News: Police release guidance in wake of car part thefts Page 6
Opinion: GOP's hypocrisy culmi- Sports: Deacon Spotlight — Sam Hartman nates in gun control refusal Page 13 Page 8
Life: Hidden themes lie in a childhood classic Page 16
Old Gold&Black
WAKE FOREST’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1916 VOL. 107, NO. 22
T H U R S DAY, A P R I L 8 , 2 0 21 “Cover s the campus like the magnolias”
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"Earth Month" arrives on campus The Office of Sustainability has planned in-person and virtual events to honor our planet BY CAROLINE WALKER Staff Writer walkct18@wfu.edu The Office of Sustainability's plan for Earth Month, which runs from midMarch to mid-April, is to rebuild campus spirit. “A year into the pandemic, I think a lot of people have realized just how important a sense of community is,” Brian Cohen, the Office’s assistant director for sustainability engagement, said. “Many, including myself, have gained an even greater appreciation for face-to-face interaction and the benefits of working together to tackle our biggest challenges.” In a reaffirmation of the importance of working together, a guest speaker, Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, spoke about the necessity of bringing together a coalition to address issues like climate change and gender equality. Courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics
After the insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6, the Wake Forest women's basketball team felt that they had to take some kind of action. At their next game, they knelt for the national anthem.
Threats from donors paused women's basketball's protest Donors threatened to pull funding — and one did — after the women's basketball team knelt for the anthem BY ESSEX THAYER Sports Editor thayse20@wfu.edu It had been over two weeks since the Wake Forest women’s basketball team had played a game, but on Jan. 7, they were finally back on the court. But, the world was different than it had been the day of their last contest on Dec. 22. When the lights shined on the American flag for the playing of the national anthem, the team did something they hadn’t done before. Together, they linked arms and knelt. Jan. 7 was the day after the insurrection at the Capitol in Washington, D.C.,
and the team felt that a stance needed to be taken after such a traumatic day for their country. According to a player on the team who chose to remain anonymous, the team was shaken by what had occurred the previous afternoon in the nation’s capital. The player will be referred to as “Player X” throughout the article. “That really hit our team,” Player X said. “Obviously, it had to be addressed.” The first person to address the insurrection was Head Coach Jen Hoover. The team knew that Hoover would make a statement. That’s the type of coach she is. At the end of their practice, Hoover took time to speak to the team. “It’s easy to address this as what it is: an issue. It’s embarrassing for our country,” Player X said, quoting Hoover. “If you want to kneel for the national anthem tonight, you are welcome to. We are with you.”
Throughout the past year, the Wake Forest Athletic Department has supported their athletes using their voices to enact change. The department developed a campaign titled “Together We Stand,” which encouraged students and athletes to protest in the ways they saw fit. The men’s soccer team, for example, wore Breonna Taylor’s name on their jerseys when playing in Louisville, the city where she was killed. The men’s basketball team marched together in Winston-Salem during a Black Lives Matter protest. Many teams also chose to kneel for the anthem. “[The Athletic Department] was 100% with us. I am very grateful for it,” Player X said. “[The department’s] basis for the entire thing … was ‘we support you, we want to be here for you and help in any way we can.'”
See Protests, Page 11
See Earth Month, Page 4
Autism Speaks WFU plans disaffiliation After learning about Autism Speaks's controversial history, the chapter decided to rebrand BY SOPHIE GUYMON Contributing Writer guymsm20@wfu.edu
Wake Forest’s chapter of Autism Speaks U will discontinue its affiliation with Autism Speaks, per the chapter's founder, junior Haley Porter. Porter founded the chapter last fall with two aims: bringing awareness to mental health issues and autism in the Wake Forest community and showing support for autistic individuals. She was unaware of the organization's controversial status at the time, though. Autism Speaks was founded in 2005 and remains the largest autism research organization in the country. Many in the autism community, however, believe the organization has failed to provide a safe and accepting space for autistic individuals.
See Autism Speaks, Page 5
OGB
“ needs additional days off Community This column represents the views of the Old Gold & Black Editorial Board.
Happy post-Mental Wellness Day from the OGB Editorial Board! We hope that you too enjoyed your alltoo-brief, essentially nonexistent break from the hustle and bustle of academic life at Wake Forest. At The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, students were given five mental wellness days, spaced throughout the Spring semester. At Duke University, students were given a consecutive two-day break in early March and a mental wellness day in mid-April. At North Carolina State University, four wellness days have been allotted to students and profesors were asked to avoid assign-
We are not superhuman, we replenish the mental toll that COare not invincible and we are VID-19 has taken? certainly not immune to the At a smaller school like Wake Forrigors of a top-30 university est, we like to think there’s a sense in the country. ing any tests or deadlines on a day following any of these four dates. Why, then, were Wake Forest students only allowed two days free from class? What about the staff members and facility workers who have had no break? What about the professors who are expected to battle through a grueling teaching schedule five days a week? Is a single day off in April sufficient for them as well? How could such a short break
of community that is not present in larger state schools. We know one another, and we take it upon ourselves to care for one another as well. This is why we here at the OGB are speaking up on the behalf of the entire Wake Forest community — not just the students. This is our plea to the administration. Please, give us a break. We, as a community, are burned out, and one day off per month is not going to change that. Some of
our writers have covered this problem before, but for most students, these days off are spent catching up on overdue assignments or stressing about upcoming deadlines. This is not the way a day devoid of classes should be spent. We are not superhuman, we are not invincible and we are certainly not immune to the rigors of a top-30 university. Additionally, it is hypocritical to reference these two days off as “mental wellness” days when the Counseling Department is forced to refer students off campus due to a lack of counselors and an even greater lack of funding.
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>> OPINION
Connor Mcneely, mcnecb19@wfu.edu
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Old Gold & Black | News
Deacon Profile: Michelle Gillespie BY JULIA OCHSENHIRT Asst. News Editor ochsja20@wfu.edu
Michelle Gilespie is Dean of the Undergraduate College, a position she has held since 2015. Before becoming the dean, she taught history at Agnes Scott College and Wake Forest University and published research on historical systems of race, gender and class in the Southern United States. Her upcoming research is focused around two influential women in the South, one of whom has a special connection to Wake Forest. Gillespie earned her Ph.D. in History from Princeton University. What was your journey to Wake Forest like? I’ve been at Wake Forest since 1999, but this was not the first academic position I held after I got my Ph.D. I taught at Agnes Scott College, a small women’s college in Atlanta. I’m a women’s historian and a feminist, so I was really happy to be teaching at a women’s college for the first part of my career. I was drawn to Wake Forest, though, because it had such a strong academic reputation, history department and undergraduate liberal arts program. I was also excited that Wake Forest had professional schools because I thought that it would create a kind of intellectual energy and connectedness to the world, and that really intrigued me. So even though I wasn’t looking for a new job at the time, I was encouraged to apply. What is your favorite part about serving as Dean of the College? What is your favorite part of being a professor? I would say what I enjoy the most is being able to support faculty — to give faculty the resources, time and opportunities they need to be teacher-scholars and to engage their students in what I call the engaged liberal arts. Engaged liberal arts means inviting our students to think about the world and the diversity of the human experience in new ways. Any way I can support faculty in doing that gives me enormous pleasure. Also, I enjoy supporting students, whether it be through the curricular innovations we bring, new academic programs, really good advising or great resources to do academic research and community engagement. That is a huge source of pleasure for me as well. I have a Dean’s Student Advisory Panel that meets once a month, and the students tell me about their experience: what they’re learning in the classrooms, what campus life is like and what’s working
Photo courtesy of Wake Forest University
well or not so well. I love listening to our students and thinking about the ways that we can better support their learning. A final thing I love to do is help in the process of hiring new faculty doing really exciting research. Today, actually, I just heard from a wonderful scholar in Black feminist thought who’s going to be joining our Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies faculty this fall. That’s another part of my job that I really, really enjoy. Could you talk to me about your past research? When I was an undergraduate at Rice University, I had a work-study job at the Journal of Southern History. In that position, I looked at how historians were examining the Southern past, particularly around the history of African Americans and civil rights. I thought that was such important work and that it was not only a Southern problem, but a national problem as well. That motivated me to get a Ph.D. in history, and my early work looked at the
relationship between class and race in this pre-civil war South. I also have always been passionate about gender and women’s history, so my work has moved in that direction. I’ve co-edited two volumes of North Carolina women’s history where we shared biographies of Black, white and Native American women, focusing on the ways that they had agency and their impact on North Carolina history. That’s been fun because I’ve been able to go out to different groups to talk about these women and help the larger public understand how complex our past is and how limited their lenses about history have been. I try to use stories about interesting people to help a broader audience understand a more complicated society and how it was shaped by segregation and racism. What does your upcoming research focus on? I have two projects. I have a contract for a small book that’s going to be about a Creek woman in Georgia and her political and cultural power in the 18th century:
how she got it, and how it went away. I’m going to use this woman — her name is Mary Musgrove — as a way to help frame the history of early Georgia, the creation of the institution of slavery there as well as hierarchies of class and gender. The other project is a biography of Libby Holman. Holman was a torch singer who married Z. Smith Reynolds of Z. Smith Reynolds Library. They had a very short marriage, and when he died under very mysterious circumstances, Holman was accused of killing him. People know the story of Smith Reynolds’s death, but Holman went on to live an amazing life. She sang with the most famous Black jazz guitarist in America in the 1940s, Josh White, and they were one of the first Black and white duos. As they sang around the country, she experienced segregation through her experiences with White. Seeing racism so overtly had a huge impact on her. Also, she and her son — a son she got pregnant with just before Smith Reynolds died — inherited a portion of Smith’s estate. With that money, she created a foundation that eventually paid for Martin Luther King, Jr. to go to India in 1959 and study passive resistance. Holman is just a fascinating woman because she seems to be just a step ahead of progressive cultural change, but I also think she appropriated Black culture as a singer and musician without even recognizing what she was doing. She’s just so much more than the woman who some believe may have killed Smith Reynolds. How does your past scholarship influence your work as dean of the undergraduate college? I think that it plays out in terms of the values that we embrace in the Dean’s office and with all of our faculty colleagues. This can be seen through our commitment to inclusive excellence and our creation of diversity action plans for the departments, which help create more inclusive curriculums and greater attentiveness to what inclusion means in the classroom. I’m also always trying to think about equity issues. Are women getting endowed chairs as often as men are? Are there any race differentials in terms of tenure and promotion? Are we making sure that we’re paying attention to equity issues with respect to our faculty of color? I think that’s another way that my scholarship and teaching play out in what I want to prioritize as dean of the college. Editor's Note: This interview was edited for brevity and clarity.
SG GENERAL ASSEMBLY BY JESS SCHMIDT Student Government Beat Reporter schmj19@wfu.edu
Executive Reports President Miles Middleton shared that the graduating Class of 2021 is looking to put together a video thanking front line workers but that more details may come in the next few weeks. He also shared that the former “Pizza with the Police” event will be reshaped to have the WFU Police Department attend next week’s food truck event from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 13. Speaker of the House Ally Swatzberg encouraged individuals to thank their faculty this week to celebrate Faculty Appreciation Week and reported that the Deacon Dining Appreciation Day had gone successfully. Treasurer Victoria Parker, the chair of the Student Government Elections
Committee, shared that election campaigning will last from Tuesday, April 6 at 9 p.m. until April 13 at 12 p.m. She also reported that applications for the Student Budget Advisory Committee will be sent out shortly for the next school year. Committee Reports The Academic Committee reported on Faculty Appreciation Week and the events they had organized for the faculty on campus including a free Camino coffee on Monday, Apr. 5 and a sweet treat on Thursday, April 8. The Judiciary Committee is continuing to work on their archival review project of old Student Government records. The Physical Planning Committee reported that they are planning for Earth Week which will take place from April 19 to April 23. The Student Organizations Council is continuing to reach out to student organizations to answer any questions they may have.
New Business Two resolutions were passed in the Senate Tuesday night. The first resolution, Senate Resolution 12, included a role change of the chair of the Elections Committee from Student Government President to Student Government Treasurer. Because of personal conflicts of interest, President Miles Middleton is unable to serve as the chair of the Elections Committee for the Spring 2021 election cycle. Treasurer Victoria Parker will take his place as chair of the committee to maintain the integrity of the election process. This change will only be in effect for the 2021 election cycle. The second resolution, Senate Resolution 13, included a co-sponsorship with the Pre-Dental Student Association Dental Drive, which is aimed at collecting dental supplies for the Winston-Salem community and promoting oral health and oral health literacy in the area.
News | Old Gold & Black
Thursday, April 8, 2021| Page 4
Earth Month: Sustainability office plans events Continued from Page 1
The title of her address, “Climate Feminism: To Change Everything, We Need Everyone,” emphasizes the collective power that a community can have. To encourage collective action on environmental issues, the Officer’s Earth Month programming hopes to provide the Wake Forest community with inperson and virtual opportunities to learn more about environmental issues in order to prompt individuals to interact with and find appreciation for the natural world, as well as engaging in conversations about sustainability with others. This year, the Office of Sustainability rooted the celebration with staple events of previous Earth Weeks and is also branching out to new events. Among the additions to the lineup of events are Earth Talks and a “Meet the Trees” event. During the “Meet the Trees” event held on March 19, students gathered at the new Fireside by Manchester area to hear University Arborist Jim Mussetter explain more about different tree species found on the quad. Another in-person offering, the inaugural Earth Talks will take place on Earth Day: April 22. Like a TEDx event specifically geared toward sustainability, Earth Talks provides students with a platform to present on their areas of environmental passion. “Hands down, I’m most excited about Earth Talks,” Cohen said. “I was blown away, not only by the number of proposals submitted, but also by their qual-
ity. I’m even more excited because what looked like it would be a virtual event will now be in person with free food thanks to the easing of restrictions on campus.” In-person offerings will also be complemented by two new virtual challenges that capitalize on the social networks that continue to connect people digitally during the pandemic. These include the Plant-Forward Challenge and the Clean Green Hygiene Spring Challenge. These virtual challenges are aimed at raising awareness about sustainable changes that students can make in their daily life, such as the Clean Green Hygiene Spring Challenge’s promotion of low-waste toiletry items, etc. “This event should be a very fun extension of those interactions and give people a fun way to engage with new types of items they may not have been aware of before,” Anna Price, the sustainable consumption intern at the Office, said. “A main goal of this event is to increase social interest and support for mindful consumption in our community.” In addition to these new challenges and events, the celebration has also been marked by traditional favorites. Many came together for banner painting, during which student organizations paint an Earth Month banner in affirmation of their support for the environment. Weekly Campus Garden hours and a film screening in Campus Garden also provided students with opportunities to connect with others and to gain a greater appreciation for the natural environment.
In this way, Earth Month events introduce students to places for building community like Campus Garden, as well as facilitate meaningful interactions with other students who can begin to coalesce in order to form a more environmentallyfriendly community. “It’s a great time to show just how many ways students can get involved with sustainability efforts, as well as highlight some of the coolest parts of the campus environment,” said Greeks Go Green intern Sarah Templeton.
The positive impact of building connections around sustainability even extends beyond just students can be seen through the collaboration of campus offices with student organizations on environmental initiatives during Earth Month. “I’m excited to say that we ended up with at least 17 events that were run either solely by others or in partnership with our office,” Cohen said. “Earth Month is not only a celebration for the community, but also one created by the community.”
Courtesy of Anna Price
The Office of Sustainability is running two challenges, the Plant-Forward Challenge, focused on diet, and the Green Hygiene Spring Challege.
Student group brings compost into vogue The Compost Crew has grown exponentially since its inception in 2018 BY JAKE SINGER Staff Writer singjr19@wfu.edu
If you’ve ever held a leftover food and been unsure whether it goes in the trash, recycling or compost, fret not, the Compost Crew is here. Established in 2018, Wake’s Compost Crew pairs student volunteers with environmental activists in an effort to reduce waste. Since its inception, the Compost Crew has been one of the Office of Sustainability’s most successful initiatives. “I have never seen a program grow so quickly,” Brian Cohen, assistant director for sustainability engagement, said. “The group rapidly grew to over 100 students, and as a result, we were able to assist in many different ways immediately.” For the past few years, the Compost Crew has worked with program coordinators to find upcoming events on campus where their services would be applicable. When attendees at these events go to throw their trash out, members are there to explain which types of waste go where.
Organic waste collected from the events, such as food scraps and napkins, is picked up by Gallins Family Farm. There, they turn the waste into a sellable product. Currently, the United States is the global leader in food waste, discarding nearly 40 million tons of food every year. However, several states have recently passed laws restricting the amount of food waste that goes into landfills, sparking a widespread movement that seeks to find an environmentally conscious method of disposing of all that waste. The Compost Crew is hoping to make its mark on the Wake Forest community by providing students and faculty with access to compost bins. Although the program got off to a great start, like so many others of its kind, it has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the absence of large events at Wake Forest, the group’s leaders have been forced to switch gears in order to achieve their goals. Anna Loynes, zero-landfill assistant for the Compost Crew, knows that expanding the program is unrealistic in times like these. To accommodate the COVID-19 guidelines and the inability to host large events, she has had to adapt on the fly.
“The shortage of events has certainly hurt us, but we’re still doing office collections for people who work on campus,” Loynes said. “We’ve also started a paper towel pilot in Palmer Hall and Piccolo Hall where we replace trash cans with compost bins in bathrooms.” Also, the Compost Crew has started a new pilot program in North Campus Apartments. It is an optional program in which participating students are given compost bins to dispose their organic materials. At the moment, 22 suites in NCA are involved, from which the Compost Crew is collecting about 200 pounds of compost a month. Sophomore and North Campus Apartment resident Sean Muller said that while he hasn’t heard of the Compost Crew, he uses the compost bins regularly and has noticed similar tendencies amongst his peers “Students are truly starting to recognize how important it is to take care of the environment,” Muller said. While composting may sound simple, the threat of contamination stands in the way of expansion. “The worst-case scenario for us is when people put stuff that isn’t compost in the compost bin,” Loynes said. “It’s what we call contamination, and Gallins Farm will fine us for it.”
As frustrating as it may be, the group’s officials know that challenges are inevitable when trying to effect change on a larger scale. Despite a tumultuous year, they have kept their priorities in order. “We want to teach others the benefits of composting, and in doing so normalize this type of behavior on campus,” Cohen said. Julia Stevens, the former student leader of the Compost Crew, witnessed the program’s growth firsthand during her time as a student. She believes that Wake Forest is on a good trajectory toward sustainability. “When I was at Wake Forest, people were really starting to become mindful about waste,” Stevens said. “During my senior year, students were separating trash correctly without my help, which was very different from [what I saw] my freshman year.” The Crew hopes to place compost bins in all residence halls on campus once the pandemic is over. Until then, they will do their best to encourage waste reduction and espouse the message that anyone can make a difference in the effort to save the planet. “You don’t need to be a hero,” Cohen said. “Just doing your part to help is going to influence others to do the same, and the impact will be noticeable.”
Page 5 | Thursday, April 8, 2021
Old Gold & Black | News
Autism Speaks: Student group to disaffiliate Continued from Page 1
The organization has generated controversy due to their positions on autism as a disease, vaccines and their search for a “cure” to autism. This viewpoint, advocates say, excludes the autism rights and neurodiversity movement prevalent among autistic individuals, which views autism in a different light than a disease or disorder that must be “cured” or eradicated. Autism Speaks also aligned itself for many years with the view that vaccinations cause an increased risk of autism, despite this claim lacking the weight of scientific evidence and being fully dis-
proven in 2010. Only in 2017 did the organization take a step back from this position. Even so, it still maintained that “for some [parents], [an autism diagnosis] corresponds with the timing of their child’s vaccinations.” Autism Speaks has yet to acknowledge the autism rights movement in a meaningful or supportive way, advocates say. Now that these issues have been brought to Porter’s attention, she plans to reaffiliate during this upcoming academic year. Chapter Vice President Merideth Resplicka, a senior, explained the chapter’s planned new name. “We are renaming our club Deacons for Neurodiversity in order to be more
inclusive of all students [who struggle with their mental health] as opposed to just [those with] autism,” Rasplika said. “We want to make sure every Wake Forest student has a safe place to come, whether they have autism, bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression, eating disorders [or any other mental health issues].” Despite its disaffiliation with Autism Speaks, the chapter will still collaborate with the organization, per Rasplika. “We still will partner with Autism Speaks for some events,” Rasplika said, “but we hope our rebranding allows us to be more inclusive of the neurodiversity movement.”
Rasplika also detailed the nature of the chapter’s plans for next semester. “We are in the process of planning for next semester as we are now allowed to have in-person [events],” Rasplika said. “Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, a lot of our events had to be contactless. For example, we made Christmas cards for the kids at a local autistic school in Winston-Salem.” Resplicka and Porter hope to continue planning events such as these that support the autistic community without directly benefiting Autism Speaks, and they are excited about what the future holds for the Deacons for Neurodiversity club.
Police release guidance in wake of car part thefts According to University Police, Winston-Salem has seen over 100 catalytic converter thefts this year BY AINE PIERRE News Editor pierav20@wfu.edu How valuable can one car part be? A recent string of thefts in Winston-Salem have targeted catalytic converters — which reduce the emission of toxic gasses — of vehicles, some of which were parked in Wake Forest’s off-campus lots. The issue became so prevalent that Wake Forest’s Police Department sent out a memo to the community on Tuesday. “Thefts of catalytic converters from vehicles have become a problem in Winston-Salem with more than 100 thefts reported in the city since the beginning of January,” the memo said. “State law enforcement officials also are reporting an increase in thefts of catalytic converters across North Carolina.” According to University Police, there have been five incidents of theft in the Freshman Lot and one incident in the Sophomore Lot. “University Police recommend parking your car in a well-lit area and checking your car every day, even if you do not drive it,” the memo said. “Students can park on the main campus after 4 p.m. and until 8 a.m., Monday through Friday.” Because of how easily catalytic converters can be removed from under a car and in such a short amount of time, thefts can occur at any time. Some older models are especially vulnerable because they do not have a protective element to safeguard the converter against theft. “Should you see someone near or under a vehicle, go to a safe location and immediately call police,” the release said. Catalytic converters, in addition to the ease with which they can be stolen, are so valuable because they contain precious metals like platinum and palladium. According to the insurance company Allstate, a catalytic converter can garner up to $200 at a scrapyard. For victims of
the theft, however, Allstate estimates that replacing the converter could cost as much as $2,000. Allstate’s recommendations mostly square up with those sent out to Wake Forest students by the police. There are a few additional recommendations they suggest, however, including having the converter welded to the car’s frame or engraving the car’s VIN number on the converter. North Carolina General Statutes Section 66, Line 424, which was passed in 2014, prohibits the scrapping of any catalytic converter that is
not attached to a vehicle. The adjacent states of Virginia, Georgia and Kentucky all have similar laws, but South Carolina does not. It is likely that this is where thieves are going to cash in on their thefts. However, on March 20, the South Carolina House of Representatives passed a bill that would make buying or selling a stolen catalytic converter a crime punishable by three years in prison, according to WIS News 10. This will hopefully put a considerable damper on the levels of theft in the Carolinas.
In the meantime, university and city authorities have taken action to protect Wake Forest’s off-campus parking lots. “University and Winston-Salem police officers have increased security and patrols of the Freshman and Sophomore parking lots,” the memo said. “University Police Department officials have also been consulting with the Winston-Salem Police Department and the State Bureau of Investigation to share information and get updates on similar incidents, especially in areas close to campus.”
Katie Fox/ Old Gold & Black
Catalytic converters, which contain precious metals, have been the target of six thefts in the Freshman and Sophomore parking lots and the target of over 100 thefts in the Winston-Salem area at-large.
Old Gold & Black | News
Page 6 | Thursday, April 8, 2021
University plans mostly normal Fall semester A corrected version of the 20212022 Academic Calendar shows a four-day Fall Break in October BY AINE PIERRE News Editor pierav20@wfu.edu Wake Forest community members received an email last week with details about the upcoming academic year and, more urgently, the Fall 2021 semester. The email insinuated that most (if not all) classes next semester will be in-person, but students at Wake Forest focused more on the lack of a Fall Break on the calendar linked to the email. According to Executive Director for News and Communications Cheryl Walker, the calendar errantly
omitted the Fall Break that university officials planned for Oct. 7-10. The calendar has been updated on Wake Forest website to show the break. “Fall Break dates were inadvertently left off the easier-to-read version of the calendar linked from the message,” Walker said. “The link and information were quickly updated when the error was discovered.” Students that have heard about the break (as it has not been re-announced by the university) have expressed relief. “It wouldn’t have been fair for the university to take away all our breaks,” said freshman Sarah Haugh. “We need time off or we will be burnt out.” Some students, however, seemed nonplussed about the prospect of a four-day break.
“Wake [Forest] is giving us the bare minimum,” sophomore Declan Sander said. There will be 12 total days off next year: five in the fall and seven in the spring. Classes will begin on Aug. 23 and will continue until Dec. 3, according to the calendar. The semester will wrap up on Dec. 15, when final grades are due at noon. In the Spring, classes will begin on Jan. 10 and end on Apr. 27, and final grades will be due on May 10 for 2022 graduates and on May 17 for the classes of 2023 through 2025. One major change from this past fall is that students will not be expected to finish their classes from home after Thanksgiving break. “We are hopeful that with the increasing availability of vaccines, research
findings affirming the vaccines’ efficacy and the continued success of public health practices, our community will experience more of the regular rhythms of a typical Wake Forest semester,” reads the email. The email also noted that study abroad programs — both sponsored by Wake Forest and not — will likely happen in the fall and that the university is “planning for that eventuality.” The university noted that it will require proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for all students who intend to go abroad. The university has not yet made a decision on whether to require the vaccine for students living on the Reynolda Campus next fall. The email concluded that the next major update on Fall Semester logistics will come in July.
Green Room Challenge inspires freshmen The Green Room Challenge prompts students to consider the sustainability of their habits BY MADDIE SAYRE Contributing Writer sayrmm20@wfu.edu How often do you turn the lights off when you leave your room? Do you always recycle bottles and cans? Do you limit your use of plastics? Answer these questions in a survey, and you’ll learn what your score is for the Green Room Challenge. “The purpose of the challenge is to call to mind and get people thinking about the actions they take every day and how they can make choices to be more sustainable,” First-Year Leadership Assistant for the Sustainability Leadership Group and sophomore Meredith Power said. The Sustainability Leadership Group (SLG) is composed of 29 freshmen who serve as peer leaders and promote environmental awareness and sustainability within first-year residence halls through initiatives like the Green Room Challenge. The SLG, established in 2019, has organized this challenge for the past two years as a way to encourage freshmen to set sustainable habits during their first year away from home. In the fall of 2020, 259 freshmen participated in the challenge by taking the survey. The Green Room Challenge was one of the few activities the SLG was able to organize this year in spite of restrictions enforced on campus as a result of COVID-19. SLG members advertised the challenge differently depending on their residence hall. SLG member Georgia Cowie was responsible for promoting the challenge in Luter Residence Hall. “We went around to different halls and taped a Post-it Note or small piece of paper with the link to the survey, and
maybe a piece of candy or two to each room,” Cowie said. The Green Room Challenge is based around two surveys which are administered two weeks apart. Upon completion of the surveys, participants were awarded a certificate that announced a status; the possible categories were inprogress, bronze, silver, gold or platinum. Because each individual’s rating was determined through self-reporting, it was difficult to gather objective data for measuring improvement. “We use it as a promotional tool to be mindful of our habits, not necessarily track progress,” Cowie said. “The second survey did tell you how you improved, but it didn’t really show your journey.” According to Power, placing certificates and prizes on students’ doors not only awards individuals for their sustainable practices but also serves as a method of community-based social marketing. This tool is used to reinforce positive behavioral norms and inspire change within the communities that it targets. “In the Office of Sustainability we use a lot of different techniques, like psychological techniques and social science techniques to create behavior change,” Power said. “When you have a certain certification that’s seen by your peers, it holds you more accountable. If you have the medallion on your door that says that you’re gold or you are in progress, it puts more of a social pressure on you to take different actions.” Although the results of the Green Room Challenge are widespread throughout South Campus, this initiative fell short of its goal to include every freshman. Eva Merlino, a freshman and environmental & sustainability major, did not partake in the Green Room Challenge simply because she was not aware of the activity in her residence hall, Babcock.
“I did not have the opportunity to complete the survey,” Merlino said. “And I think people in my hall definitely would have done it if they had the chance. Merlino believes the challenge should be available to all undergraduate students as a way to further encourage sustainable practices. “I think a lot of the time college students go with trends, and if the community around them is doing certain things, they’re pretty susceptible to do them as well,” Merlino said. “The most difficult thing is to approach people who have no care about the environment, so maybe enforcing rules is the only way [to do so].”
The former Director of the Graduate Programs in Sustainability, Dr. Dan Fogel, believes that, although changes in one’s behavior can be difficult to promote, the university must educate students on sustainable practices through programs like the Green Room Challenge. “Some people think about environmental issues as moral or economic issues and others as what is good for everyone,” Fogel said. “The appeals you make to students, or anyone in society, should respond to these worldviews. The university’s job is to teach good habits so that when students leave they think more often about how to contribute to environmental outcomes.”
Photo Courtesy of Maddie Sayre
Those who take the Green Room Challenge’s two surveys are awarded a score, and based on that score, receive a plaque on their door.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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Plant botches 15 million vaccine doses No doses received by any WFU student were contaminated, according to Dr. Cecil Price BY EMILY TORO Contributing Writer toroer20@wfu.edu On March 31, federal officials confirmed that a manufacturing facility in Baltimore, Md. contaminated nearly 15 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, according to the Washington Post. Emergent BioSolutions, a government contractor that produces bulk vaccine substance for drugmakers, operated the plant that cross-contaminated ingredients from the Johnson & Johnson Janssen and AstraZeneca vaccines, according to the Washington Post. Emergent credited a quality-control system with allowing them to detect and isolate the contaminated batch of doses. “There are rigorous quality checks throughout our vaccine manufacturing processes, and through these checks, a single batch of drug substance was identified that did not meet specifications and our rigorous quality standards. We isolated this batch and it will be disposed of properly,” the company reported to the Washington Post. The contaminated vaccine did not make it out of the plant to reach the final formulation and vial filling stages, reported by the Washington Post. Therefore, no Wake Forest students who received the vaccine were given doses that were cross-contaminated.
“There is no impact from a safety or efficacy standpoint,” Dr. Cecil Price, director of the Student Health Service at Wake Forest University said in a recent statement. Johnson & Johnson now plans to take “full responsibility,” for the incident, NPR reported. They are “adding dedicated leaders for operations and quality, and significantly increasing the number of manufacturing, quality and technical operations personnel to work with the company specialists already at Emergent,” reported the Washington Post. Emergent’s acting commissioner, Dr. Janet Woodcock, told the New York Times that the company “takes its responsibility for helping to ensure the quality of manufacturing of vaccines and other medical products for use during this pandemic very seriously.” He added that “it is important to note that even when companies use contract manufacturing organizations, it is ultimately the responsibility of the company that holds the emergency use authorization to ensure that the quality standards of the F.D.A. are met,”. AstraZeneca, which produces a live-viral vector vaccine like the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, predicted in May that it would “begin delivering the first of 300 million doses of its vaccine for the United States in the fall,” the Washington Post reported. The FDA has not yet approved the vaccine for emergency use, but the government plans to relocate its production out from the Baltimore plant, according to NPR. President Joe Biden said that despite the mix-up or uncertainty surrounding the As-
traZeneca vaccine, “there [will be] enough vaccine [doses] for all adult Americans who want it by May 31.” In addition, Johnson & Johnson said that “it was still on track to deliver the 20 million
doses it promised the federal government by Wednesday [April 7], as well as another 24 million doses by the end of April.” In the meantime, students will continue to receive uncontaminated doses.
Photo Courtesy of CNN
A plant in Baltimore, MD run by Emergent BioSolutions cross contaminated ingredients in the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and the AstraZeneca vaccine.
“Tree tags” make appearance on campus The tags are designed to help Wake Forest students realize the important role trees play BY JACKSON BUTTLER Contributing Writer buttjt20@wfu.edu
In addition to the blooming colors of spring popping up on campus, yellow tree tags have begun appearing as well. These tags are a part of an annual Office of Sustainability campaign to raise awareness in the campus community regarding the importance of trees in the buildup to the university’s Arbor Day celebration. “The goal is to raise awareness of some of the many ways trees contribute to the quality of our daily lives,” University Arborist Jim Mussetter said. “When someone looks at a tree, I hope they see more than just a shade opportunity in July. When someone hangs a hammock between two trees, I hope they think about the silent sentinels cleaning the air they breathe and the water they drink.” Since 1993, some 2,400 trees have been planted on the university’s Reynolda campus as a part of a wider initiative to bring
more trees to Wake Forest. Many of them were planted and are maintained by the university’s arboriculture team. The team’s efforts culminate in an annual Arbor Day celebration, wherein the team interacts with the campus community to share their knowledge and promote tree planting. Thanks in part to the efforts of the arboriculture team, Wake Forest was recognized as a U.S.A. Tree Campus in 2012. The efforts of the Office of Sustainability center largely on taking action against climate change and educating students on sustainable behaviors. In advertising the favorable effects of trees on the campus environment, students gain a better understanding of the role that trees play in mitigating climate change. “I would say that having been a part of sustainability efforts here at Wake [Forest] for two semesters now has shown that the biggest challenges are getting people to care and reaching our audience,” said freshman Mia Pagniani, a member of the Office of Sustainability’s student leadership group (SLG.). “[As a result,] we have to get creative with everything we do to catch people’s attention and make an impact.” Many students across campus have taken notice of the recent additions to the
trees, which fulfill the campaign’s intended impact on sustainability efforts at Wake Forest. The office is hopeful that the appreciation of trees will extend far beyond Wake Forest’s campus and inspire students to treat the environment in a more conscientious and respectful manner. “Social norming is very powerful,” said Brian Cohen, assistant director of sustainability engagement at the Office of Sustainability. “Simply helping to foster an appreciation for our trees can go a long way. While the trees on campus are well cared for, that’s not always the case elsewhere. By creating an environment in which trees are discussed and appreciated [on a community-wide basis,] people will be more likely to act accordingly and take those values with them outside of Wake.” When it comes to sustainable behaviors, no concrete change can be made without campus-wide collaboration. As such, the tree campaign has brought needed attention to an office that has struggled to appeal to students. “The campus community notices the tree tags, so I know they are thinking about the information,” Mussetter said. “There has been more engagement from faculty, students and campus planning staff.”
Because some on campus seem unfazed by the dangers posed by climate change, the tree tag campaign is important in inspiring students to take action. “Whether that’s engaging in tree planting, tree health maintenance, forest conservation efforts or something else,” Cohen said. “[These initiatives] help people realize the interconnectedness of the natural world and can make them more likely to engage in other efforts.” As of late, many students are choosing to get involved with some of the office’s initiatives and doing their part. “I want to get more involved in sustainability on campus, and I thought the yellow tags were a great start,” freshman Ava Hirshberg said. “It makes me want to find out what I can do to help our local environment.” “It’s a fine line to walk between scaring students and keeping their attention while introducing the truth of our environment’s needs,” Pagniani said. “Even though the yellow signs on the trees are not my doing, I see that they are a product of both of these things,” he continued. “And while I’ve seen students noticing them, I can only hope that they have a prolonged impact.”
OPINION OLD GOLD & BLACK
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Gun Control
GOP's hypocrisy culminates in gun-control refusal The never-ending list of mass shooting victims highlights the necessity for gun control in America BY MARYAM KHANUM Contributing Columnist khanmg20@wfu.edu
At the end of 2020, the media was abuzz reporting one of the most significant silver linings of the coronavirus pandemic — mass killings resulting from gun violence had severely decreased over the course of the year as a result of the lack of gatherings in public settings, scenarios which are most often targets for indiscriminate shooters. The prevalence of such tragic occurrences trended downwards. However, the definition discrepancy between the terms “mass killing” and “mass shooting” caused widespread misconceptions regarding the prominence of gun violence in 2020. In reality, the problem still looms large. The Federal Bureau of Investigation defines a mass killing as a single incident in which four or more people are Photo courtesy of Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times/TNS killed, typically in the same location. By this definition, Gun aficionados observe parts of AR-15 semi-automatic rifles at a marketplace in California. The AR-15 2020 definitely saw improvement. Mass killings over the has been at the center of the gun-control debate because this weapon has been used to commit atrocities. course of the year were almost halved in comparison to the preceding year, an achievement which many used as Mass shootings are events in which four or more restrict early voting, the method the majority of African evidence that America’s problem with gun violence was people are shot and injured or killed in a single incident, Americans use to vote. For instance, 60% of African receding. Former President Barack Obama also com- typically in a single location (as defined by the Gun American voters in North Carolina voted early. Moremented on these findings in a statement released on Violence Archive). They reached a record high in 2020 over, the prohibition of mobile voting in Georgia carries March 23, 2021. "A once-in-a-century pandemic cannot with over 600 being recorded throughout the course overtly racist implications considering the fact that the be the only thing that slows mass shootings in this coun- of the year. They may have been less deadly, but they only county which has ever implemented mobile voting, try," he said. were much more frequent. Gun violence claimed about Fulton County, has the largest African American populaHowever, an error he made in his statement (and the 4,000 more lives in total in 2020 than it had in 2019. tion in the state. same error we can observe many Americans making in As of April 5, the United States has seen 125 mass shootThis suppression, combined with the continued disrediscussions regarding gun violence), was his conclusion ings, nine mass murders and about 11,000 lives claimed gard for America’s need for gun control, is indicative of that a once-in-a-century pandemic was responsible for by gun violence in 2021. Yet, these numbers are still not the GOP’s willingness to pick and choose which constidecreasing the prevalence of mass shootings in America. enough to convince senior members of the Republican tutional amendments to validate, and which to overlook. It wasn’t. Party that America is in need of stricter gun control. In The evident insinuation of the high regard in which the fact, these legislators seem to be heading in the opposite GOP holds the Second Amendment — and the disredirection. gard with which they view the Fifteenth — is hypocritical Just this year, the NRA assisted in passing a bill into the to say the least. It is disconcerting that Republicans are state legislature that allows Tennessee residents to carry attempting to alter legislature on the basis of completely handguns without permits. This effort earned them a unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud, yet remain silent in statement of gratitude and appreciation from Tennessee the face of violence and attribute the deaths of thousands Governor Bill Lee. Moreover, the recent Senate hearings of Americans to “unavoidable, collateral damage." Is the regarding mass shootings — following two gun violence- sanctity with which the GOP holds the Second Amendrelated mass killings over the course of just a week — saw ment really constitutional at all? GOP senators attempt to frame gun control as racist, In 1919, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes provided the stating that limiting gun ownership infringed upon the well-known constitutional analogy of yelling fire in a rights of minorities. This rhetoric is difficult to take seri- crowded theater. He argued, “The most stringent protecously when accounting for the fact that 80% of African tion of free speech would not protect a man in falsely Americans and more than half of Hispanic people believe shouting fire in a theatre and causing a panic.” Despite gun violence is an extremely serious problem (Benenson the fact that the First Amendment protects all forms of Strategy Group). expression, Justice Holmes was celebrated because he Furthermore, the sudden interest in protecting minor- understood that even the most rudimentary amendment ity rights displayed by the Republican Party is deeply of the constitution should not be weaponized against the ironic. Following the 2020 general election, Republican people if doing so would create unnecessary chaos. lawmakers proposed a series of bills in 2021 legislative The same argument must apply to the Second Amendsessions aimed at complicating the voting process and ment. America may now be making headway in combarring certain groups of people from voting altogether. bating the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but it’s time Photo courtesy of Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times/TNS A notable consequence of these bills is how much they the Republican Party acknowledged and began working Police officers respond to the crime scene of a shooting disproportionately affected minorities, specifically African toward halting the epidemic of gun violence that has long in Orange County California, which claimed four victims Americans. Twenty-five of these proposed bills aimed to plagued our country.
Opinion | Old Gold & Black
Gender & Society
Thursday, April 8, 2021 | Page 9
“
Male gaze persists within the institutions of Greek Life Wake Forest fraternities perpetuate sexism and degradation of women
... if we turn to college Greek life on our very own campus, we can quite clearly observe the male gaze ... ”
Gaby Gonzalez
The male gaze is a theory developed by Laura Mulvey in her piece “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema”. Through cinema, Mulvey demonstrates how women are depicted as objects for male desire. She argues that the gaze stems from a “scopophilic instinct;” the idea that there is “pleasure in looking at another person as an erotic object.” This instinct is manifested through cinema since cinema not only “highlight[s] a woman’s tobe-looked-at-ness” but because it also “builds the way she is to be looked at into the spectacle itself.” That is, cinema’s hyper-sexualization and objectification of women on screen crafts not only images of desire for men, but it also shapes the way that women are viewed and depicted (women become a part of the grander spectacle — the gaze). While Mulvey articulates the gaze through its implementation in cinema, her theory has broader implications. In fact, a theory concomitant with the gaze is Judith Butler’s own theory presented in “Imitation and Gender Subordination” which states that gender is performative. Gender,
Staff Columnist gonzgc17@wfu.edu
It seems obvious to suggest that the beings we are — our character, personalities, interests — are the culmination of a variety of influences. These influences often come from different directions or outlets — our parents, peers, communities and media communication. These influences often direct us to act in certain ways or hold particular beliefs. While these influences may be generally positive, they may also be the product of a broader influence that seems to operate more like a mandate. That is, the fragmented influences we encounter — whether they be magazine advertisements promoting increased femininity, the sexualization of women in cinema, the enhancement of sexual female body parts in male-targeted video games and media — fall under the greater influence of the male gaze. This is the lens through which we see the world.
Butler says, is performative in that it is the product of repetitious performances that are stereotypically attributed to a particular gender identity or sexual orientation. For example, when one dresses up in ways that are typically seen as “feminine” (wearing makeup, a dress, high-heeled shoes), they are performing femininity. And when that performance continues on a regular basis, it then becomes a repetition. Furthermore, that repetition not only operates on a small scale, but is also a result of the broader repetition and reinforcement of stereotypes. While it follows from Butler that these gender performances are within a repetetive, self-reinforcing cycle that operates outside of ourselves (we are subject to the cycle), we can see this societal mechanism operating in our own lives. In fact, if we turn to college Greek life on our very own campus, we can quite clearly observe the male gaze and Butler’s theory in action. Fraternities serve as ambassadors to the male gaze — they foster and propagate it at every turn. Each year, a particular fraternity (we’ll just call Fraternity X) hosts a week-long charity event as a strategy to raise money for their philanthropy efforts. These events have included tug-of-war competitions amongst girls from different sororities, but perhaps most notably, a dance competition
called “Air Bands” which consists of each sorority on campus choreographing a dance to be performed to and judged by the men of Fraternity X. This competition often happens in a bar downtown or in the fraternity basement. While the “goal” of the competition may technically be to raise funds for charity (cancer research, etc.) it seems the only material purpose of Air Bands is for women to literally perform their sexuality so they can then be rated by a group of men. The activity literally makes “winners” and “losers” out of a competition that really just aims to identify “who is the sexiest? Who fulfills the most desire?” Not only are the women literally performing and dancing in a style that directly aims to please men (they are openly encouraged to choreograph promiscuous dance numbers) but they are performing femininity in such a way that will please the men. They are fulfilling ideations of femininity and sexuality in order to fit in accordance with the social norm. The male gaze is not just projected onto women, but women fulfill the gaze when taking part in these activities. Forget rose-colored glasses, we have been forced to look through phallic-shaped glasses.
cause I value human life and am aware of how insurance policies work.) But, I do think there’s a common ground of having fire alarms that will save lives in the event of a fire and ones that don’t go off anytime anyone anywhere vapes. The March 19 email from Residence Life & Housing says they are “closely monitoring a recent increase in fire alarms.” They spend most of the email assuring concerned residents that the fire alarms actually work. Yeah, we know, they work. A little too well. The email goes on to say that the sensors can’t detect the difference between smoke and hair spray or air freshener. I’m no fire alarm expert, but this seems to be an issue. Can the university invest in some alarms that can detect the difference? If these things don’t exist, can we throw the weight of both the public and private sector into developing such technology? We can send someone to the moon and clone sheep, but we can’t develop a fire alarm that can tell the difference between Axe body spray and a raging inferno? Heavens to Betsy. Although I usually prefer to approach every situation with an un-
healthy amount of levity, it actually isn’t good that the fire alarms go off so often. The past couple of times, many people have just barricaded themselves in the bathrooms as the alarms ring incessantly. If there’s actually a real fire, all this boy-whocried-wolf-fire-alarm stuff might hurt a person or two. By fixing the fire alarms, the university could maybe potentially avoid a massive PR hit, however unlikely that may be. Furthermore, we still are in a global pandemic (looking at you, Josh Pastner), so having hundreds of people walk down the stairways and congregate in close quarters as the alarms go off probably isn’t great from a public health standpoint either. But that’s just my two cents as a frustrated tenant of Dogwood Residence Hall. The more fire alarms I have to be a part of, the crankier I get. The crankier I get, the more I write in the OGB. So, do everyone a favor, RL&H, fix your fire alarms.
“ Hall fire alarms must be stopped Dogwood Residence Charlie’s Channel
Administrative solutions must be pursued in order to solve firealarm crisis Charlie Benedict Business Manager benecc19@wfu.edu
In the middle of a particularly brutal seventh grade pre-algebra test, one of my trouble-making classmates slipped into the hallway and pulled the fire alarm. We then played foursquare as the entire school waited for the fire department to arrive. Let’s just say I have not enjoyed the five-plus fire alarms that have gone off in Dogwood Residence Hall in the past couple of months as much as I did that one in seventh grade. In fact, it is not hyperbolic to say that the fire alarm in seventh grade was the only one that I have ever truly enjoyed. I don’t know whose fault it is, or what the reason behind this inces-
It can’t be cheap for the university to keep paying the city of Winston-Salem for all these false alarms.”
sant problem is. All I know is that this needs to be addressed. If there are particular students or suites in Dogwood that are the cause of the alarms, their information should be widely disseminated so they can receive the scorn and derision they deserve. If the problem is that the alarms are way oversensitive (which is my guess, even though Residence Life & Housing vehemently denies this), then the machines need to be replaced. It can’t be cheap for the university to keep paying the city of Winston-Salem for all these false alarms. Long term, it has to be cheaper to invest in properly calibrated alarms than to keep paying fines. Or they could just — and hear me out — buy really shoddy, cheap fire alarms. The probability of there actually being a massive, engulfing fire is extremely low. And I figure if worst comes to worst, I will smell the fire and hear the screams. (I’m half-kidding be-
Opinion | Old Gold & Black
Thursday, April 8, 2021 | Page 10
“ accurately depicts addiction “Sound of Metal” Film
Critically-acclaimed film shatters cinema’s inaccurate perception of addiction and recovery Conor Metzger
Contributing Columnistmetzcr19@wfu.edu
Lately, it seems that Hollywood has acquired a taste for addiction stories. And almost any actor who takes the role of an addict is automatically considered to be in the running for prestigious awards like the Oscars. But do these impressive honors mean that they are truly capturing the complexity of the disease? I have a complicated answer — but to summarize, I would say no. While most films can understand the difficulty of realizing you have a problem, “Beautiful Boy”, takes a different approach entirely to recognize that addiction is more than just substances. Alcohol, drugs, porn, gambling and others are only the outlets through which addiction reveals itself. To realize that you have a problem and to take steps to reduce your identified substance dependency is the method that should be commended. But what 2019’s “Sound of Metal” showed
Ruben and Lou appear to have A crucial part of the disease of addiction is this insatiable both been drowning four years ago, desire to keep moving, to get and when they met, they latched onto each other and formed a bond the next high ... ” that kept them stable. But this bond stopped them from actually healing. is that there is more than just effort They live out of their RV, traveling required. across the country, running. Ruben In the film we meet the character Ru- and Lou ignore the solution that’s ben, played by British Pakistani actor right in front of their faces — they Riz Ahmed. Ruben is a heavy metal need to go their separate ways to find drummer who lives out of an RV with out how to truly heal themselves. his girlfriend Lou (Olivia Cooke) as This is the answer that Ruben has they travel between the different loca- to come to terms with when he loses tions on their tour. It is implied that his hearing. While he never uses drugs Lou is why Ruben has remained clean again at any point in the film, he and through his four years and that Ruben Lou realize that this life-changing has helped Lou through depression event could cause him to drown again. and suicidal thoughts in return. This As Lou helps Ruben get to a center for creates a dependency model between people in recovery who are deaf, they the two that helps them on their re- consider their inevitable separation. spective journeys toward recovery. Once in this community, while learnBut, what they don’t realize is that this ing how to live life as a deaf person, dependency has blocked them from Ruben is also instructed to try and sit going further. in the quiet. A crucial part of the disTo explain this, I will use a meta- ease of addiction is this insatiable desire phor. Imagine you are drowning and to keep moving, to get the next high, to the water is continuously pushing bet on the next horse. People in recovyou down. Then, a piece of driftwood ery learn how to be still and enjoy the comes by. You latch on and are no lon- peace without feeling like they have to ger drowning, but you are still stuck in keep going. This is a struggle for Ruthe middle of the ocean. You refuse to ben, as he is constantly worrying about acknowledge the passing ships or he- Lou, and wondering if there is any way licopters because you appreciate your for him to ever regain his hearing. piece of driftwood or maybe because Eventually, Ruben leaves the recovthose sources of help are so far away ery house and finds Lou living a much that you don’t think you could make more healthy and peaceful life. It is as if Lou is able to do what Ruben is not, it.
to realize that her previous life on the road was not allowing her to get better and that while Ruben helped her begin her recovery, she had to move past him and find her own path at the end of the day. Ruben sees this and understands that asking Lou to return to their old life would be sending them both backward on their journeys. After realizing the peace Lou has found, Ruben leaves and starts to enjoy the silence and stillness. This is a very different type of story than the one that we are used to seeing in addiction films. The viewer does not have to watch the character act out his addiction to realize that they have a disease. For audiences to gain a better view of addiction, they need to see past the generic scene of a character’s first 12-step meeting. This trope makes it seem as if recovery begins and ends there, but that could not be further from the truth. What Hollywood and audiences alike need to realize is that recovery can take a plethora of different pathways. The goal should be finding your inner self through the quiet and stillness of a clear head, not just by forgoing your identified form of addiction. If you or anybody you know is struggling with addiction in any form, Wake Forest offers a community of students in recovery who are there to help. Do not hesitate to reach out at recovery@wfu.edu.
Perception of “time has been altered during pandemic COVID-19 Pandemic
Hindsight allows for a unique perspective on the trials of the COVID-19 pandemic Anna Gramling
Contributing Columnist gramal20@wfu.edu
As we are all painfully aware, this March marked one year of the coronavirus pandemic. Initially, I didn’t think COVID-19 would last until the summer, much less still be around in 2021. The pandemic definitely has not gotten the memo that this has gone on for too long. As we have reached this “Coronaversary,” I’ve heard a lot of people say things like “time has really flown” or “I can’t believe it’s been a whole year.” The truth is that time hasn’t flown by, and let me explain why. First, I understand that these are pretty common sentiments regarding the passage of time. I think this natural, familiar conception has been exacerbated by the sheer fact that most of this year has been filled with an exceptional amount
It is also important to note the value When it is all said and done it will be undeniable that much of hindsight in this perception. If you of this time has been spent think back to each individual day, I think you will find that there was actusimply waiting.” ally nothing fleeting about them. There’s a quote from “The Art of Racof nothing. My grandmother has always said to me that it isn’t the years in your ing in the Rain” that is extremely aplife that count, but the life in your years. plicable to this situation. In the movie, The fact of the matter is that — for the the narrator says, “Sometimes my life majority of people — there just hasn’t seems it has been so long and short at been much living this year. We’ve spent a the same time. I feel as if I have lived little or far too much time with our fami- for an eternity, and yet, it is as if no lies, completed our Netflix watchlists, at- time has passed at all.” These conflicttended hours of Zoom class and, hope- ing perceptions can coexist, and it can be difficult to discern the differences fully, have had at least some phases of between the two. attempting our self-improvement goals. An interesting phenomenon that I’ve When all is said and done, it will be seen on social media, especially Tik undeniable that much of the past year Tok, is what I’ll call “Early-Pandemic has been spent simply waiting. We have Nostalgia.” Montages of whipped cofbeen waiting for our various lockdowns fee, Chloe Ting workouts and “Outer to end, waiting for restrictions to lift, Banks” are shown with a sort of pleaswaiting for a vaccine and even waiting ant sentimentality. This is an illusion, for the sun to rise and usher in a new but I do admit I miss the days when I day. It’s no wonder that so many people thought lockdown and the related refeel like time in the pandemic has moved strictions were an ephemeral aspect of quickly. When you live the same day life. I thought it would be a two-week over and over again, they tend to blend break from school — an extended together into a snapshot, a single mo- Spring Break. I thought we’d make it to ment in time. prom and to graduation. And of course,
by the time college came around, everything would be normal again, right? Wrong. I understand why people are starting to romanticize the beginning and the naivety that came with all the unknowns. It’s because we are still here, waiting. It’s easier to say that the time has “flown by” and to downplay the effects of it all with a nonchalant phrase rather than accept that it truly has sucked terribly. But in truth, the pandemic hasn’t been all bad. There has been some beauty in the stillness of life — both in the extensive reflections prompted by quarantine and in the many opportunities for new beginnings that will emerge once all of the restrictions subside. However, this hopeful reality doesn’t negate the unusual amount of tears and the inordinate amount of disappointment that has marked the endless stream of monotonous days. And that’s coming from someone who wasn’t even directly impacted by the virus itself. Though the pandemic has been an uphill battle, it’s important not to forget these days. They’ll always remind us of how far we have come.
SPORTS OLD GOLD & BLACK
T H U R S D AY, A P R I L 8 , 2 0 2 1
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Online at: www.wfuogb.com Twitter: @sports_ogb Editors: Essex Thayer, thayse20@wfu.edu Christina DeNovio, denoca20@wfu.edu Assistant Editor: Jake Stuart, stuaja20@wfu.edu
Protests: Boosters threatened to pull funds Continued from Page 1
For over a month, the team’s protest, in their eyes, moved along without issue. There was no response on campus at Wake Forest at all. Due to a no-attendance policy because of COVID-19 regulations, most students were not aware of the protest at all. The team also hadn’t heard of any backlash from the community. That all changed on Feb. 28, when, amid their toughest stretch of the season, Hoover opened up to the team about what had actually been happening since January. Ever since the team began kneeling, Hoover had received hate mail regarding her and her team’s actions. For a while, Hoover kept that information to herself, but eventually, she felt she had to tell her team the truth. Along with the hate mail, Hoover had also been hearing complaints from the team’s donors. One of the donors, who personally funded the team’s recent trip to Europe, reportedly told Hoover that if the protest went on, future trips abroad would disappear. It is currently unclear if the donor stopped financing the program. According to Player X, this reaction led the team to cease their kneeling before the ACC Tournament. No other member of the women’s basketball team was available for comment on the subject. This is not the first instance of donors at Wake Forest threatening to end their funding as a reaction to social justice movements. In the fall, members of the football team wore “Black Lives Matter” stickers on their helmets throughout the
season. Boosters of the program reportedly indicated they would no longer financially support the team, but it is unclear whether they ended their sponsorship. The Wake Forest Athletic Department did not comment on the rumors during the season. This type of reaction to social justice movements from college teams spans far beyond Wake Forest. At the University of Texas, football players elected to leave the field before the playing of “The Eyes of Texas,” a school song typically played after each game. The song, which has a racist history, is played to the tune of “I’ve been working on the railroad.” In response to the protest, highlevel donors promised to pull their funding. But, unlike the case at Wake Forest, they went even further. Some donors also went as far as to call out the Black population of the school and the football team. In an email to the school obtained by The Texas Tribune a 1970 graduate said, “Less than 6% of our current student body is Black. The tail cannot be allowed to wag the dog … and the dog must instead stand up for what is right. Nothing forces those students to attend UT Austin. Encourage them to select an alternate school … NOW!” After a review of the situation, the school determined the song is not “overtly racist.” At his introductory press conference, newly hired Head Coach Steve Sarkisian told reporters, “We’re going to sing that song, [and] we’re going to sing it proudly.”
The actions from the Texas donors, and those from Wake Forest, come across as a way to prevent the athletes from speaking their minds. Player X believes the reaction from Wake Forest donors is purely based on an opposition to change. “I believe it’s [the donors’] attempt to limit student athletes’ ability to change people’s viewpoint on things they may not agree with,” she said. “There are fans at Wake Forest that want to look at the
school and have it look the same way [it always has].” Despite the reaction from donors and fans, Player X believes this was an important statement for the team to make. Asked if, in hindsight, she would protest again, Player X said, “Absolutely. I wouldn’t change it for the world. We made an impact that is going to outweigh any negative response. If you’re going to support us, support us.”
Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics
As part of their "Together We Stand" movement, both men's and women's basketball wore "Black Lives Matter" shirts during warm-ups.
Williams retires as head coach of Tar Heels After 19 years of Roy Williams at the helm, North Carolina turns to Hubert Davis BY COOPER SULLIVAN Staff Writer sullcg20@wfu.edu Most sports fans know to be wary of any “Breaking News” headlines about their favorite team or athlete that appear on April 1. So when head coach Roy Williams announced his retirement from the University of North Carolina men’s basketball team last Thursday morning, stares of disbelief quickly turned into sighs of relief once fans remembered what day it was. Until they refreshed and saw @UNC_Basketball, the official team twitter, confirm the news minutes later. Williams called a close to his celebrated career after 48 years of coaching, which included three stints in Chapel Hill — as a player under Dean Smith and as an assistant coach with Smith from 1978-88 before he became head coach of the Tar Heels in 2003. The 70-year-old retires with 903 all-time wins (good enough for
third-most wins as a men’s coach in history), three national championships, six National Coach of the Year awards and an induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007. Williams is the only men’s coach to record 400 wins at two different schools — Kansas and UNC — and the only coach, men’s or women's, to reach four Final Fours at two different schools. The sudden announcement led to copious amounts of praise and wishes of luck from fellow Tobacco Road rivals, including Wake Forest men’s basketball coach Steve Forbes. “I first met Roy Williams in the mid 1990’s when he was the Head Coach at Kansas and I was the Head Coach at Barton County [Community College in Kansas],” Forbes tweeted. “To this day, I remember walking away from our initial conversation so impressed with how genuine he was and how he was so down to earth. Fast forward to 2021 and he hasn’t changed one iota. Despite all the highs and all the lows in the coaching profession, despite all the wins and all the successes, Coach Williams is still the same
person today that I met some 30 years ago." "Success has not changed who he is," Forbes continued. "I respect that more about him than anything else. Roy Williams is a Hall of Fame person and coach, there is no phony baloney. I wish him and Wanda all the happiness in the world.” The two coaches have only faced off once on the court, when UNC beat the Demon Deacons 80-73 on Jan. 20 of this season. Williams has faced the Demon Deacons 26 times over the span of his coaching career, compiling a 19-7 record which included winning eight of the nine previous meetings. Announced Monday afternoon by The Athletic, current assistant coach Hubert Davis will replace Williams as head coach for the foreseeable future. Davis was seen as the frontrunner for the position for the past week, ultimately beating out fellow assistant coach Steve Robinson — who worked with Willaims for 26 seasons — and Wes Miller, who is the head coach at UNCG and played at Chapel Hill from 2004-07. Davis will become the program’s first Black head coach after spending the pre-
vious nine years alongside Williams on the bench. Williams helped recruit Davis to join the illustrious UNC program in 1988, but left for Kansas during Davis' freshman year. The 6’5" sharpshooting guard graduated in 1992 with the Tar Heels’ best three-point shooting percentage, 43.5%, a record that still stands to this day. Davis was then drafted 20th overall by the New York Knicks and would then embark on a 12-year journeyman career most notably spending time with the Raptors, Mavericks, Wizards, Pistons and Nets. He became a college basketball analyst for ESPN in 2008 before being recruited by Williams once again to join the Chapel Hill coaching staff. In a video tweeted by @UNC_Basketball shortly after the announcement, a beaming Davis says “I’m Hubert Davis and I’m a Tar Heel. I'm proud, thankful, humbled and appreciative of being your new men's basketball coach for the University of North Carolina.” UNC fans have been just as receptive and welcoming to the news and are excited for the Davis Era to begin.
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Old Gold & Black | Sports
Wake Forest Football hosts 2021 NFL Pro Day Four players showcased their skills with hopes of bolstering their NFL draft potential BY NICO PANOS Contributing Writer panonc19@wfu.edu
On March 31, four Wake Forest football athletes competed in the annual NFL Pro Day inside the McCreary Field House in front of a bevy of NFL scouts representing 29 different organizations. defensive lineman Carlos Basham Jr., wide receiver Sage Surratt, quarterback Jamie Newman and kicker Jack Crane all showed off their impressive abilities, hoping that their skills could lead to potential future employment by one of the teams represented. This article will give a rundown on their scouting profiles up to this point, the day’s events for each player, and their current projected draft statuses.
Carlos “Boogie” Basham Jr., Defensive Lineman After an impressive Senior Bowl, the former all-ACC defenseman has been slowly creeping up the draft boards of many analysts as teams have collectively grown more interested in the dynamic skill set the defensive lineman brings to the gridiron. In interviews before the pro day, Basham revealed that he hoped to use the 40-yard dash as a means to differentiate his abilities from those of other defensive lineman competing in pro days across the country. During his pro day, Basham competed in all of the major drills that will be present in the combine later this year, notching impressive markings in the broad jump (10’02’’) and the 20-yard shuttle (4.32 seconds) when compared to other players in his position. Though he posted an unofficial time of 4.62 in the 40-yard dash, thus not meeting his goal, the time was quite impressive for a player at his position. While “Boogie” will not have a chance to improve on those measurables due to COVID-19 restrictions at this year’s combine, he will have a medical evaluation to determine his status of health. As of now, Basham is a projected second-round talent who has the potential to be picked late in the first round by a team in need of defensive line help. Sage Surratt, Wide Receiver
Courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics
Quarterback Jamie Newman looked to turn heads at his NFL Pro Day.
As one of the players on the group who sat out last year’s collegiate season, Surratt is betting on his one standout season in which he was named first-team all-ACC in 2019. That year, he also earned a spot as a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, even though his season ended after nine games
due to a shoulder injury. Certainly, a lot of question marks surround whether he can have similar production at the next level, and if his skillset as a jump-ball receiver is compatible in the current NFL, where the position is dominated by speedy, anklebreaking receivers. After showing some rust at the Senior Bowl where he had trouble separating from defensive backs, Surratt needed a good pro day to prove his abilities can extend to the pro game. His 40 time, as expected, was fairly slow for his position as he posted an unofficial time of 4.70. However, he did post a respectable 4.25 time for the 20-yard shuttle. Surratt did not participate in any of the other classic combine drills, but did demonstrate his abilities in his wide receiver drills. He is an invitee to the combine, where he will be evaluated further. Currently, Surratt is projected as a mid-Day two prospect but is likely looking to be picked in the third, or fourth round.
choice to opt out was due to coronavirus concerns. At the Senior Bowl, Newman — like Surratt — also had a shaky week but showed some impressive flashes of good pocket presence and maneuverability. Newman also had too many overthrown balls, which hurt his status among draft analysts. At his pro day, though he did not compete in any of the measurable drills, Newman did show out in passing drills, highlighted by his impressive deep balls that certainly grabbed the attention of the scouts watching. Along with Basham and Surratt, Newman is a combine invitee and has had interviews with the Steelers organization over the past couple of weeks. Newman is currently projected as a sixth-round prospect, but some analysts would not be shocked if he is taken off the board late on Day 2 of the draft.
Jamie Newman, Quarterback
Scouts got to look at kickoff specialist Jack Crane in several kicking drills last Wednesday at the pro day, though, as a kicker, he is not projected to be in any draft position come April 29. Crane is still competing for a spot on a roster and the opportunity to fight for a starting kicking job in a team’s training camp come fall. Crane left Washington State last season to back up one of the best kickers in college football, Nick Sciba, but still played an important role for the Demon Deacons last season in demonstrating his knack for producing touchbacks on kickoffs (36 on the season). He even got some time kicking during the Duke’s Mayo Bowl versus Wisconsin, drilling all four of his PATs through the uprights.
As the second participant who did not compete in the 2020 college football season, Newman entered pro day with the largest number of lingering questions out of any of the Wake Forest competitors. Correlating well with Surratt, Newman had a transcendent 2019 season that caught the eyes of many analysts of the college football world, as well as NFL scouts. This eventually influenced his decision to transfer to the University of Georgia before the 2020 collegiate season. After this move, things started to grow questionable for scouts when it is rumored that he may not have earned the starting job at Georgia. When Newman ended up sitting out the 2020 season, and officially stated his
Jack Crane, Kicker
Men’s soccer ties No. 1 Clemson on the road The Demon Deacons settle for one point on the road after a scoreless match BY CHRISTINA DENOVIO Sports Editor denoca20@wfu.edu
After a long, hard-fought battle, No. 4 Wake Forest men’s soccer (11-2-2, 3-0-2) tied their top-ranked opponent, Clemson (12-2-2, 4-0-1). After going into double overtime, totaling 110 minutes on the field, neither team was able to get a goal. The scoreline ended at 0-0. Clemson, coming off a seven-game win streak, had the home-field advantage on April 2. Their last loss had come against the Demon Deacons on October 30. In just the first two minutes of the game, Clemson already had three corner kicks, putting pressure on the Deacon defense early. Wake Forest tallied just two shots in the first half, making it hard for them to get on the board. Sophomore Jake Swallen, who made his 15th career start on Friday, had the best opportunity of the half for the Deacs
with a corner kick, but it was saved by the Clemson goalkeeper. Wake Forest’s offense performed better in the second half as they got off five shots, but none of them ended up in the back of the net. The Tigers looked far less threatening in the second half, as they only put one shot on goal, which was saved by redshirt freshman goalkeeper Cole McNally. McNally was tested more frequently in overtime, but the Deac stayed strong in goal, finishing with his third clean sheet of the spring season. This marked Clemson’s first scoreless game of the spring. The Deacons ended up outshooting their opponents 19-9, the leading threat Courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics being freshman midfielder Oscar Sears. Junior forward Kyle Holcomb carrying the ball against a Clemson oppoHe totaled three shots, two of which nent during the match on April 2 in South Carolina, which ended in a draw. were on goal. Junior Kyle Holcomb, freshman Hosei Kijima and sophomore A season-high seven freshmen start- sion title after taking a point on the Omar Hernandez also pressured the ed against Clemson, and a total of 10 road. Tigers defense, as each got off one shot. freshmen saw playing time. One of This Friday, Wake Forest takes on Hernandez, who has been having a them, Brunswick, Ga. native Garrison Syracuse in New York for the last fantastic spring season, scored a brace Tubbs, made his first appearance since game of the regular season. The last against Louisville on March 27 and a March 1 and played 58 minutes. time the teams squared off was in goal against Notre Dame on March While it was not the result that the September 2019. Syracuse is strug20. On Friday, the sophomore from Dalton, Ga. made his 10th career start, Deacs were hoping for, the team is still gling and are currently in last place in in the running for the Atlantic Divi- the Atlantic Division. nine of which have come this season.
Thursday, April 8, 2021 | Page 13
Sports | Old Gold & Black
Deacon Spotlight: Sam Hartman BY BRY RICHARDS Staff Writer richbn19@wfu.edu
Sam Hartman is the starting quarterback for the Wake Forest football team. He is currently preparing for his redshirt junior year after making historic waves during the 2020-2021 season, ranking No. 28 nationally with 2,224 passing yards. He also threw 13 touchdowns and only five interceptions. Majoring in communications, the Charlotte native is preparing for spring football, and the Demon Deacons are readying themselves for another season in the fall.
Bry Richards: The first time I saw you, you were on the Netflix show “QB1”. Now, you’re preparing for your redshirt junior year season. In what ways would you say you have grown and improved as a quarterback since then? Sam Hartman: I would say I just did a complete 180. In high school, It’s relatively easy getting into football. Now, at this level, in college, it goes on like exponential growth, but you only see just a bit of it. You think, ‘I know so much,’ and then it just keeps going. You learn more and more about it, and then you realize you don’t know a lot at all. So, I would say that was one of the most significant things because I thought I knew football and how to play quarterback. But I honestly knew very little. My knowledge has grown a lot, and I have grown as a leader too. There’s a lot more responsibility that comes, the older you get, such as dealing with media, doing interviews, doing off the field stuff. Everything is magnified. I was already in the national spotlight in high school, but now it’s even bigger still. When you get to college, you have to keep rolling with the punches. So, I would say those are the two biggest things: knowledge and then a better understanding of being a leader. BR: Going back to your younger years, what inspired you to get into football and play at the quarterback position? SH: I was almost forced into it by my parents when I was younger. I didn’t like football. When I had my first ever practice of real tackle football, I was sent home crying by my dad within minutes. But I went back the next day. My interest in the game didn’t start until 2010 when I was 11 and went to a Michigan football game. There were 110,000 people. It was a huge stadium, and I actually think it’s the biggest in the country. It was packed, and I recall we were walking out of the little tunnel, and it was this massive group of people going nuts for football. I remember that like it was yesterday. It was then when I thought, ‘I think this is what I want to do.’ My love for the game often wavered. I hated football during my freshman year because I never got to play, but now, I love it. BR: There is no question that being a quarterback is tough. After your season-ending injury in 2018, how did you manage to rebound and insert yourself back into the game? SH: I changed my approach. In 2018, I was so young. Looking back and watching the tape, I think, ‘holy cow.’ Back then, I didn’t understand how important my role was on the team. I didn’t take the number of people depending on me seriously. There was no sense of urgency to prepare and know what I needed to do because I didn’t know any better. I came in here, won the job freshman year, and the following year I didn’t win the job. Since then, I climbed the ladder and figured it out. This past year, I was much better with my preparation. Still, you can always do better. You could talk to the best of the best, and they’re always going to say, ‘you could always step up another level.’ Still, realizing the importance of my role and how my preparation affects the team was critical. BR: In general, what would you say that your schedule looks like now during spring football?
Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics
Hartman threw for 2,224 yards and 13 touchdowns in his redshirt sophomore season.
free time. The spring is when I can take a day or a part of the day and do something else. BR: It is well known that you are a very religious person. How would you describe the relationship between playing football and your faith? SH: I think it’s pretty strong. In the Bible, you look at people who have taken on challenges. Instead of crumbling, they take on the challenge and succeed. Religion helps to remind me that there is a bigger purpose. If I’m ever down on my luck, I know I can turn back to my faith and find inspiration. BR: Do you have any other pre-game rituals or superstitions? SH: I have a warm-up routine, but it changes a lot. I usually take at least five minutes right before leaving for the field and find a quiet place. I sit there, focus on my breathing, and get in the zone. Especially when everybody’s all jazzed up and walking around and yelling. I like that, but I can’t do it. I would love to be the guy that was yelling and screaming, but then I’d play terribly. So, I find myself just getting a little bit of alone time. BR: What is going through your head during a game? SH: I’m actually working on that right now. While I’ve been focusing on the physical part of my game, I’ve put a lot of time into the mental side as well. Sometimes, during the game, I’ll think about the next play. Then sometimes, my mind will be completely elsewhere. In some games, I’m hyperfocused, and I end up playing worse because I’m not playing naturally. Sometimes if I’m distracted, I play great, or I play terrible. It’s all about finding that happy medium of not being overly nervous. That’s one of the biggest things that I’m working on in practice. BR: As a quarterback, many of your teammates view you as a leader. With new signees and transfers, how do you maintain a strong locker room presence with a changing team? SH: One of the biggest things over the years that I’ve learned is guys can sense when you’re faking it. It’s tough to be the same guy every day and be your best self. Consistency is tough to find. That is one of the things I’m striving for, so my teammates know that they’re always getting the same Sam, not just ‘mad Sam’ or ‘good Sam.’ It’s hard, and I’m not the best at it, but I’ve gotten better through the years. BR: With so much more experience under your belt, what parts of your playing style do you consider your strengths? And what do you plan to change or improve? SH: I hate saying that I’m good at anything, but I would say I am resilient. My weakness is that I sometimes overthink my mistakes. In that sense, this game and this position become such a mental battle. BR: Overall, what are your plans for the future? Do you hope to make it to the NFL?
SH: I would love to make it to the NFL. I’ve been playing since I was five, so I would love to keep playing just a little bit longer. If the NFL doesn’t SH: It’s a bit more relaxed. Usually, I lift at 9 a.m., work out, I would love to get a farm somewhere get treatment and then eat. I still have some classes, with a pond and a couple of horses. I want an allbut even then, we only practice in the morning. I black horse with a white spot and a couple of dogs. try to clump my work together so then I have some If that happens, I’ll be happy.
Old Gold & Black | Sports
Page 14| Thursday, April 8, 2021
Baseball goes 1-2 against No. 5 Louisville Wake Forest drops two of three against one of the top-tier teams in the country BY JAKE STUART Assistant Sports Editor stuaja20@wfu.edu
3/30: Wake Forest 15, Appalachian State 7 In the first of a four-game road trip for Wake Forest, the Demon Deacons prevailed over the Appalachian State Mountaineers in a mid-week, out-ofconference matchup. Coming off a massive series win against No. 17 Florida State, Wake Forest took control of Appalachian State early. The Demon Deacons loaded the bases with no outs courtesy of two walks and a single from senior Chris Lanzilli. In a six-pitch at-bat, senior Bobby Seymour walked home the first Wake Forest run. Freshman Brock Wilken grounded into a double play, but Michael Turconi scored and made the score 2-0. In the second inning, Wake Forest loaded the bases once again with Turconi at the plate. The junior walked on four pitches to extend the Demon Deacon lead to 3-0. One more run would be scored in the inning off a sacrifice fly to left-field from Lanzilli. The nickname “Rake Forest” has stuck with the Winston-Salem ballclub for years and was in full force against Appalachian State. The Demon Deacons hit three straight home runs in the third inning to extend the lead, and added three more throughout the remainder of the game. Brock Wilken continued his dominance with a solo blast to deep center field. One batter later, junior Michael Ludowig hit his first home run of the season to left-field and made the score 6-0. Shane Muntz homered to left-field as well, his third home run of the season. The Mountaineers scored in the fourth inning after a single from Kendall McGowan, his second hit of the game. An infield single from center fielder Alex Leshock made the score 7-2. In the fourth inning, Brock Wilken crushed another solo home run to leftfield. Through his first 17 career games, he has hit eight home runs, including two multi-home run games. His eight home runs are the most to start a Demon Deacon career since Carlos Lopez in 2009, and he needs just nine more to tie the freshmen record. Sophomore Adam Cecere hit his second home run of the season in the bottom of the sixth inning to extend the Wake Forest lead to 11-2. The Mountaineers brought the score to 11-5 in the eighth inning following a McGowan three-run home-run. However, the Demon Deacons bats were not finished. Freshman Lucas Costello blasted a grand slam that cleared the bases and made the score 15-5. On the mound, Wake Forest starter Reed Mascolo pitched a stellar game, going 3.2 innings and allowing just one earned run while pitching five strikeouts. The sophomore worked out of a second-inning jam, getting out of the inning with back-to-back strikeouts despite two runners in scoring position.
Following Mascolo’s strong outing, the Demon Deacon bullpen comprised of Cole McNamee, Crawford Wade and Teddy McGraw threw 3.1 scoreless innings. 4/2: Wake Forest 3, Louisville 5 In the first game of the weekend series against ACC opponent No. 5 Louisville, Wake Forest fell 5-3. Wake Forest took the early lead in the first inning when Seymour, inching closer to 200 career collegiate hits, singled through the right side to score Turconi. Following a slow start to the season, the first baseman has had five hits and eight RBIs in his last four games. He is now just 14 hits away from becoming the 28th player in Wake Forest history to join the 200-hit club. Louisville answered back in the second inning with two runners on base. Left fielder Trey Leonard singled through the right side and made the score 2-1. In the fourth inning, the Cardinals added two more runs off a one-out single from designated hitter Cameron Masterman. Henry Davis added another run in the fifth inning off a home run to left-field to increase the lead to 5-1. The Demon Deacons climbed back in the sixth inning with a two-run home run from Muntz. The catcher hit his fifth home run of the season and led all ACC hitters in OPS last season. In addition, the Phoenixville, Pa. native is on a five-game hitting streak following the weekend series against Louisville. Despite the home run and six different players notching a hit, Wake Forest was unable to score in the final frames and come away with a victory in the series opener. For Wake Forest, junior pitcher Ryan Cusick had a rough outing, allowing five runs on eight hits in 5.1 innings. The Sudbury, Mass. native added four strikeouts and is now just five away from recording his 150th career strikeout. Cusick was dominant in his prior two starts, throwing for a combined 22 strikeouts without allowing any runs. Following Cusick’s outing, junior Brennan Oxford and freshman Crawford Wade pitched 2.2 shutout innings to keep Wake Forest within striking distance of Louisville. Michael Kirian, on the other side of the mound, pitched lights-out for the Cardinals. The highly recruited lefthander went six innings and threw 11 strikeouts while only allowing three runs. He picked up the win and is now 5-0 with just a 2.12 ERA this season for Louisville. Wake Forest coach Tom Walter was disappointed with the performance. “Obviously a tough loss,” Walter said. “We just didn’t get enough going offensively and didn’t get a big at-bat when we needed it. We’ll come back tomorrow ready to go.”
In the first inning, Henry Davis hit a solo home run to left-center-field to start the scoring. Right fielder Levi Usher added another run in the second off a single to left-field. Four more Louisville runs were added between the fourth and fifth innings to make the score 6-0. The Cardinals’ bats were in sync and the late scoring was headlined by a home run, a triple and a double. Wake Forest finally got on the board in the sixth inning off a solo home run from Lucas Costello, his third of the season. The Miami, Fla. native leads all Demon Deacon freshmen with a .302 batting average. Louisville answered back in the sixth inning with a double from Christian Knapczyk to extend the lead to 7-1. The Demon Deacons stormed back in the eighth inning with the bats in full force. The bases were loaded, and Seymour was hit by a pitch, which brought in the second Wake Forest run. Lanzilli picked up his 20th hit of the season, a single to shortstop that scored another run. With the bases still loaded, Muntz crushed a grand slam down the left-field line to tie the game at seven. Muntz hit his second grand slam of the season and has hit three home runs in as many games. The six runs scored in the eighth inning were not enough for the Demon Deacons. The Cardinals regained the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning off a single from Lucas Dunn that scored two runs. Wilken singled in the ninth inning, to bring up Seymour with a chance to tie the game. The first baseman grounded out, and Wake Forest was put away. On the mound, Wake Forest struggled once again, allowing nine runs on 12 hits. William Fleming lasted five innings and allowed 10 hits and six runs before being replaced by the freshman duo of Hunter Furtado and Camden Minacci. The two allowed three more runs on two hits. 4/4: Wake Forest 6, Louisville 3 Wake Forest picked up a huge road win against Louisville in game three to salvage the weekend series.
The Demon Deacons, backed by 10 hits and six runs, held control of the game throughout. A pair of home runs started the scoring for Wake Forest. In the third inning, Adam Cecere hit a solo home run to right-field. In the fifth inning, Lanzilli launched a solo home run to left-centerfield and the score was quickly 2-0. The scoring continued in the fifth inning, when a Costello single brought home junior Brendan Tinsman. The talented catcher from Cape Elizabeth, Maine had two hits in his first game back from COVID-19 restrictions. He hit .291 last season and looks to bring depth and sustained offensive production for the Demon Deacons in the remaining games of 2021. In the eighth inning, Wilken homered to right-center and made the score 5-0. The third baseman needs ten more home runs to set the freshman season record held by Jamie D’ Antona since 2001. The Cardinals scored two runs of their own in the eighth inning off a single from Davis and a sacrifice fly from Masterman to cut the Demon Deacon lead to 5-2. Wake Forest scored an insurance run in the ninth inning off a fielder’s choice from Costello that brought home Tinsman. Louisville scored one more run in the bottom of the ninth inning, and Eric Adler picked up his fifth save of the season. The win was headlined by the incredible pitching from freshman Rhett Lowder. The right-hander picked up his first victory as he pitched seven scoreless innings, striking out seven and allowing only three hits. Coach Walter was impressed and relieved by the win in the final game of the weekend series. “Obviously a huge win, and a one we really had to have,” he said “Just really proud of Rhett Lowder and the outing he had. Offensively, I thought Adam Cecere had a great day and Brock Wilken did too with that huge home run.” After the 2-2 week, the Demon Deacons will continue their stretch on the road with a mid-week battle against Liberty before heading home for a weekend series against No. 23 Virginia Tech.
4/3: Wake Forest 7, Louisville 9 Wake Forest suffered a tough loss in a slugfest in game two of the series against Louisville. Despite a late comeback, the Demon Deacons were unable to come away with the victory.
Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics
Junior outfielder Michael Ludowig sliding into third base. He hit a home run against Appalachian State on March 30.
Page 15| Thursday, April 8, 2021
Old Gold & Black | Sports
Major League Baseball begins 2021 season The MLB starts its second season on time despite the COVID-19 pandemic BY DYLAN TYNES Contributing Writer tynedw19@wfu.edu
For the first time in two years, Major League Baseball opened its season on the traditional date of April 1. Of all the major professional sports leagues in America, the MLB saw its season changed the most since the arrival of the pandemic, as they were forced to push Opening Day back to July 23 and shorten the season from 162 games to 60. Rule changes and restricted schedules further complicated the season, and fans were not allowed to attend any games until well into the playoffs. But the chaos of the 2020 season felt like a mere echo last Thursday as each club’s top pitcher toed the rubber for the first time in 2021. National League pitchers had to hit once again, and there were no noticeable players opting out of the competition. Every stadium allowed fans into the games, although
the specific number varied between each team. While Fenway Park saw only 4,500 fans (12% capacity) allowed into the Red Sox’s series opener against the Orioles, in person, the Texas Rangers kicked off their first home series on Monday with a full-capacity crowd of 40,518 at the MLB’s newest ballpark. Even with the many signs of baseball returning to normal, we were reminded that COVID-19 is indeed still present: an outbreak among the Washington Nationals nixed their opening series against the New York Mets, pushing their Monday game against the Braves to Wednesday. The MLB’s stringent testing policies were tested — they succeeded in preventing an outbreak — but it remains to be seen if future outbreaks will occur in 2021. Among the teams who were able to play, a few common themes emerged throughout the weekend. The rumors of the MLB’s new deadened ball seemed to be somewhat true, as home runs were less frequent than in previous opening weekends, dropping from a frequency of one in every 26.9 at-bats in 2019 to one in every 30.7 at-bats.
Of course, the sample size was small in each case, but early signs are pointing to a less power-focused MLB. Despite the decline in home runs, there were very few truly dominant pitching outings across the league, as even the best starters seemed a bit rusty. Phillies starter Zack Wheeler likely had the most impressive performance on the mound over the weekend. The 30-year-old right-hander tossed seven scoreless innings, allowing only one hit and striking out 10 on Saturday against the Atlanta Braves, one of baseball’s fiercest offenses from 2020. The Phillies ended up sweeping the Braves in one of the weekend’s more notable statements, holding Atlanta to two runs over three games. The Houston Astros exploded offensively in a sweep of the Oakland Athletics, despite constant heckling and ridicule from A’s fans and employees alike over past cheating allegations. Stars like Alex Bregman and José Altuve were whitehot as the Astros dismembered the 2020 AL West champions, perhaps signaling they are the team to beat in the division.
The opening weekend of the AL East may have made analysts second-guess their projections for the division. The Orioles — fresh off a 25-35 season in 2020 — made quick work of the Red Sox. While Boston is still rebuilding, they showed little resistance to a mediocre Orioles rotation. Up in Toronto, the rising Blue Jays opened their season with a series victory over the Yankees, who were the betting favorites to win the American League before Opening Day. Even excluding the 2020 AL-champion Tampa Bay Rays, who took care of business against the Marlins over the weekend, the division seems to be up for grabs. All things considered, the opening weekend of the MLB was a success. The Nationals’ COVID-19 issues were a sign of the times, but the lack of positive tests in other organizations provides some optimism moving forward. As the Nationals begin their season and teams around the league get into the swing of things, the 2021 MLB season may be relatively normal, and that is all players and league officials alike can hope for.
Predicting MLB teams’ regular-season records Braves,Yankees predicted to meet in 2021 World Series after dominating respective leagues BY JAKE SINGER Staff Writer singjr19@wfu.edu
AL East: New York Yankees: 96-66 Tampa Bay Rays: 89-73 Toronto Blue Jays: 85-77 Baltimore Orioles: 72-90 Boston Red Sox: 70-92 The AL East should be a bit more crowded towards the top than it has been in the past couple years. The Yankees are the favorites — as usual — with an improved pitching staff and starstudded lineup. However, the defending AL champions in Tampa should not be overlooked despite losing their ace, Blake Snell. The Blue Jays may have improved more than any team in the division with the addition of Marcus Semien and George Springer to their young and exciting lineup. Baltimore and Boston will duke it out for fourth.
their roster this offseason and will regress significantly. I like the Royals to surprise some people this year and stay competitive until late summer. Francisco Lindor’s departure leaves Cleveland with a rather weak lineup surrounding Jose Ramirez, and they will struggle as a result. The Tigers will continue to rebuild. AL West: Oakland Athletics: 94-68 Houston Astros: 86-76 Los Angeles Angels: 81-81 Seattle Mariners: 74-88 Texas Rangers: 60-102 Admittedly, this was the toughest division to predict. As much as I would like to see Trout in the playoffs, the Angels did nothing to help their already lackluster rotation. On the other hand, the A’s brought in Elvis Andrus at shortstop and got themselves a very good closer in Trevor Rosenthal. They will win the two-team race with the Astros, who will be hearing jeers from fans all season long. Seattle has some exciting prospects who will make a splash while Texas remains in the beginning stages of their rebuilding process.
AL Central:
ALCS: Yankees beat White Sox 4-1
Chicago White Sox: 95-67 Minnesota Twins: 84-78 Kansas City Royals: 74-88 Cleveland Indians: 72-90 Detroit Tigers: 65-97
NL East:
Led by ace Lucas Giolito and a young, explosive lineup, the White Sox will win their first division title in over a decade. The Twins did not do much to improve
Atlanta Braves: 97-65 New York Mets: 92-70 Philadelphia Phillies: 84-78 Miami Marlins: 74-88 Washington Nationals: 73-89 The NL East will be the most competitive division in baseball. The Braves have
been the class of the division for the past 30 years, so it’s hard to bet against them. However, the Mets made headlines this offseason, trading for and then signing star shortstop Francisco Lindor. The Phillies have some big-time hitters but failed to fill some gaps in their lineup and bullpen. The Marlins somehow found their way to the playoffs in last year’s shortened season and will beat out the Nats for fourth. NL Central: St. Louis Cardinals: 98-64 Milwaukee Brewers: 86-76 Cincinnati Reds: 82-80 Chicago Cubs: 75-87 Pittsburgh Pirates: 58-104 While the NL Central is usually a very tight race, the Cardinals should be able to pull away early this year with help from several new additions and perennial all-star Nolan Arenado. I expect Milwaukee to finish second and make things interesting due to a formidable 1-2 punch with Burnes and Woodruff, a solid bullpen, and some big bats throughout their lineup. Otherwise, I see the Reds surprising some people despite losing reigning Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer to the Dodgers. The Cubs retain most of their core pieces, but it seems like they will start rebuilding soon. The Pirates aren’t ready to compete, but third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes will take home Rookie of the Year honors. NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers: 100-62 San Diego Padres: 90-72
Arizona Diamondbacks: 84-78 San Francisco Giants: 74-88 Colorado Rockies: 66-96 The Dodgers continue to improve, flexing their big-market muscle on the competition by signing Trevor Bauer in free agency. Most experts see this division being a two-team race, but the Padres have higher expectations than they’ve had in a very long time, so it will be interesting to see how they handle the pressure. The Diamondbacks have an underrated roster led by Ketel Marte and Zac Gallen, and will do their best to compete with L.A. and San Diego. The Giants are getting better, but they will fade toward the end of the season. Lastly, the Rockies’ front office is an absolute disaster, and their record will reflect that. NLCS: Braves beat Mets 4-2 World Series: Braves beat Yankees 4-3 The Dodgers have the best team in baseball, and I correctly picked them to win last year. But, with crowds back in the stands, they will get tight (like they have in years past), and the National League will ultimately be decided between two division foes. Atlanta finally gets over the hump and reaches the World Series. They will upset the Yankees, whose lack of starting pitching will yet again be their downfall. It’s only fitting that in a year when their beloved home run king Hank Aaron passes away, Atlanta brings a long-overdue world series trophy back home.
LIFE
T H U R S D AY, A P R I L 8 , 2 0 2 1
PAG E 16
O N L I N E AT : w w w. w f u o g b . c o m E D I T O R S : S e l i n n a Tr a n , t r a n s n 1 9 @ w f u . e d u
OLD GOLD & BLACK
& M i c a h P o r t e r, p o r t m j 1 9 @ w f u , e d u A S S I S TA N T E D I T O R : J o e C h o , c h o y y 1 9 @ w f u . e d u
Hidden themes lie in a childhood classic Childhood cartoons are overflowing with motifs of heroism and courage, yet one film stands alone as a raw depiction of forbidden friendship
BY EMILY BEBENEK Contributing Writer bebeek20@wfu.edu If you’re anything like me, you can thank Disney for countless laughs and smiles. Yet, the film studio is also notable for its heartthrobbing, tear-jerking sob stories. For as long as I can remember, the saddest movie in my childhood was "The Fox and the Hound". But what makes it so irresistibly melancholic? I decided to revisit the film for this article (and because Disney homework is the best kind of homework). The movie begins with a mama fox running from hunting dogs. She hides her baby and runs into a field to distract them. We then hear two gunshots indicating a darker outcome (really Disney?). The little orphan fox — an absolutely adorable character — is discovered by Big Mama, a motherly owl who decides to help him. She flies away in order to alert the local human widow about the fox’s existence. However, the baby fox is worried that Big Mama will not return, just like his biological mother. For some reason, this made my maternal instincts go into overdrive as I could completely understand why the widow decides to adopt him once she finally discovers the baby fox in hiding. She names him Tod, short for “toddler” (awww) and says the first tearjerker line: “Y ’know what, Tod? I’m not going to be so lonesome anymore.” I mean, really? A sweet, lonely old lady and a baby fox who make up their own unique family. Nice move, Disney. Nice move. It doesn't stop here though, as the cuteness meter continues to climb. We meet Copper, a cute puppy owned by hunter Amos Slade (whom I absolutely despise — but I’m getting ahead of myself ). Slade owns another hunting dog named Chief. The duo proceeds to have the most wholesome, reluctant father-son relationship that I have ever seen. Baby Tod comes back on-screen, and I must once again reiterate how cute he is. He starts chasing a butterfly, which is so wholesome. He then stumbles upon a young Copper. Worlds collide! Copper and Tod decide to play together, but then Slade calls Copper back and yells at him for running off. Must I remind everyone again how much I hate that man? These youthful energetic souls still decide to play together, resulting in the second tear-jerker line: “We’ll always be friends forever, won’t we?” Heart. Broken. The plot thickens. Tod accidentally wakes Chief when visiting Copper, resulting in Slade and Chief chasing Tod all the way to the widow. Slade is trigger-happy, so he ends up shooting at Tod while he is in the widow's car. The widow is understandably upset and, in a move I can only describe as heroic, snatches Slade’s gun and shoots his radiator in retalia-
Photo courtesy of imdb.com
A childhood classic cartoon, "The Fox and the Hound" stands as one of the most touching films of our generation, as well as one of the most heartbreaking Disney films ever produced. tion. Slade has a red-faced temper tantrum like any brute villain, complete with some misogynistic undertones, but eventually relents. By this point, Slade takes his dogs on a hunting trip to teach Copper how to be a real hunting dog. Big Mama tries to warn Tod that Copper will come back different, even showing him Slade’s shed full of animal skins (which is really dark — I have no idea how Disney got away with that one). However, Tod refuses to believe such a concept and delivers the third tear-jerker line: “Copper would never track me down — he’s my best friend.” Oh, Tod. If only you knew. Several years go by, and Copper’s away on a hunting trip. When he comes back, Tod is optimistic about their relationship, but Copper implies that they can no longer be friends. At this point I start to lose my love for Copper. Sorry, kid. Slade and Chief spot Tod and try to chase him again. Copper is the one to find Tod but says that he’ll let him go this one time. Tod runs away to the railroad tracks where Chief jumps out at him. While chasing Tod, Chief is hit by a train and thrown from the tracks. Slade and Copper blame Tod for Chief ’s injuries (unfair!) and swear vengeance. Copper has officially gone over to the dark side. First time crying: The widow, who saw the chase, decides to drop Tod off on a game preserve for his own safety. She tells him not to follow her and leaves him in the forest, confused and alone. Then, of all things, it starts to rain. I’m pretty sure that rain is just one of Disney’s ways of saying, ‘we’re all crying horribly, don’t look at us.’
We flashback to Copper and Slade back at their house, and in another dark and unexpected twist, Slade demonstrates how one of his hunting traps will be able to snap Tod’s leg in half. I don’t know how I digested that as a kid. I must have missed that. Flash forward, and out of the darkness, there is light! Tod meets Vixey, a female fox who helps him figure out forest life — they are too cute together. What seems to be one of the only kid-appropriate plot points turns darker when Vixey implies to Tod that she wants six children right after meeting him. Whoa, girl. I must admit, her confidence is off the charts. Then Slade and Copper enter the game preserve to do some illegal hunting. They smoke out Tod and Vixey, but the foxes manage to get away, with Tod protecting his new girlfriend (cute!). Slade and Copper accidentally end up fighting an irritated bear, and Slade becomes caught in his own trap, which seems like poetic justice if you ask me. Tod decides to save Copper even after all that has happened. Second time crying: As he lays on the ground, exhausted from the fight (a parallel to when Chief was thrown from the railroad tracks), Slade tries to shoot him, but Copper stands above his friend and protects him. Slade decides to spare Tod and lets him go home with Copper. Third time crying: (although it may just be a continuation of the second) Tod and Vixey watch over the widow, Slade and Copper as the movie ends. In conclusion, this film is a heartbreakingly beautiful story about a friendship that endures despite the odds, and I highly recommend rewatching this childhood classic.
Page 17 | Thursdsay, April 8, 2021
Old Gold & Black | Life
Movie Review | “Portrait of a Lady on Fire”
French film deserves recognition “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” provides carefully crafted tenderness despite award snub BY BEN WILCOX Staff Writer wilcbr19@wfu.edu As with every reiteration of the Academy Awards, accompanied with the nominee announcements is a barrage of backlash over the biggest snubs. One of the biggest snubs in the recent history of the Oscars came last year when French filmmaker Céline Sciamma’s masterpiece, “Portrait of a Lady on Fire”, was not nominated for either Best Picture or Best International Film. This mainly has to do with the politics of how foreign films are nominated, with each country only being permitted one film to nominate. This process resulted in France submitting “Les Misérables”, a timely film that wrestles with the politics of modern-day France, over Sciamma’s period-piece. Although “Les Misérables” is an extremely important picture that represents an important moment, “Por-
trait of a Lady on Fire” is arguably one of the best movies I have had the pleasure of viewing. Released in a year where “Parasite” was lauded for bringing more attention to international filmmaking, I found “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” to be an impressive film that was overlooked. This picture revolves around on an eighteenth century painter, Marianne (Noémie Merlant), who is assigned to paint the wedding portrait of Héloïse (Adèle Haenel), a noblewoman arranged to marry a Milanese nobleman. Marianne is told that Héloïse has not cooperated in previous attempts to have her portrait made, so Marianne must attempt to complete the portrait in secret. Over the course of the film, we see these two grow closer together, and eventually fall in love in the brief stolen moments when they are able to be together. Although their eventual separation is inevitable, the movie sets the story for the audience to bask in the richness of their passionate, albeit short relationship. This picture is a beautiful display of visual storytelling. Although dialogue can be sparse and muted, the vivid colors and actions stand to replace what remains unspoken. The camera is very clear in the hands of a master at her craft.
“Portrait of a Lady on Fire” is a film that is carefully crafted, tender and fragile. This film is unique in how delicately it appears to be crafted. It displays a great deal of love, care, gentleness, and patience. This is a truly gentle and heartfelt film released in a time in which it is rare to find such a genuine expression of goodness and kindness. Not a lot of filmmakers would risk making their film as slow and tender as Céline Sciamma did here. The atmosphere created in “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” is also phenomenal. There is a swallowed melancholy about every scene that underlies even the most joyous parts of the movie. It slowly builds like that feeling you get in your throat just before sobbing. The sorrows of the film feels muted and subtle, but it finally boils over in one of the most tear-jerking scenes I have seen on the big screen. This is not a film that likes to go for the big “Oscar moments” where two people scream or sob at each other, this film prefers subtlety. It can swell and crest without doing obvious things to tug on your heartstrings. “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” is a movie that floated under the radar and deserves your attention.
Comedy | Lilting Banshees
Comedy troupe re-emerges from hiatus The Lilting Banshees bring a refreshing performance to the yearly Murder Mystery dinner
BY COOPER SULLIVAN Staff Writer sullcg20@wfu.edu After nearly a year-long hiatus, Wake Forest’s premier sketch comedy troupe, the Lilting Banshees, returned to the stage on April Fool’s Day, bringing the sound of laughter to a sullen and somber campus. Forced to perform within COVID-19 safety restrictions, the Banshees abandoned their former home of Brendle Recital Hall for the makeshift amphitheater on Manchester Plaza. “Student Union was asked to find a Wake Forest group to perform at their yearly Murder Mystery dinner and reached out to us,” said senior Alexi Vlahoyiannis, director of the Banshees. “Because the capacity of the Lower Quad stage is limited to 50 people, we split that into 40 audience members and 10 performers.” Almost 100 students were present for the Murder Mystery performance, with most standing around the yellow-roped boundary and with the rest sitting around the fireplaces eating brown-bagged dinner, provided by Student Union. I want to make it known that I am not slandering the food I received as I understand and appreciate all the organization it took to provide as much free food as they did. But, I will say that as a repeat quarantine prisoner, it reminded me all too much like the Best Western ‘meals’ — a Smörgåsbord of freezing cold and undeterminableby-sight dishes in an excess of flimsy takeout containers. My personal favorite was the deconstructed charcuterie board (cheese cubes, deli meat and a single olive) stuffed
into a plastic cup. Unlike the Best Western, the cold food was not anyone’s fault, as it was about 40 degrees Fahrenheit in addition to the even colder gusts of wind berating everyone present. Luckily, the cold weather did not stop any of the show’s high-octane energy. “We worked really hard and we all love what we do,” said freshman Banshee Skyler Edwards. “Hopefully, you could see that when we were performing, even if it was freezing cold.” The premise of the show was a classic “whodunnit” scenario. Nine of the Banshees, a mix of newcomers and veterans, were being questioned about their involvement in the campus secret tunnel’s latest victim, student Steve Vaneenanam. Sophomore Arsene Ngongang’s well-played detective character — think Benoit Blanc from “Knives Out” if he decided to pregame with a bunch of Pikes — was tasked with sifting through the alibis of an increasingly wacky, yet all too familiar, lineup. The suspects included an astrology fanatic (Edwards), a 50-year-old Sigma Chi bouncer (senior Joey Smukler), campus’s resident puppeteer (freshman Naomi Jecker), a 14th-century vampire (freshman Al Battisti), an overconfident and underperforming Sig Pi brother (freshman Owen Mcternan), your friend stuck in the Cutco Knives pyramid scheme (junior Ian Holmes), a KA pledge “encouraged” to act like a Venetian gondolier (Vlahoyiannis), a kid-octopus hybrid named KidOPus (junior Liam Shaughnessy) and a philosophy major way too specific with his “hypothetical” reenactment of the murder (freshman Nick Provosty). Once each character was introduced to the audience, the audience had their turn to ask any burning questions they had that the detective didn’t address. Each Banshee went around the quad interacting with the groups of students huddled around the covered fireplaces while still in character.
Students could ask further investigative questions, ask who they thought the killer was or what it was like being a philosophy major. Hint, his three favorite activities are thinking, thinking and thinking. “I very much enjoyed going up to the tables and making people as uncomfortable as possible,” Mcternan said. There certainly was no absence of witty responses by the Banshees leaving practically every group laughing and awkwardly staring at the same time. When I asked the Cutco salesman if he thought that having access to so many knives would make him suspect number one, he quickly flipped our conversation into a sales pitch, eventually convincing me to take one of the prop knives. Was I being framed? Am I now an accomplice to the crime? Is he just very bad at reading social situations and realizing he is being scammed? Either way, it was all very entertaining and enjoyable, a sentiment which many of the Banshees expressed themselves. “It was really hard to split the troupe and only have half perform, and also difficult to write a show where only two characters were allowed on stage at once,” said Vlahoyiannis. “However, we all enjoyed the challenge and were very happy that Student Union gave us the opportunity.” “I felt like the show was like if Mufasa hadn’t died in ‘The Lion King’ — perfection,” said Mcternan. “It was a little hard on stage when you’re being absolutely ridiculous and you can’t hear the laughs over the wind and stuff, but regardless, it seemed like people enjoyed it,” said Battisti. “It was a huge bonding experience for us all and I can’t wait until we can see everyone in the audience and bool in Brendle.” If you missed this performance, do not fret. The Banshees will be back on the Mag Quad main stage soon, performing another original comedy show on Wednesday, April 28.
THE H T LIST TOP 10 WELLNESS DAY ACTIVITIES:
Because one day is definitely enough to practice wellness!
1.
Getting your darty busted Nursing a hangover
3.
Getting a crisp sunburn Eating left-over Moe’s
5.
Sleeping on the quad Befriending the campus racoon
7.
Watching “The Emoji Movie” Washing your masks
9.
Booty-calling your ex
Twitter-stalking Natty O
LOCALE OF THE WEEK By: Joe Cho
Photo courtesy of Bobo’s Deli & Grill Facebook BOBO’S DELI & GRILL Located on Robinhood Road and next to the YMCA and Great Clips, Bobo’s Deli & Grill colorfully stands as a hyrid diner amassed with local favorites. Bobo’s menu includes 10 salads and a variety of deli sandwiches, burgers, sides and classic desserts that are truly to die for. Meals are reasonably priced with lots of room to satisfy additional cravings — Bobo’s is a must try establishment.
Page 18 | Thursdsay, April 8, 2021
Old Gold & Black | Life
Movie Review | “Godzilla vs. Kong”
Titans of cinema go head-to-head in showdown Godzilla and King Kong, two monsters of the big screen, battle to the death in new film BY ERIC OMOROGIEVA Staff Writer omorei17@wfu.edu
The recent Warner Brothers release “Godzilla vs. Kong,” is a long-awaited blockbuster extravaganza. Directed by Adam Wingard, it is the fourth film of the studio’s “Monsterverse” saga and follows 2019’s “Godzilla: King of the Monsters”. The initial screening in China garnered great enthusiasm for this Hollywood behemoth, as it profited $70 million in the first weekend alone. The movie then set a box office record of $48 million within its first five days of opening in the pandemic-ridden U.S. “Godzilla vs. Kong” takes an interesting shift in tone from past films, leaving viewers with mixed emotions. A common issue for these types of monster films has been that, while the action and monsters are typically excellent, most side plots involving human characters
have been lackluster. This often results in mixed reviews. It is obvious that Warner Brothers has noticed the complaints, and made strides to produce a storyline that moves much faster than in earlier films. From the start, things move quickly. We get an immediate update as to what Kong has been up to, and are soon introduced to Godzilla, who is uncharacteristically destroying cities instead of working alongside humans to save them. It’s extremely hard to explain what this film is about. The plot is not very welcoming to first-time “Monsterverse” viewers and requires a total suspension of belief in order to be engaged. There is a looming investigation from “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” into what is termed “Hollow Earth,” a theory developed about the true nature of the planet. For all of humanity, regions of the world that were thought to just be land or mountains turn out to be the remains of hibernating Titan monsters. According to the theory, below the Earth’s surface is a pocket of land where gravity works much differently. Characters end up
exploring this phenomenon as an aside to Godzilla and Kong’s ancient rivalry, which is immediately introduced. There are also antagonists with odd intentions and no depth. This part of the plot does not make much sense and is hard to follow. This gets a pass given the fact that people are primarily watching this film to see the two monsters fight. When Godzilla and Kong finally fight, the movie does not disappoint. These scenes are a dream come true, and are exactly what fans have been waiting for. The first round takes place on the sea, where Kong is chained to an aircraft. There, Godzilla senses his presence and attacks. Soon both are immersed in a battle on the carrier and in the sea, and have chances to show off what makes them each so special. The next battle takes place in Hong Kong in what feels like 1962’s “King Kong vs. Godzilla” if the CGI and technology were available at the time to make the fight more realistic. There is little to critique about these scenes, and the film makes clear who is the real winner.
The worst part of this film is, once again, the adventures that the human characters undertake. Millie Bobby Brown’s character, who appeared in the prior Godzilla movie, continues her story in a manner much different than the one viewers are accustomed to. Her adventures with the characters played by Bryan Tyree Henry and Julian Dennison appear to serve only as comedic relief and as an excuse to include the appeal of Brown’s celebrity in the film. The film also showcases characters related to Kong’s side of the story, as is highlighted by a native deaf girl who, for some reason, follows the team along on highly dangerous and deadly missions. Her connection to Kong through sign language is powerful, and she becomes his soft spot. Overall, “Godzilla vs. Kong” succeeds in pleasing fans even if it isn’t a great movie. People want to see a good fight, and they surely will get one. It is worthy of the pandemic breakthrough it is achieving, and I see few reasons not to continue producing these types of films going forward.
TV Show Review | “Criminal Minds”
Unpacking America’s most beloved crime show “Criminal Minds” has been acclaimed as one of the most intricate crime shows on TV BY EMILY BEBENEK Contributing Writer bebeek20@wfu.edu It seems like every time I open my TikTok, my For You page blasts me with yet another Spencer Reid or Aaron Hotchner montage. If you don’t know these two characters, I feel sorry for you. They belong to the incredible 15-season story of “profilers” at the fictional Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI. “Criminal Minds” is perhaps one of the most famous crime TV shows, and it is definitely one of my favorite shows to binge-watch (though I’m yet to get through all 324 episodes in one sitting). You might be wondering, ‘why is a nice, quiet girl so fascinated by the stories of serial killers, rapists, kidnappers and other criminals?’ In fact, why are hundreds of thousands across America fascinated by it? For me, the answer is simple. Not only do I love watching those awful creeps get their due justice (especially when it’s served by such an attractive team of FBI agents and analysts), but I also love seeing how the crimes unfold. It’s the same reason that I love reading the plots
of horror movies despite never having the courage to watch them. Some part of me feels that if I pay close enough attention to these crimes and notice all the mistakes and vulnerabilities of the victims, that might be enough to prevent the same thing from happening to me. It’s silly and stupid and a little bit naïve, but it’s not irrational. Every day, we hear more and more stories about people’s tragedies, especially women. In the moment, it’s easy enough to write these instances off as distant occurrences, but the reality is that these things can happen to anyone. In fact, a common line for the families of the victims on the show is something along the lines of: “This is the kind of thing that happens to other people.” Another less depressing reason for my viewing is that I am also fascinated by the psychology of such sick individuals. What makes a person do that? How do they justify their unforgivable actions? One of the great things about Criminal Minds is that they often frame the narrative so that you can sympathize with both the BAU team and the perpetrator (which they commonly refer to as the “unsub,” short for “unknown subject”). In fact, some of the episodes even trick you into thinking that the unsub is someone completely different and leave you stunned by the reveals. And of course, there are the wonderful storylines between the main characters of the cast. There’s romance, chosen
family, witty remarks and beautiful love for each other, which we see unfold and evolve through even the darkest times and most disturbing cases. It’s empowering to see that these characters can remain pure of heart and eager to do good in the face of so much hate, anger and fear. All of these reasons explain why so many people have such a fierce love for this show. As I mentioned, “Criminal Minds” is all over TikTok (especially since actors like Thomas Gibson [Aaron Hotchner], Kirsten Vangsness [Penelope Garcia] and Mandy Patinkin [Jason Gideon]
have their own thriving TikTok accounts). In fact, many people think that the show’s recent popularity on TikTok is what prompted the rumor of a sixteenth season. Nothing is confirmed yet — the project seems to be in the early stages — but just the possibility of more “Criminal Minds” was enough to blow up my For You page with different theories on casting and plot. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend watching this show. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and maybe it’ll even show up on your For You page, too!
Photo courtesy of imdb.com
The cast of “Criminal Minds” has been praised as a perfect combination of variety of personality and individuality, allowing for a truly memorable group of individuals
Life | Old Gold & Black
Thursday, April 8, 2021 | Page 19
Artist Review |The Beatles
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The Beatles are a group whose fame makes them difficult to write about. They are a behemoth of musical genius, and their songs have become so ubiquitous I am not sure I feel qualified to have a conversation with their works. I have never once thought myself capable of concocting a profound opinion of the group. Of course, I have my answer ready when asked which one is my favorite, and I participate in the general agreement that “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” is one of the greatest records ever made. My first album bought on vinyl was “The White Album” and I laid on the floor of my bedroom listening to it from start to finish over and over again. But, I’ve never allowed myself to think of them deeply, to form my own opinion about what their music means and how it’s impacted me personally. When I hear their music my initial response is always to think back to their hold upon my childhood memories —when their silly songs like “Yellow Submarine” and “ObLa-Di, Ob-La-Da” spun around my brain and puzzled me exceedingly, or when I first heard “Eleanor Rigby” and “Blackbird” and I felt a deep sense of empathy before I knew what the word even meant. I’ve never thought to analyze how or why these songs elicited such strong connections from me and still do to this day. How is it that The Beatles have become
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BY ELLY HONAKER Staff Writer honaer18@wfu.edu
so intertwined in our public discourse that we can have opinions of them before we even realize how we acquired them? This seems indicative of their ability to resonate within the soul-- to make music that speaks for itself. There is no need to defend yourself when you claim love for them, I don’t believe they will or should ever become “overrated.” Such overwhelming appreciation for their music stems from the simplicity of their songs. It is difficult to make a complex song, and even harder to make a simple one and with the sheer amount of minimalist greatness The Beatles put out one receives a soundtrack for eternity. There is a timelessness, a closeness with something primal. It is like a Dickinson poem, one that displays a rightness of order that electrifies the mind. It’s as if their music precedes time, marching alongside the constant and unmovable struggles of human existence capturing its qualities with a true likeness. I believe these feelings have held me back from analyzing their music through my own lens, but I do hope to try. I choose “Here Comes the Sun”, perhaps their simplest and most popular song, to reflect upon. It feels right to choose a song about renewal and the passing of a dark time. It is the last song written by George Harrison for The Beatles and is a ray of eternal sunshine on the “Abbey Road” album. It illustrated a personal burgeoning of Harrison’s songwriting capabilities that spread to one of my favorite albums: “All Things Must Pass”. But beyond this personal musical triumph for Harrison, the song contains rich sonic and
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Simplicities and intricacies of Beatles songwriting lead to mixed reactions
Photo courtesy of promixacademy.com
One of the most recognized and interpolated musical photographs is the cover of the band’s 11th album , “Abbey Road”. lyrical implications. The initial light pluckings come as softly as spring, like the pushing up of new blossoms through the snow. It feels like light coming slanted through the blinds, and the opening of the front door by someone you’ve missed. The guitar glimmers like concentric circles on a pond extending a motif throughout the song that uplifts with each moment. The Moog synthesizer shortly joins the guitar, filling in the gaps like a friend calling out your name and joining you on your walk. “Here Comes the Sun”, Harrison expresses like he’s seen your secret sadness all this time. “And I say, it’s all right.” It is the most uncomplicated phrase in the world-- as steadfast as the sunrise, as unobtrusive as a warm breeze. A light has pierced a darkness. He remarks on a “long cold lonely winter” expressing a profound depth of pain in four short words. Again I must remark on his simplifying of intense human feeling — of minimizing strife by compacting it into singular images and a season now gone.
The crux of this song is placed on one tiny word, “it.” The ‘it’ in “it feels like years since it’s been here” Literally speaking it is the sun, but put this way, it becomes universal. It is any happy notion your mind can muster, it all fits inside something you wouldn’t expect, something so small that removing any part from its whole would cause its disappearance. It is the strongest, hardest and most unchanging word in the whole song, like a little diamond compressed so profoundly it contains all within it unchangeably. The song fades away, “Sun, sun, sun, here it comes,” and the duality of “it” presents itself once more. “It” could be expressing the sun’s arrival, but I choose to believe the narrator of the song is talking to the sun, like a friend. They are both anticipating “it” coming. The arrival of something beyond earthly ills and painful winters. A transcendence unimaginable.
Music Review | Albums
An album a day helps keep the blues away Student uses new music to get through last year’s uncertainties BY TAYLOR SCHUTT Contributing Writer schutl20@wfu.edu The common saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” has been preached to society numerous times. During a time when the world seems like it’s falling apart, an apple a day just won’t do. So how can you spice things up each day and have something to look forward to? Take the advice from my friend and listen to a different album every single day. Not only does this provide some structure and solid plans, but it can also push you out of your comfort zone. Start with your favorite album or one you’ve been meaning to listen to. Maybe stay comfortable for the first week if that’s what you want. After a couple
of days, try something new. Try a different artist. Try a different genre. Hell, even try a different era. Whatever you do, make sure you finish at least one full album each day. If you don’t like your choice, pick another one and try again. Keep a list of the albums you want to try out and check them off once you’ve listened to them. That way, if the only thing you did during the day was listening to one full album, then at least you achieved something! During the pandemic, every day tends to feel the same as the last. With an album a day, one has something to look forward to and the ability to set small goals. I listen to a lot of rock and roll, but I decided to dive headfirst into Kendrick Lamar’s album “To Pimp a Butterfly” (2015). The only song I knew going in was “King Kunta”, with its funky beats, catchy chorus, and powerful lyrics. Nonetheless, I didn’t expect anything that I heard while listening to the album. Each song has meaning and each lyric was crafted meticulously to tell the story
of racism and oppression in the United States. I may not be incredibly into rap or hip-hop, but Lamar created an outstanding album that highlights key issues in our society. The year 2020 was a hot mess, to say the least. Lamar’s album is as important now as it was in 2015. At the end of the album, Lamar inserts an imitated interview with the famous Tupac Shakur in which they discuss systematic racism and police brutality. While I listened, my arms were coated in goosebumps as Tupac said “I think that [expletive] is tired of grabbin’ [expletive] out the stores and next time it’s a riot there’s gonna be, like, uh, bloodshed for real. I don’t think America know that.” All I could think about were the Black Lives Matter protests that occurred about a year ago across the country. All I could think about were the strong POC fighting for equal rights and treatment. All I could think about was how Tupac was completely right. There was looting. There was bloodshed. There was death.
Listening to “To Pimp a Butterfly” not only opened my ears to a new genre of music, but it also opened my mind to the current social and political controversies in the United States. Yes, I was uncomfortable at times because I felt like I was listening in on someone’s life story. However, I became comfortable with feeling uncomfortable. I found understanding and empathy in the life of Lamar that I would not have gained if I hadn’t listened to the entire album. When I pushed myself out of my comfort zone, I gained a lot of respect for Lamar and the other artists in his genre that I didn’t have before. I felt like I actually achieved something. An album a day makes me look forward to the next album and every tomorrow without getting my hopes up too high. It provides comfort and stability during this time when these feelings are rare. It exposes me to different music and surprises my tastes. During this time of uncertainty and anxiety, an album a day helps to keep the blues away.
Page 20 | Thursday, April 8, 2021
Old Gold & Black | Life
LIFE: LIFE’S ULTIMATE MOVIE RECCOMENDATIONS We’ll tell you what to watch and when to watch it. Listen to us, we are never wrong.
BEST OVERALL MOVIE: The best overall movie is “The Emoji Movie”. Nothing will ever beat the cinematic genius that is “The Emoji Movie”. It is a movie that spans across generations, an allegorical story of one’s journey of finding one’s inner self. The main character was put into a box, confined by society, and then escapes his box. This movie takes the audience on a journey of laughing, crying and, most of all, of loving and growing. We highly recommend this movie for you and your friends! BEST MOVIE TO WATCH ON A DATE: Imagine this: you and your partner are planning an intimate date together and wish to watch a movie that you will both enjoy but is still appropriate for date night. What better movie than “Hereditary”? It’s a little light-hearted movie that also features engaging concepts for you and your partner to ponder. “Hereditary” is a mustwatch on your next date night. BEST FILM SNOB MOVIE: When we say “film snob” we mean those friends that seem to always have a certain superiority complex about them because they watched “Dead Poet Society” once and now it’s everyone else’s problem. If you really want to impress this friend, watch any of the “Fast and Furious” films with them. They will be shocked by your cultured movie taste and delighted to call you a friend. Plus, who doesn’t love to see flying cars? BEST COMEDY: Comedies are a timeless genre. Being able to casually sit and watch a movie while laughing your heart out is an amazing experience. With that being said, the perfect movie has to be chosen to bring about the laughter. That is why we recommend “It”. “It” is a critically acclaimed film, both for it’s amazing plot and humor. The film isn’t necessarily lighthearted, but the humor is definitely there. C’mon, why wouldn’t a movie featuring a clown be funny? Queue this movie up the next time that you have a hankering for a couple of laughs .
BEST ROMANCE MOVIE: Don’t worry, we are not going to sit here and list off some corny Nicholas Sparks movies. We know that true romance goes beyond the sappy surface level plotlines of your Mom’s favorite romance movies. “Spy Kids”. Any of them (although the one with the giant thumb people is a personal favorite). The chemistry in this movie is tangible and I do not want to say anything that will spoil it, so all I’ll say is you must watch it for yourself. BEST HORROR MOVIE: Now, this must be prefaced with saying that one of the Life editors (Selinna) is not the biggest fan of horror movies. She simply does not see the appeal, but I think we can all agree on the excellence of “Beauty and the Beast” (the live action). It is a horror movie unlike any other. Of course, there is your classic beast, but the plot presented in this movie transcends the genre. A story that combines horrific gore and love. Simply amazing. BEST ACTION MOVIE: Action! Guns! Explosions! The classic staple of any action movie features these things. But everyone forgets about those movies that feature the subtler actions that mark the great appeal of this genre. “Pride and Prejudice” is our recommendation for the best action movie because it is fast-paced and keeps the audience engaged with the ever changing action that occurs on screen. If you frequently find yourself enjoying action films, then “Pride and Prejudice” is the one for you. BEST SCI-FI MOVIE: Calling all movie watchers who enjoy geeking out over some science on the screen. Boy, do we have the movie for you! This one combines your favorite movie trope, scientific wonder, and the magic that comes along with a fictional story: “Titanic”. “Titanic” is a movie that breaks the boundaries of genres, but if we were to lock it down to one it would most definitely be considered a sci-fi film — and a great one at that. Grab your friend and illegally stream today!
[Film Edition]