Not to mention, in December, Gonzaga struggled against Washington’s two-three zone, as the game went down to the wire, but the Bulldogs still won by two. Syracuse is a better version of Washington, and will definitely be a difficult obstacle for the Zags to overcome.
ented freshman RJ Barrett, Cam Reddish and Tre Jones are an excellent supporting cast. However, Duke is totally beatable and there are three main reasons why. The first is the team’s poor three-point shooting, as they are ranked 339th in Division I in three-point field goal percentage. Threepoint shooting is historically a crucial aspect for teams to succeed in the tournament, and outside shooting woes will allow teams to double Zion and make Duke win by scoring over the top. Another reason is experience. Many title contenders boast upperclassmen players who have played together for longer and have the poise and experience to handle the volatile one and done nature of the tournament. Also, Duke has very little depth. Center Marques Bolden is questionable to play in the tournament with a knee injury, which leaves Coach K with few players he trusts. In the ACC Championship game, the four stud freshmen all played 37 or more minutes. This reliance on huge minutes from these four players will be tough to sustain over the course of the tournament, and problems will arise when the inevitable foul trouble strikes the Blue Devils at some point, forcing one of their stars to sit and unproven reserves to step up. Additionally, Duke was widely regarded as the most talented team in college basketball in each of the last two seasons, yet failed to even reach the final four both times. This year definitely could be different, as Zion truly is a generational talent and is supplemented by other future pros, but the best team doesn’t always win, and there are definitely weaknesses to this team that can be exposed.
Duke Does Not Win The Title The Blue Devils are the clear title favorite, led by freshman phenom Zion Williamson. Williamson is the most Streeter Lecka/Getty Images/TNS talked about athlete in America right now and will be the most hyped-up player to enter the NBA since LeBron James. Freshman Zion Williamson is the clear And Duke isn’t just Zion, likely lottery picks and fellow tal- leader on the court for the Duke Blue Devils.
Sports | Old Gold & Black
Thursday, March 21, 2019 | Page 13
Spotlight: Robert Heppenstall BY SAMANTHA WEXLER Sports Editor wexlsn17@wfu.edu
A member of Team Canada in high school, Robert Heppenstall has never been a stranger to competition. He participated in the 2014 World Junior Championship in Eugene, OR and was the 2015 Junior Pan Am silver medalist in the 800m. The three-time Canadian national champion in the 800m, Heppenstall came to Wake Forest with a solid resume and even more to prove. In his first season as a Deacon in Indoor, Heppenstall was the 2016 ACC Men’s Indoor Track Freshman of the Year after winning the conference 800m title and becoming a First Team All-American. He broke the Wake Forest, ACC Championships and Canadian Junior indoor 800m records with a conference title-winning time of 1:47.35. His outdoor season went similarly, as he Earned the 2016 ACC Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Freshman of the Year honor after winning the ACC 800m title and earning First Team All-America status. His sophomore year, Heppenstall earned All-American Honors after finishing third at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships and First Team All-ACC honors with a third place finish in the 800m at the ACC Championships. In the outdoor season, he broke the Wake Forest school record and earned fourth in the 800m at the NCAA Championships with a time of 1:46.68 giving him AllAmerican honors. He was named First Team All-ACC after finishing third in the 800m at the ACC Championships. In his junior season, Heppenstall finished third at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in the 800m, leading him to his fifth All-American honor. He finished third in the 800m finals at the ACC Championships to earn First Team All-ACC honors. He earned his sixth First Team All-America title with an eighth-place finish in the 800m final with a time of 1:47.14. Now, as a senior, Heppenstall capped off his final indoor season with his fourth indoor First Team All- American Selection in the 800m with a third place finish. He set a facility record at the ACC
Indoor Championships in Blacksburg, Va. with a time of 1:46.87 to win his second indoor ACC title. He now turns his focus to outdoor and is eyeing a NCAA title, as he cements his place as one of the most decorated athletes in Wake Forest track history. Samantha Wexler: What are the differences between indoor and outdoor training for you, if at all, and what’s the biggest difference between the two? Rob Heppenstall: Indoor training consists more of longer interval reps, longer runs and basically more mileage in order to develop strength going into the outdoor season. Outdoor season consists more of speed endurance training which is more geared towards the 800m. The training isn’t that much different, but those are some general concepts that differ. SW: The Wake Forest athletic facilities are now very updated and growing still. How does this help with the present and future of Wake Forest track? RH: The facilities we have at Wake Forest currently still never fail to amaze me. I think it’s very easy for us athletes to take what we have here for granted, as everything we could possibly want in order to become the best we can be is readily accessible. For track,
it definitely helps with recruiting. I am one of few people who got to experience both our old locker room and new locker room. Having this experience really makes me appreciate what we have, and I still try to advocate for that. Whenever we have a recruit, I try to discuss how much progress we have not only made on the track but also the progress in the services provided here. We have a great training room with numerous recovery methods (ice baths, hot tub, etc.) and a fantastic training staff always willing to go the extra mile for us. We utilize the new indoor football facility sometimes when it’s too cold outside, and really we couldn’t ask for much more as athletes. Again, I am lucky to have experienced the previous facilities as it makes me grateful for what we have now.
Personal Profile Hometown: Ontario, Canada Class: Senior Accolades: - Seven-time NCAA AllAmerican in the 800m - 2016 ACC Men’s Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Freshman of the Year - Two-time Indoor ACC Event Champion in the 800m - Broke the Wake Forest school record in the 800m at the 2017 Outdoor NCAA Championships with a time of 1:46.68
SW: In addition to representing Wake Forest, you also have had the opportunity to represent Team Canada. What does that experience mean to you? RH: Being a part of a national team is very special to me. Not only am I representing myself, but I am representing my country. Having the maple leaf on my chest gives all the incentive to compete as hard as I can. Having this experience young also makes me set a higher standard for myself moving forward. I expect a bit more from myself each year I compete. Having this experience also helps me in the NCAA, as getting to the final requires handling numerous rounds and working on qualification.
Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletic Communications
Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletic Communications
Deac Notes Bar Botzer named the ACC’s Co-Player of the Week for fourth time this year
Chris Lanzilli awarded every national honor possible after setting school record
Sophomore Bar Botzer has now been recognized a leagueleading four times this year. He has been named twice as the Player of the Week and twice as the Doubles Team of the Week with Petros Chrysochos. He is currently ranked 22nd in the latest ITA rankings and picked up a pair of singles wins this past week, bringing his season total to 13-1 in dual matches this spring.
Sophomore outfielder Chris Lanzilli was picked as the National Player of the Week by both the NCBWA and Perfect Game on Tuesday. He was also named as the ACC Player of the Week and one of eight National Players of the Week by Collegiate Baseball. Against Boston College, Lanzilli homered twice and set a new program record with 10 RBIs. His efforts alone counted for 10 of Wake Forest’s 13 runs.
Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletic Communications
Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletic Communications
Page 14 | Thursday, March 21, 2019
Old Gold & Black | Sports
MLB: Predictions and big stories Here’s a look at what to expect in both the American and National League this year BY BEN REMIS Staff Writer remibm18@wfu.edu
Baseball is back, so grab your peanuts and Cracker Jacks and head on down to the ballpark. After a slow but eventful winter, this season looks like it will be full of excitement. Four strong squads return to lead the American League, while the National League looks competitive top to bottom. Here are my predictions, as well as what to watch for during the 2019 MLB regular season: AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST IMPACT PLAYER: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (3B, TOR) The son of a Hall of Famer, Vladdy Jr. is the consensus top prospect in baseball. The Blue Jays might struggle this season, but watch out for the debut of this 20-year-old, who is already being called one of the best hitters in the game. KEEP YOUR EYE ON: The continuing rivalry The Yankees and Red Sox might be the two best teams in the whole league this year, and they will be playing each other a lot — including a game this year in London. The Yankees have made great strides in improving their rotation, but the Red Sox counter with one of the deepest lineups in all of baseball. Every time these two battle it out, there will be huge stakes, as the road to the World Series gets a whole lot harder as a Wild Card.
AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST IMPACT PLAYER: Alex Bregman (3B, HOU) Bregman broke out last year and established himself as not only one of the top players in the game but also one of the most exciting. “I want to win a bunch of World Series. I want to be in the Hall of Fame,” he said this offseason. KEEP YOUR EYE ON: appreciating greatness Ichiro, the all-time international hits leader, may only play in few games for the Mariners as he is now 45 years old. Albert Pujols has one of the greatest hitters of all-time, but he might be relegated to the Angels’ bench due to a multitude of injuries and declining ability. In a division that seems like it is already been won by the Astros, take the time to appreciate these two future firstballot Hall of Famers as their illustrious careers come to an end. AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL IMPACT PLAYER: Miguel Cabrera (1B, DET) Miggy is a future Hall of Famer, but went through all of 2018 injured. While the Tigers embark on a rebuild, Cabrera will be focused on ending his career on a high note. The whole baseball community is rooting for his return to excellence. KEEP YOUR EYE ON: Trevor Bauer’s (SP, CLE) off-field antics Bauer makes this boring division interesting. He once missed a playoff game because of a drone injury. He donates to charity in multiples of $69 and $420. His Twitter battles are lengthy, and on top of that, he’s really, really good — he finished in the top
American League AL EAST AL WEST
AL CENTRAL
1. Boston 1. Houston 1. Cleveland Red Sox Astros Indians 2. New York 2. Oakland 2. MinneYankees Athletics sota Twins 3. Tampa Bay Rays 4. Toronto Blue Jays 5. Baltimore Orioles
3. Los Angeles Angels 4. Texas Rangers 5. Seattle Mariners
3. Chicago White Sox 4. Kansas City Royals 5. Detroit Tigers
10 last year for the AL Cy Young KEEP YOUR EYE ON: Will award — and is only getting bet- Kershaw win the big one? ter. The Dodgers seem to be unable to break through. Despite their NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST regular season successes, the last IMPACT PLAYER: Bryce Harp- time they won the World Series er (OF, PHI) was 1988. Clayton Kershaw is Apologies to the potential debut getting older, and while a new of Tim Tebow for the Mets, but young core is rising in LA, time the spotlight will be on Harper is running out for the aging ace starting day one of his $330 mil- to deliver a championship to one lion mega-deal. Anything short of the most storied franchises in of a World Series for the Phillies baseball. The only blemish on will be a disappointment. There his Hall of Fame career is playoff are no opt-outs in his 13-year trouble — is this the year he cedeal and no place to hide from ments himself as one of the greatangry Philly sports fans, either. est pitchers of all time? The pressure is on for the former number one overall pick to return NATIONAL LEAGUE to MVP form. CENTRAL KEEP YOUR EYE ON: new IMPACT PLAYER: Paul Goldteams and young phenoms schmidt (1B, STL) The Mets traded for Robinson Goldschmidt is arguably the Cano and Edwin Diaz, while best player to change teams this Harper, Andrew McCutchen, offseason. The former Arizona and J.T. Realmuto are the new Diamondback is one of the prestars in Philly. Meanwhile, Juan mier defenders and sluggers in Soto and Victor Robles take over the game, and now that he is on the outfield for DC, and Ozzie a potential playoff team, he will Albies and Ronald Acuña are try- receive the national attention ing to build on their stellar rookie (MVP?) that he deserves. seasons in Atlanta. The superstar KEEP YOUR EYE ON: End of battles between old-timers and the Joe Maddon era? whiz-kids will determine who The Cubs haven’t lived up to exwins the division. pectations since they broke the curse and won the World Series NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST in 2016. Injuries played a role IMPACT PLAYER: Manny last season, but Maddon is now Machado (3B, SD) in the last year of his contract as After receiving a 10-year, $300 manager. In addition, star 3B Kris million contract, Machado will Bryant has not yet reached an exbe tasked to lead a talented but tension, and questions about Adyoung San Diego team. There’s dison Russell’s domestic assault no questioning his talent, but case still linger. The NL Central with questions persisting about might be the strongest division in his lack of hustle, will Manny all of baseball this season, but if once again be an MVP-caliber the Cubs once again fail to play player, or will he grow compla- up to their potential, we might cent now that he has his money? see some changes at Wrigley.
National League NL EAST
NL WEST
NL CENTRAL
1. Philadelphia Phillies
1. Los Angeles Dodgers 2. San Diego Padres
1. St. Louis Cardinals
2. Atlanta Braves 3. Washington Nationals 4. New York Mets 5. Miami Marlins
3. Colorado Rockies 4. San Francisco Giants 5. Arizona Diamondbacks
2. Milwaukee Brewers 3. Chicago Cubs 4. Cincinnati Reds 5. Pittsburgh Pirates
Playoff Teams American national league league Just Missed
Angels, Rays
Brewers, Cubs, Reds, Padres
Wild card
Yankees, A’s
Braves, Nationals
Division Winners
Red Sox, Astros, Indians
Phillies, Dodgers, Cardinals
Thursday, March 21, 2019 |Page 15
Old Gold & Black | Sports
MLB: Award Predictions for the 2019 Season With Spring Training heating up, it’s a great time to look at who could be vying for honors this season BY REN SCHMITT Print Managing Editor schmwm16@wfu.edu
The shape of the awards races in 2019 is not unlike it was in 2018. Perennial stars like Mike Trout and Max Scherzer appear poised to add to their trophy cabinets, while awards like the NL MVP, aided by the NL’s addition of Manny Machado and retention of Bryce Harper, could go in a number of different directions in 2019.
Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Javier Baez and Nolan Arenado are all popular picks, but this award could easily go to a dark horse candidate when everything is said and done. Ronald Acuña, Jr., Atlanta’s five-tool youngster, could be the sleeper pick who takes this award home. In his 2018 rookie season, Acuña’s torrid second half carried him to an NL Rookie of the Year award win, and his ceiling is as high as anyone’s in the NL. When Acuña’s second-half stats are extrapolated to a 162-game season, they are jaw-dropping, as he would have been on pace for a .322/.403/.625 slashline, 46 homers and 34 stolen bases. Those are MVP numbers.
Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS
While young, Ronald Acuña Jr has lots of tools in his tool belt that can help his team this season. AL Cy Young: Chris Sale SP, Boston Red Sox Despite pitching 158 innings in 2018 and falling short of the 162 innings required to qualify for an ERA title, Chris Sale finished second among AL pitchers with 6.8 fWAR. Sale posted career-best numbers in several categories, including a 13.5 K/9, a 0.86 WHIP, a 1.98 FIP and a 2.11 ERA (his lowest as a starting pitcher). The key for Sale in 2019 will be staying healthy and maintaining effectiveness through the last months of a season. In 2017, Sale posted a superhuman 1.04 ERA in July before regressing to a 4.38 ERA in August and a 3.72 ERA in September. In 2018, Sale missed significant time in August while nursing inflammation in his throwing shoulder, causing him to fall short of the 200 IP mark for the first time since 2014. Justin Verlander will always be a threat to push for the award, and Cleveland pitchers Corey Kluber and Trevor Bauer each have outside shots, but if Sale stays on the mound all season in 2019, the Cy Young will be his to lose. NL Cy Young: Max Scherzer SP, Washington Nationals
Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times/TNS
After signing a contract worth almost half of a billion dollars, Mike Trout looks to make his mark this season. NL MVP: Ronald Acuña Jr. OF, Atlanta Braves Unlike in the American League, where Mike Trout makes visualizing anyone else winning the MVP impossible, the National League MVP race is wide open.
AL Rookie of the Year: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 3B, Toronto Blue Jays Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., son of Hall-of-Famer Vladimir Guerrero, boasts one of the most polished prospect profiles of any hitter in recent memory. He will miss the first three weeks of the season with a mild knee injury; though, he would have missed that stretch even without injury, as the Blue Jays fully intended to keep him in the Minors to manipulate his service time and maintain an extra year of team control. When Vlad debuts, he will instantly be one of the better hitters in the American League, and he could quickly reach elite status if he continues to demonstrate a keen ability to adjust at higher levels. He possesses easy power to all fields, uncanny plate discipline for his age and elite bat-to-ball skills. He shredded Minor League pitching in 2018, en route to a .381 average and a 1.073 OPS in his time split between Double-A and Triple-A. Frankly, the only thing standing in his way in 2019 is the possibility of an injury.
AL MVP: Mike Trout CF, Los Angeles Angels No excess of superlatives could scratch the surface of describing the consistent greatness of Mike Trout. Perhaps a starting point for discussing his transcendence would be acknowledging that his 12-year, $430 million extension is a bargain for the Angels. From 2012 to 2018 Bryce Harper and Manny Machado have combined for 60.9 fWAR; on his own, Mike Trout accumulated 64.0 fWAR over the same period. In other words, Trout is literally twice as valuable as each of this season’s highest-paid free agents. So yes, Trout probably could have held out and gotten more money. If he made it to free agency, he could have received a $500 million contract, and he would have deserved it. Part of Trout’s appeal, though, is that he does not seem interested in building a financial or cultural empire like Harper does. Trout just really, really loves playing baseball. In 2018, Trout posted some of the best offensive numbers of his career, managing a 191 wRC+, a .460 OBP, 39 homers and 9.8 fWAR. Trout has finished first or second in AL MVP voting every year since his first full season, except for 2017, when he missed 48 games due to injury. So, until the Trout decline comes, and decline seems to be nowhere in sight, he deserves to win the MVP nearly every year.
with Washington in 2015 could eventually go down as one of the greatest free agent pitcher signings of all time. Despite the fact that he will turn 35 this summer, he continues to evolve and improve, defying even the most optimistic expectations that accompanied his mega-deal. Scherzer still pitches off his fastball, which he threw 50.3 percent of the time last season, and as long as he continues to maintain velocity, he should dominate again in 2019.
In case you missed it, as Clayton Kershaw declined, Max Scherzer found another gear, and it could easily be argued that he is currently the best pitcher in the game. Jacob deGrom overshadowed Scherzer last season, and rightfully so, as deGrom’s 1.70 ERA was one of the lowest in big league history. In a normal season, though, Scherzer could have handily won the Cy Young award. The workhorse finished with exactly 300 strikeouts, carried a 2.53 ERA and pitched 220.2 innings for the Nationals. The seven-year, $210 million contract Scherzer signed
Eduardo A. Encima/Tampa Bay Time/ TNS
As the son of a baseball legend, Guerrero Jr. looks to make his own mark on MLB in his first year. NL Rookie of the Year: Victor Robles OF, Washington Nationals Victor Robles, along with 2018 rookie Juan Soto, was a large part of the reason that the Nationals felt secure in moving on from Bryce Harper. Many expected Robles to earn substantial playing time with the Nationals in 2018, but an injury kept him out of the big leagues for much of the season. In 66 2018 MLB plate appearances, Robles posted a 131 wRC+, stole three bags and hit three homers. Robles is already one of the most athletically gifted prospects in the game, and his elite speed should allow him to succeed in any outfield position, including centerfield. As he is only 21, it could take some time for him to fully grow into his power, but his other tools are impressive enough to carry him to multifaceted success even if he does not hit 20 or more home runs at first.
LIFE
T H U R S D AY, M A R C H 2 1 , 2 0 1 9
PAG E 16
Online
OLD GOLD & BLACK
at : w w w. w f u o g b . c o m e d i t o r : E m i l y B e a u c h a m p , b e a u e a 17 @ w f u . e d u A S S I S TANT EDIT O R S : C a t h e r i n e R e g e n , r e g e c l 17 @ w f u . e d u A n d y K i l l e b r e w , k i l l a e 17 @ w f u . e d u
The Bachelor is finally dramatic The new season of the Bachelor brought on some much needed changes to the show’s typical formula. This truly was the most dramatic season yet. BY JULIA HAINES Senior Writer hainjm15@wfu.edu Finally, Chris Harrison’s token “most dramatic season ever” slogan rang true for this year’s run of the Bachelor. In its 23rd season, bachelor Colton Underwood inadvertently turned the show on its head, upsetting the usual formula and keeping viewers on their toes. Spoilers ahead, duh. Any true fan of the Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise can tell you that there is a formula which producers usually follow each season. It includes pitting contestants against one another, identifying a house “enemy” and throwing around slander about who is and isn’t ready for an engagement at the ripe old age of 24. This season, it is unclear if producers altered the formula by choice or by chance. Underwood, referred to by some as “white toast” for his tendency to come across as boring and lacking in personality, was initially an unexpected pick for the Bachelor. As a former pro football player from the Midwest and a virgin (as was revealed in the later episodes of the preceding Bachelorette season), many doubted his ability to date 30 women on reality TV. However, he came across as genuine (albeit genuinely out of his depth and confused 90 percent of the time, but nevertheless genuine), which was endearing and allowed you to cheer for his happiness above all else. And there was a lot of “else” to cheer above, amidst pageantry drama, fence jumping, mind games and international travels. In the final episodes, Colton did a few things which were out of the ordinary. First, he met the families of all four remaining girls during Hometowns, and in keeping with his AllAmerican persona, asked not one, not two, but four fathers for their “permission” to ask for their daughter’s hand in marriage. While I respect the overarching tradition, I think there’s a difference between asking for a father’s permission versus asking for the parents’ blessing, and this difference is indicative of how autonomous you think your girlfriend is. Second, Colton had a moment straight out of The Truman Show in which he decided he didn’t want to
Photo courtesy of imdb.com
be on the show anymore. Following a monologue in which Colton admitted to producers that he thought contestant Cassie Randolph was “the one,” Cassie obviously didn’t feel the same way and decided to break up with him and leave the show. Later that night, Colton stormed out of his room, pushed a camera away and straight up jumped an eight-foot fence to roam coastal Portugal in the dark, free of producers, cameras and Big Brother. That is, before a producer got Big Brother host, Chris Harrison, out of bed to go out looking for him. They eventually bribed him back with what I can only assume was unlimited Doritos, dino chicken nuggets and perhaps an empty promise that the girl he’s infatuated with could be forced into loving him back. My heart went out to the poor guy, and viewers everywhere were on the edge of their couches to find out if he’d get the girl. This was a refreshing change in pace, since the show usually assumes that the bachelor can end up with any of the girls he chooses. Third, after having been bribed back from the streets of Portugal, Colton decided not to take Cassie’s “no” for an answer and broke off two sure engagements with Tayshia and Hannah G to instead pursue Cassie. This meant that he didn’t end the season in an engagement at all, his largest break from the normal formula.
Photo courtesy of imdb.com
The finale showed Colton knocking at Cassie’s door to tell her that he’d ended things with the other contestants to be with her. This is despite the fact that she’d broken up with him the day before. I guess there’s something to be said for fighting for love, though. Nevertheless, my cynic self believes that a surprised Cassie probably realized that she had two choices when she found Colton at her door. One, refuse to give Colton a second chance and become public enemy number one among the Bachelor fanbase, or two, agree to date him for a little while longer and end things further down the road. She really did try to leave the show. She dropped all of the classic breakup lines. She couldn’t say she loved Colton back, her father’s disapproval was a total deal breaker, she couldn’t see herself “getting there” with Colton, she thought they were moving too fast and she needed “space” to figure out what she wanted. Meanwhile, he suggested that they get matching PJs. When Chris Harrison asked the two if they were in love on the “After the Final Rose” episode, they answered that they were taking things at their own pace and not rushing into anything. Maybe Cassie truly does have a problem with commitment, or maybe she’s just not that into him. Watching their saga play out was like watching a game of cat and mouse where the cat thinks the mouse is just playing hard to get (albeit very effectively), whereas the mouse is disinterested and just wants to leave. Even outside of the Colton-Cassie storyline, though, the season was well done. The contestants were portrayed with more respect than they usually get. Drama between Hannah B. and Caelynn was dealt with through a civil conversation rather than a catfight, and quite a few contestants decided to leave the show outside of rose ceremonies and preserve their dignity (dumping Colton before he had a chance to dump them). However, the show is certainly aging, and so I have a few ideas that might mix things up. If you know a producer send them my way! 1. Have the contestants take a live IQ test right when they step out of the limo 2. Bring back the two-on-one dates! Nothing spells Bachelor like a dating duel to the death 3. Make Chris Harrison the Bachelor
Thursday, March 21, 2019 | Page 17
Life | Old Gold & Black
TV Show Review | Queer Eye
New season continues to tackle social stigmas Queer Eye returns for a third season and is ready to reshape the lives of individuals BY KATE TENDER Staff Writer tendke18@wfu.edu On March 15, the third season of Queer Eye was released on Netflix. For those who haven’t seen the show before, it’s a reboot of the 2003 series Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, in which a friend, loved one or family member recommend people to be “made over” by the Fab Five. Each member of the Fab Five tackles a different aspect of life to help people improve their confidence: Tan France is fashion, Jonathan Van Ness is grooming, Bobby Berk is interior design, Karamo Brown is culture and Antoni Porowski is food and wine. Traditionally, Queer Eye has been thought of as five gay men remaking a straight guy’s life. In the first two seasons, the focus was mainly on men; however, there have been people represented of many sexual orientations, genders, races, backgrounds, etc. All of the Fab Five are open-minded and willing to share their own personal stories with the people they are helping, which aids those people in turn to feel comfortable in sharing their own experiences. While a large part of the show focuses on remaking the outside aspects of someone’s life, it also tackles issues of prejudice, such as those towards the LGBTQ community, re-
ligions, races and more. A central focus is on each person’s confidence and self-esteem levels. The Fab Five promote self-love and care for everyone; by practicing self-care, you can be a more authentic, confident version of yourself. While it delves into personal and societal issues, it is uplifting and inspiring. Many times, people are able to take the first steps in recognizing or overcoming problems that have been holding them back. Season three follows the traditional format of the show: The Fab Five surprise the person they are helping, and over a series of a few days, make over their clothes, hair, house, teach them how to cook a meal and uplift their confidence and self-esteem. Each episode usually culminates with an event the person will host or attend, where they can show family and friends their new self. Each person’s story is unique, and everyone has a different perspective, so it doesn’t feel repetitive. Since the people on the show
are everyday, real people, it is relatable, which helps convey the messages. Also, the Fab Five are hilarious and keep you on your toes. Season three is unique in the fact it tackles men and women alike. In season two, there was an episode with a woman, affectionately called “Mama Tammye” by the Fab Five (this is a must watch episode!). The women on season three have also followed the show’s diverse representations in having women of all sexual orientations, socioeconomic statuses and races. While the episodes don’t have to be followed in chronological order, I would highly recommend watching from the beginning. Each episode has its own important message. Season three is progressing even farther and expanding its reach to a new city, Kansas City, MO., and an even more diverse population that it is focusing on. This is a binge-worthy show that is easy to get hooked on!
Photo courtesy of imbd.com
The Fab Five are back for another season to help change people’s lives through confidence boosters in the third rendition of Queer Eye.
Hozier combines genres to create a unique sound
BY MADISON ZEHMER Staff Writer zehmml16@wfu.edu
For the most recent issue of the Old Gold & Black, I wrote a review of Irish singer-songwriter Hozier’s new album Wasteland, Baby! I praised his lyricism and his ability to blend genres to create his own recognizable sound. Additionally, I commented on Hozier’s new willingness to exist in the liminal space between hope and despair and how it has added a layer of depth to his music. On March 16, I had the opportunity to attend his concert in Raleigh. I went in with high expectations, and I was blown away by his ability to perform live, his engagement with the audience and his stage presence. I have been to several concerts, and this one was my favorite by far. The opening act was Jade Bird, an enthusiastic singer-songwriter from the United Kingdom. Although I felt that her lyricism did not compare to Hozier’s intricate and poetic lyrics, I was impressed by her raw talent and her energy. I am looking forward to following her career. After Jade Bird’s set, Hozier opened the concert with “Would That I,” a folk-in-
Top 10 Animals of the World By Andy Killebrew *Goes to the zoo one time* Here are the top ten animals of the world based on general usefulness
1. 3. 5.
Concert Review | Hozier Concert Hozier amazed the crowd with his live performance and high audience engagement
THE HOT LIST
fluenced song with a soaring chorus. He performed several songs from both of his albums, including favorites “Take Me to Church,” “Nina Cried Power,” “Shrike” and “Almost (Sweet Music).” The encore was one of the highlights of the concert. He performed “Cherry Wine” without his band, which was one of the most beautiful, striking and poignant moments of the concert. He and his band closed with “Work Song,” one of my alltime favorite tracks. I was thrilled to hear it live and was not disappointed. There were several special moments during the concert, including his comments about the title track of his sophomore album, “Wasteland, Baby!” He described the last time he performed in Raleigh, when the concert was almost rained out. That night after the concert, he began composing a guitar piece called “Rain over Raleigh,” which ultimately became the foundation of the song “Wasteland, Baby!” He played us the phone recording of “Rain over Raleigh,” which was a beautiful experience. Additionally, we had the opportunity to sing “Happy Birthday” to him because his 29th birthday was the next day. These experiences made the concert unique and special. Before his last song, he introduced each of his band members by name, which showed his appreciation and respect for them. I cannot overstate how phenomenal his band was. The background vocals and the instruments were
gorgeous and energizing. Although he is immensely talented, Hozier could not have pulled off the concert without his band. Because Hozier and his band looked like they were having a blast, the audience had a blast as well. I left the concert even more convinced that Hozier has a very promising career ahead of him. In addition to his talent as a songwriter and performer, his willingness to explore the darkest and the happiest parts of life, sometimes at the same time, solidifies him as one of this generation’s brightest talents. I wish I could relive the concert; it was truly a wonderful experience.
7.
Cows Chimpanzees Bush Dogs Humans Cats
Sea Lions Prairie Dogs Red Pandas
9. Ring-tailed Lemurs Dogs
DRINK OF THE WEEK
• • • • •
1 oz. White rum 1/2 oz. Rye whiskey 1/2 oz. Brandy 1/2 oz. Grenadine 1/2 oz. Lemon juice
Add all of the ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until well chilled. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Courtesy of Serious Eats Madison Zehmer/Old Gold & Black
Hozier performed a mix of old favorites and new songs off of his new album.
21+ Only
Page 18 | Thursday, March 21, 2019
Old Gold & Black | Life
Event Review | Playwright Visit
Playwright describes life as an artist Playwright Christopher DemosBrown discusses his writing process and his new play, American Son
BY DREW FINLEY Staff Writer finlag15@wfu.edu On Feb. 25, the playwright Christopher Demos-Brown Drew Finley/Old Gold & Black spoke in the Ring Theater about the theater artist’s role in Pictured above, senior Drew Finley interviews society. He also discussed his new play, American Son, that Christopher Demos-Brown during his visit. debuted to critical acclaim on Broadway in November of another. In American Son, for example, the audience oblast year. Like many who manage to break into the entertainment serves how the unconditional love for a child can bring two parents together even when their marriage has nearly fallen industry, Demos-Brown’s story is hardly a typical one. A Miami trial lawyer who began writing plays over 15 apart. In the play, a white FBI agent named Scott and his Afriyears ago, he originally wanted to be an actor but quickly became interested in writing after his work with an impro- can-American wife Kendra sit in the waiting room of a police station while they try to obtain information regarding visational theater company. When he spoke to Wake Forest students, he noted how the whereabouts of their son, who they have just learned his day job as an attorney — which he still holds onto de- has been involved in an incident with the police. The play spite his artistic success — has influenced the way that he chronicles the couple’s struggle to learn the truth about their child and explores perennial themes of race, identity writes. American trial law, Demos-Brown emphasized, is an in- and family in the process. I sat down with Demos-Brown to talk about his life, his herently adversarial system that regularly exposes him to the same types of conflicts and tensions that his plays de- career and how he understands his place in the world as an artist. pict on stage. He also discussed how the transcripts that he encounters When I asked him if he thought that American Son is a all the time as a lawyer allow him to see how spoken words play that is unique to our historical moment, he offered a translate to a page, which has been helpful in crafting real- thoughtful answer. istic dialogue for his characters. When he wrote it, he hoped that the “immediate facts A distinguishing feature of Demos-Brown’s oeuvre is the of the play would become obsolete” after a season or two, authenticity with which his characters interact with one but also noted that he hopes it will remain relevant “in the
same way that A Raisin in the Sun is relevant” because both works tackle themes that endure even when the precise cultural landscape changes. In its most basic form, he explained, art is about “human connection” and it helps us break down the barriers and “tribal differences” that all too often divide us. An artist’s role, then he believes, “is to touch you, to poke and prod, to uncover unconscious biases and make them less malicious, and ultimately, to make us better people.” “We are designed to communicate through stories,” he told me, “and theater is the toolbox for telling stories.” There is a lot of bias and discrimination that exists in this world, he lamented, but not all of it is malicious. Some of it, he said, is “just what we have come to assume.” To that end, Demos-Brown affirmed that part of the purpose of his plays is to confound the audience’s expectations and not allow them to fall back on easy explanations for the difficult realities with which the world confronts us. A white man who is married to a black woman but who clearly still retains racial prejudice of his own. A young boy who is at the top of his class but struggles to understand who he really is. A married couple who constantly argue with one another but work together to figure out what has happened to their son. These are just some examples of how Demos-Brown interrogates the common-sense notions that many of his audience undoubtedly have with respect to race, family and even what it means to be a human in today’s world. This summer, Netflix will release a special version of a live performance of American Son on its streaming service. Audiences of all backgrounds and experiences will surely enjoy this opportunity to watch a timely play from one of this country’s most promising and talented new playwrights.
Cartoon
Cartoon by David Ajamy
This has always been theorized, but now that the events of the past few weeks have come to light, it is finally evident that some people work to be here, while others pay to be here. Make sure that you stay informed about the happenings around you in the world and in your community.
Life | Old Gold & Black
Thursday, March 21, 2019 | Page 19
Captain Marvel complicates the Marvel Cinematic Universe Captain Marvel adds to the Marvel Cinematic Universe by exploring themes of race, sex and the way history influences the present. BY KYLE FERRER Opinion Editor ferrka16@wfu.edu Captain Marvel is a film about histories, specifically secret ones — how they inform our present, and more importantly, how their absence detracts from our experience, reducing us to an ahistorical impulse. At this specific cultural juncture, where Trumpian amnesia abolishes context and rejects long-form analysis in favor of the navel-gazing peck, Captain Marvel perhaps finds itself in a more generous cultural framework than it deserves. Its contrived political feints, palpable though they are, will satisfy only a few monomoniacal minds, just as the film’s central claim about discovering a genuine self positions itself, without much fullness, as the healthy alternative to our age of tawdry identity-collaging. But even these convenient capitalizations augur little texture to remember, and their net-effect is either an over-intellectualization or an I-get-it nod to the film’s dilettantism. The fulcrum on which everything turns in Captain Marvel is Vers (“veers”), a Kree soldier, played by Brie Larson, whose complicated background is manipulated and mutilated for intergalactic advantage. Vers lives in wartime, where two alien races, the Kree and the Skrulls, are pitted against each other in a colonialist framework meant to frantically virtue-signal us to action. As a member of the Starforce, Vers is led by Yon-Rogg (Jude Law), her mentor who trains her to “keep her emotions in check” and her powers at bay (powers that equal beamed fistfuls of energy, later to become mindbogglingly protean). The film opens during the squad’s clandestine extraction of a Kree intelligence officer, an operation that deteriorates in a speedy retreat when Vers is captured by Telos (Ben Mendelsohn), leader of the shapeshifting Skrulls. Telos wants to find an energy core developed by a Dr. Lawson (Annette Benning), which would give the Skrulls a decisive advantage in the war against the Kree, and he mines Vers’s fuzzy, piecemeal memory to extract its location. The Kree aim to stymie Telos and find the core first to permanently displace the cretinous Skrulls from their galaxy. Vers escapes imprisonment before Telos gets his answer, firing into space and crash landing into a Blockbuster video store in Los Angeles, commencing the 1990s cultural deluge (a tide that will crest in a combat scene fought to the tune of No Doubt, in a humorous and entertaining, albeit low-hanging, setpiece). The rest of the film follows Vers as she fumbles to understand and establish an identity, constantly splayed by her past and manipulated by the war-addled present.
Photo courtesy of imdb.com
This means the majority of Captain Marvel exists in a world of fluid allegiances. As Vers slowly remembers her life on Earth, she contends with the messy political reality of the Kree versus Skrull entanglement, reducing the brief space opera to wisps of cultural and political relevance. Captain Marvel is directed by Ryan Fleck and Anne Boden, whose previous work (Mississippi Grind, Half Nelson) lives in the granular, character-studious world of low-budget indie films. Yet their uniquely delicate touch as writer-directors has produced welcome oases, distinguishing itself from the forgettable gestures of passable humanism. Sadly, in Captain Marvel almost all this detailed portraiture melts away into crackerjack dialogue and banal action set-pieces, sketching archetypal virtue onto paper-thin personas. In theory, this directorial choice may have been conjured to inject Captain Marvel with the humanity so many broadbrush superhero films lack, but in practice, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) machine and its triedand-true fiduciary mechanics sweep the film clean of any real immersion. Vers herself represents a sort of 21st-century contemplative idol, a thinking person caught in an ahistorical world, whose memory works to make her a more complex and robust person. Identity in Captain Marvel, through its cobbled realization and historical dependency, gathers cultural significance by becoming an ideal of historical introspection. Vers simultane-
Photo courtesy of imdb.com
ously resists her proffered Kree identity and the urge to easily skim-and-paste concepts onto a created one. Her quest for historical definition makes her a modern hero retroactively sourced from the nascent stages of the internet, forming herself based on analysis and thought rather than external manipulations and simple gleanings. And though Captain Marvel does some interesting cultural digging, it is almost all by accident, hidden by inane, political distraction and mostly uncomplicated characters. In its totality, Captain Marvel is a mediocre superhero film filled with great actors, the sad-but-inevitable antagonism between an amateurish concept vitalized by nuanced professionals. It is as if the folks behind the MCU curtain were aiming for something more, but in doing so deflected the realization that they are propped up on an intrinsically limited idea. The political resonance realizes itself as a half-baked toss-in and attempts to complexify an MCU film with whatever extant performance the actors can eek out and comes across as a diagnostic misfire. The problem is not that the MCU needs humanity; it was never meant to exist in the human realm — only the mythological one, where gods mingle with humans, attempt thin allegory and achieve maximal entertainment. Although Captain Marvel is brazen enough to put the cinematic pieces in play, it is never able to gain dimensionality because the MCU films are inherently desultory (read: that is not to say they are all inherently bad). Samuel L. Jackson (well-CGI-ed to look thirty) as Nick Fury does his best to texturize his bits, but at a certain tipping point the trite filler inundates even his best attempts at vivification, which is saying something. Ben Mendelsohn inhabits Telos with a lived-in confidence, drawing us towards him via the lilting gravity of his Australian croon, and Brie Larson does her best to make Captain Marvel a competent emoter, knowing that the limited script allows only so many pyrotechnics before it becomes flat-out satire. In a film like Captain Marvel, one that synthesizes vague cultural beats and generalized acting into a forgettable impression, the only thing to do is either skip along the shallows or dig yourself into a concept, becoming a pedantic, symptomatic viewer. Either way you watch Captain Marvel, the experience reduces itself to the explicitly political or the entertaining. The issue is that the former will never convince you of anything and the latter will barely sustain you. Captain Marvel and its attendant producers seemed to want to say, borrowing from The Who, that their dreams aren’t as empty as their conscience seems to be. That may be true, but it remains to be seen.
Page 20 | Thursday, March 21, 2019
Old Gold & Black | Life
Advertisement
Land the job you love
“10 out of 10! Would recommend to a friend!” — Kristen Merlo ‘17 Global Marketing, L’Oreal Wake Forest University, BA Communications/Media Studies ‘16
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN MANAGEMENT • #4 in the U.S., #21 worldwide (The Economist, 2017)
• Designed exclusively for non-business majors
• 10-month accelerated program
• Includes Action Learning Projects for real-world experience with corporate sponsors
• Unparalleled career coaching
• MSM graduates are halfway to their MBA*
* MBA Advantage candidates must apply and be admitted to our MBA program within five years of graduating from the MSM program. MBA Advantage students have the potential to complete the MBA in 12 months.
Watch Kristen’s success story and start your own at go.wfu.edu/KristenOGB