09.28.18

WWW.REFLECTOR-ONLINE.COM

The

ban

of

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“Haze” sends a

straws

serious message

Crosscountry runner from

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New Zealand

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

134th YEAR ISSUE 9

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884

University holds campus voter registration drive COURTNEY CARVER STAFF WRITER

A voter registration drive on campus gave unregistered students the chance to sign up and become voters Tuesday and Wednesday. Wednesday was also National Voter Registration Day. Any student could register to vote in time for the upcoming midterm elections on Nov. 6.

In a Mississippi Public Universities press release, Mississippi State University Student Association President Mayah Emerson

encouraged students to register.

This year, the voter registration drives were promoted through social media by using #MyVoteMatters. Emerson, who is also the president of the Student Body Presidents’ Council in Mississippi, said the hashtag helps to encourage students to vote.

“We are thrilled about the #MyVoteMatters movement because all nine of us understand that ultimate empowerment is achieved when students exercise their 15th Amendment right

Student ministry shines its light through community service SARAH MORGAN JOHNSON STAFF WRITER

The Lightbearers, a nondenominational Christian organization at Mississippi State University, weaves discipleship and missions throughout its ministry.

The group began in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and has been in Starkville for about two years. The organization’s missions statement is, “We aim to glorify Jesus Christ by spreading His gospel (Matt 28:18-20), equipping students under our care (Eph 4:11-14) and funding Gospel-centered work in Asia and Northern Africa (3 John 5-8).”

According to Tyson Lee, recently named the development coordinator of Lightbearers at MSU, being involved as a student in Lightbearers has four main aspects.

First, there is an emphasis

to vote,” Emerson said.

“This statewide initiative to encourage students to be civically engaged is more than just a voter registration drive, it is about empowering students.”

Freshman business administration major Austin Anderson registered to vote Tuesday at the booth set up on the Drill Field.

Although Anderson is from Chattanooga, Tennessee, he was able to register to vote as a resident at MSU. Anderson said he believes it is necessary for all students to register to vote, even if they do not end up utilizing

on community. Lee said Lightbearers wants its students to constantly be in community with each other.

Ideally, this happens by living together in the same apartment complex.

At MSU, the group is raising funds to build a facility for students involved in the ministry. It is the group’s hope that by 2020, its students will live in this complex.

Secondly, a core part of being a Lightbearer is being paired with a mentor.

Preferably, Lee said the mentor and student will attend the same church.

Hans Melbranche, a member of Pinelake Church, spoke about what it is like to be a mentor. He and his wife, Taylor Melbranche, have been involved with Lightbearers community for two years.

Hans is a student mentor and Taylor is the female student discipleship coordinator.

Brooke Jakins | The Reflector

Mississippi State University students pose in a photobooth to take their mugshot in the Mitchell Memorial Library on Wednesday after being jailed for reading a banned book.

LIGHTBEARERS, 2

Cabinet Committee Budget total: $77,600 Estimated Senate Discretionary Fund: $4,000 Estimated Executive Outreach Fund: $1,000 Estimated Banquet Fund: $1,500 Estimated SA10 Budget: $36,621 • $26,335 for salaries • $10,286 for utilities, travel, office supplies Estimated Global Lecture Series: $43,000 Estimated Bulldog Bash: $145,000 Estimated Cowbell Cabs: $40,000 Estimated Appropriations: $74,268.85 • $2,268.85 from carryover • $42,000 split between Fall/Spring activity fees • $30,000 from sales tax rebate Estimated Student Association Special Initiatives: $100,000 • Special grant from President Keenum to allow the Student Association to support Sanderson equipment and green initiatives.

President’s Commission on the Status of Minorities: $5,000.00

Total Budget: $527,989.85

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Courtney Carver | The Reflector

Mississippi State University students Clint Kelly (left) and Navraj Batra register to vote.

Library hosts Banned Book Week

Mississippi State University Student Association 2018-2019 Budget

FRIDAY

their right to vote anytime soon.

“I think it is important in case someone does realize something, and they want to be a part of a greater change,” Anderson said.

Junior marketing and political science major Morgan Goebel is codirector of SA’s Community and Government Relations committee. She said this is her second year involved with voter registration.

“I became involved with voter registration last year through the nonprofit, Mississippi Votes,” Goebel said.

VOTE, 2

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Why small business thrives in rural Mississippi EMMA MOFFETT

LIFE AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Businesses in rural Mississippi attribute much of their success to the wide reach of the internet and inexpensive real estate.

Owner Tonya Barlow said she never imagined her French Camp boutique, Barlow Blue, would evolve from being housed out of her back bedroom to the 1,400 square foot building in which she currently works. After 17 years of hard work, Barlow made a name for herself not only in Mississippi, but all over the world.

Barlow is one of many business owners who proves it is not only possible, but also profitable, to build a business in small-town Mississippi.

Lara Bowman, director for

FORECAST: Temperatures are finally cooler as we head into the weekend with high temperatures in the lower 80s. Nights will feel much cooler, almost falllike. It will also be less humid, with no rain expected for the Florida game. It will be slightly warmer on Sunday, and with a possible stray shower.

Jacob Lanier, Campus Connect Meteorologist

Emma Moffett | The Reflector

Tonya Barlow, owner of Barlow Blue, has created a successful business in French Camp.

who are skeptical about starting a business in a rural community, and finds people believe their business will create enough traction nor build a client base to turn a profit.

BUSINESS, 2

The Enterprise of Mississippi, works closely with local and industrial-scale businesses interested in working out of Choctaw or Webster Counties.

Bowman said she frequently encounters people

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BUSINESS Due to the internet, Bowman said it is financially realistic to house a business in a small town because a person’s prospective market is larger than their physical community.

“We have seen the decline of small businesses in the past 20 years, but those businesses that have remained successful did so by adapting to new technology,” Bowman said.

“Being able to evolve is what allows local businesses to stay open and be successful.”

Despite being in a rural area, Bowman said since a business’ market is not only based on those who are physically in the surrounding area, the lower population does not negatively affect the small-business market in Mississippi. While some businesses are serviceorientated and cannot provide or sell their product online, most rural businesses

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thrive by building their online presence and using this market to their advantage.

“Their market is the world,” Bowman said.

Barlow is evidence of this truth, dedicating the extent of her success to her ability to develop a strong online presence and create a community not just locally based.

Barlow works with customers from all over Mississippi and ships orders internationally. One of her most memorable orders was to create uniforms for an entire cheerleading squad in Sweden. Unique jewelry, reasonably priced embroidery and exceptional customer service are only part of what keep Barlow’s clients coming back for more.

Barlow’s easilyaccessible and aestheticallypleasing website leaves a lasting, positive impression

on her clients.

“One reason why we are so successful is because we do online sales. It’s 2018, there are still businesses that don’t take credit cards,” Barlow said. “Unless you are willing to get into the technology age, you are not going to be successful.”

Barlow hopes to expand her business in the future, and said she believes her small town made her success possible.

Bowman said another primary advantage for people opening businesses in Mississippi is the low startup costs. Retail space-per-foot is substantially cheaper, and it gives business owners a feasible platform to grow their market.

Gun Dogs Supply, a new business in Mathiston, renovated a building at a more affordable rate than what was possible in Starkville, Bowman said.

Nestled between two drab, taupe buildings in downtown Eupora, Belinda Stewart Architects’ mauve office building stands out.

People across the South know Belinda Stewart and are familiar with her company.

Belinda Stewart Architects is an example of how a company can conveniently service people from all over, serving local governments and clients across the Southeast.

Stewart, founder and owner of the firm, creates most of her architectural designs for projects outside of Eupora, but she has found having her business in a small-town has not hindered her success.

Stewart said she loves how she can run her business in an affordable location revolved around community and fellowship.

“There is something unique about Eupora, as

well as other smaller towns in Mississippi,” Stewart said.

“Everyone is like family.

There is a sense of unity and community that cannot be found anywhere else.”

In the past, the limited means of communication would have required Stewart’s business to relocate to a highly populated metropolis in order to garner the same level of success it has earned today. However, due to the expansion of the internet, Stewart’s architectural dream has become her reality.

“In the digital economy we live in, you do not have to be face-to-face with your customer to be successful and make a profit,” Bowman said.

These combined factors, Bowman said, make rural areas in Mississippi an ideal location to grow a business. If someone is a new entrepreneur and wants to start a business, Bowman

said small towns provide a wealth of information on market building and growing an online presence, which is much harder to do in larger communities.

As customers from across the South rush into Barlow Blue searching for monogrammed shirts and faux-pearl earrings, Barlow stands behind the register and smiles. Barlow cannot help but remember where she started 17 years ago.

Barlow recalls her shaking hands when signing her first large contract and the hopelessness she felt when orders would start to slow. Years ago, she was nervous and feared she had made the wrong choice.

Barlow, looking over a sea of people rushing into her store, now knows starting her business in small-town Mississippi was the best decision she could have made.

LIGHTBEARERS Mentors are paired with one student who they will meet with once a week for the course of the year. During this year, mentor pairs work toward spiritual growth in

NEVER NOT ON. DOWNTOWN STARKVILLE

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the life of the student.

“Lightbearers are always trying to work alongside the local church, not replace it,” Hans said.

By forming a close relationship with a member of their church, students feel a stronger sense of belonging to the community with which they worship, Hans said.

Lightbearers also value involvement in the community of Starkville. The apartments they will build are not strictly for students, Hans

said. Living with members of the community provides students the opportunity to put into practice the emphasis on missions.

Thirdly, another part of student involvement involves attending Institute every week. This weekly training in the Old and New Testament is a two-year program. As of now, the meetings take place on Tuesday mornings from 6:30 to 8 a.m. at the Sanderson Center.

According to Lee, they

are looking at the possibility of changing the time to accommodate more students.

At these weekly sessions, pastors from local churches in Starkville come to teach students. Kelson Bohna, a senior industrial engineering major, has been involved with Lightbearers for two years.

Bohna said he appreciates the sessions at Institute because they are a great way to be familiar with all 16 churches in Starkville.

Bohna also said he enjoys the unique perspectives different pastors bring to the Lightbearers’ curriculum.

“Institute is great because it gives a comprehensive approach to spiritual growth,” Hans said.

Lastly, involvement with Lightbearers means missions work.

“The goal of Lightbearers is to disciple in community and fund missions,” Hans said.

“Students are exposed to

missions and what missions is like.”

One way Lightbearers does this is through financial support. When students pay rent for their apartment, the money will go to fund missions. Students also can have the opportunity to go on missions trips themselves.

As a whole, Lightbearers are focused on working alongside the community they live in, and the more broad global community of missionaries they support.

VOTE “I think it is part of my job to ensure the students of MSU have the opportunity possible to get registered to vote and be involved in the election process.”

According to Goebel, there is not a fixed number of students who register each year, but rather the number of registers

Get Focused.

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fluctuates depending on what elections are forthcoming.

“The number of students who register varies based on what type of election year it is,” Goebel said. “In presidential years, we have had as many as 3,000 students register to vote. In off-election years, we have had only 300 register. This year is a midterm year and a very historic midterm, so I think that helps us get students registered.”

Although this is not a presidential election year,

Goebel still encourages people to register and know what registration entails.

“I think it is really important that students are aware of registration laws here in Mississippi, because unlike other states where citizens can register online or on Election Day, Mississippi residents must fill out a form in-person 29 days before the election,” Goebel said.

Although one has to sign up almost a month in advance, registering only takes a matter of seconds.

Anderson said he

registered fairly quickly.

“Going out of the way could be difficult,” Anderson said. “All I did was I walked into ChickFil-A, and I am walking back to my room now. I was able to register in 30 seconds and that made it super convenient.”

According to Goebel, there were eight tables set up across campus for students to register to vote.

“This midterm, we will be voting on two state Senate seats and a House of Representatives seat,” Goebel said. “Two of these

races have no incumbents.

This election will shape the future of the state of Mississippi, and MSU students can have a say in that future if they are registered and turn out to vote on Nov. 6.”

Correction In the Sept. 25 issue of The Reflector, the headline “Graduate student earns Astronaut Scholarship” was incorrect. Phong Ly is a senior earning his bachelors in civil engineering.

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THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

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BULLETIN BOARD

An In-Class Distraction

BAD DAWGS Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 Student was issued an arrest citation for minor in possession of alcohol on Fraternity Row. Monday, Sept. 24, 2018 Student transported to OCH from Dorman Hall for medical assistance.

Student was issued a referral for a dog being chained to his truck behind the Wise Center.

Student reported money stolen from her wallet in Deavenport Hall.

Student arrested near McComas Hall for failure to dim headlights and for possession of marijuana in motor vehicle. Justice Court citations issued.

Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018 Barnes and Noble employee was arrested for embezzlement. Student referral issued.

Student reported she was scammed from a customer service representative from Apple.

Student reported being stalked by her ex-boyfriend.

Student referrals were issued to four students for possession of marijuana and paraphernalia in C1 parking lot.

Student reported her wallet stolen

from the Sanderson Center.

Student arrested on Blackjack Road for no tag, no insurance and possession of marijuana in motor vehicle.

Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018 Student arrested on Hardy Road for careless driving and possession of marijuana in motor vehicle. Justice Court citation issued.

Employee reported receiving harassing text messages from an unknown subject.

Student was having trouble breathing in Mitchell Memorial Library. Subject transported to OCH. Student reported losing her wallet, last seen in Old Main Academic Center.

Student issued an arrest citation for possession of paraphernalia and minor in possession of alcohol.

Notable Traffic Citations Eight MSU citations were issued for speeding, the most notable of which was 72/45 on Hail State Boulevard, 48/20 on College View Street and 58/20 on Locksley Way. Justice Court citation for speeding 58/30 on Blackjack Road.

Sept. 25 puzzle solutions

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So, you think you know it all?

...in 1991, jazz trumpet legend Miles Davis died in a California hospital, he was 65 years old.

This jazz performer received his first trumped on his 13th birthday, and by the time he was 15, he was a member of the local musicians’ union in St Louis, Missouri. In 1944, he left St. Louis for New York City to pursue a music degree from Juilliard. He was a member of Charlie Parker’s quintet in 1945, so he played on some of the earliest recordings in the hugely popular style that would late be known as be-bop.

He joined in the jazz style called “cool jazz,” and is credited for forging the way to “hard bop” in the mid-1950s, after losing the first part of the decade to heroin addiction. Davis’ greased popularity came the following decade when he released albums like “Miles Ahead,” “King of Blue” and “Sketches of Spain.” He would go on to experiment with rock and funk, along with other new sounds. His career spanned

1. What was the nickname for the four engine B-17 bomber planes used during WWII? 2. Who was the first person selected as “Time Magazine’s” Man of the Year?

3. Established in the 1920s, what historic highway connected Chicago to Los Angeles?

4. What is the only sea on Earth with no coastline?

1. Flying Fortress, 2. Charles Lindbergh, 1927, 3. Route 66, 4. The Sargasso Sea.

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OPINION

The straw ban: Is this the last straw for Americans?

Banning straws can help the planet Banning straws is a pointless idea

HUNTER CLOUD

is a sophomore majoring in communication. Contact him at opinion@ reflector.msstate.edu.

Who would have thought the biggest debate about straws was not on how many holes they have, but if they should be banned or not?

California has made a state law which prohibits restaurants handing out plastic straws unless requested by the customer.

In an effort to protect the environment, this initiative taking hold over the next year has been undertaken

by Starbucks and American Airlines.

According to Hilary Brueck of Business Insider, the world uses 300 million metric tons of plastic.

Additionally, Seth Borenstein of AP reports how plastic straws make up 2,000 tons of the 9 million tons of plastic waste in the ocean.

The ocean is not only a home for fish, turtles and birds, but it is also a food source for humans. So, the absence of 2,000 tons of waste, which could easily become a reality with the banning of straws, could save animal and human lives.

Although small straws may not look like much of a difference, it is the idea of cutting back on plastic use, which is better for the environment.

Maybe California is not crazy after all. In fact, maybe it should be a nationwide initiative to phase out using straws and start using less plastics.

Most people agree the environment is a very important topic which needs to be addressed.

Straws, in themselves, are not terrible things. In fact, they have been around for thousands of years. You can thank a mint julep and somebody tired of using rye for a straw, as Sarah Gibbens of National Geographic explains.

At first, paper straws were invented, but it was not until the 1900’s plastic

straws started to be use because they were sturdier and cheaper than their paper counterparts.

However, the cost of using paper to make straws outweighs the cost of the environment being harmed.

This is why it is important we ban the use of plastic straws, and not straws themselves. Straws are actually helpful for those who have muscular dystrophy or any other ailments which inhibit them from drinking regularly without a straw.

A ban on plastic straws might actually save human beings from themselves, as the plastic straws can cause several health hazards and side effects.

According to Christy Brissette of The Washington Post, some such side effects include wrinkles, cavities and additional chemicals released by UV rays if straws are left out.

Humans owe it to ourselves to not drink with plastic straws.

Our health and the wellbeing of the environment are equally important, yet people continue to sacrifice both without thinking twice.

There is one exception to plastic straws which I

am willing to make. When the first “bendy” straw was created to help with the drinking of milkshakes, hospitals used them to help their patients drink from cups when laying in bed.

People who are unable to drink without straws are the only ones who should use plastic straws. If you use a straw, what are you saying about yourself ?

It is not asking for much, as most people can drink and have drank beverages without the aid of straws.

Some people may argue it is the only way to drink beverages, but really, straws are unnecessary to a person without disabilities.

So, people need to ban straws, ban plastics and end the notion we need these things to live a regular life, much less to survive.

The time we become straw-free as a whole is the time we can make sure we are better off, both with our health and the environment.

Even if straws do not produce the most un-biodegradable waste, cutting even the little amount of plastic would be monumental in reducing our carbon footprint.

We have to start somewhere, so why not straws?

BRAD ROBERTSON

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

There is nothing quite like the satisfying slurp from a straw when you know your drink is empty, but you keep sucking away for every last drop all the same.

Well, this simple pleasure might end soon. Plastic straws are the victims of legal ire in California and some large cities, particularly Seattle.

But are they the environmental menace they have been demonized to be?

No, they are not. Banning them is hardly anything beyond symbolic at best, and excessive pandering at worst.

Do not get me wrong, plastic, in any form, is bad for the little blue rock we call home. It is non-biodegradable and devastating to whatever ecosystem it ends up in.

More than likely, the ecosystem it ends up in is the ocean.

500 million is the oftencited figure for the motivation behind the straw ban. It is the number of straws Americans supposedly use in a day. Yes, a day. That means 3.5 billion a week.

This number, however, has never been proven to be credible. It has usually been associated with the National Park Service. NPS, however,

attributes it to a project named Be Straw Free, whose director first gathered the data by calling straw manufacturers at the ripe age of eight, according to ecocycle.

As far as scientific methods go, this one is lacking. But the truth is, this number does not even matter.

The exact number of plastic straws is irrelevant.

According to Duncan Hooper and Rafael Cereceda of Euro News, of all the plastic in the ocean, it is believed only 7.5 percent of it is straws.

Compare this number to plastic bags, bottles, bottle caps and food wrappers or containers—which make up 9.4, 12, 16.7 and 18.6 percent, respectively—and it becomes hard to understand why there is such a hatred toward straws all of a sudden.

By the way, the 7.5 percent figure comes from an organization called 5 Gyres. It was founded by a man sailing across the Pacific who found a giant mass of floating plastic.

If you are wondering what that word gyres is, you are not alone. Turns out, gyres are circulating ocean currents.

There are five across the globe, and the North Pacific Gyre is the largest ecosystem in the world.

The giant mass of plastic is not like the fat on top of a

Battle of the Straws

No fair, I used the wrong kind of straw.

Rosalind Hutton

soup. It is more like pepper spread through the ocean, thus the name plastic soup.

These microplastics are small enough for marine animals to easily swallow.

They are carcinogenic and detrimental to the health of animals.

So, yes, straws are a problem. The unfortunate truth, however, is not even a nationwide ban would do any significant work toward reducing plastic amounts in the oceans.

A scientific study reported

by Prachi Patel of Scientific American claimed most of the plastic flowing into the ocean comes from one of 10 rivers.

Eight of those rivers are in Asia, and the remaining two are in Africa, well outside the jurisdiction of the state of California or any other member of the Union for that matter.

This movement has never been about straws, though. According to Rashika Viswanathan of Vox, Dune Ives, a leader in the straw-less movement in Seattle, admitted as much.

“It’s not really about the straws,” Ives said, as reported

by Viswanathan, “It’s about pointing out how prevalent single-use plastics are in our lives, putting up a mirror to hold us accountable. We’ve all been asleep at the wheel.”

Fine, okay. Ives has a point. Most of the country, and in fact most of the planet, has been lazy when it comes to protecting the environment, myself included. But going all-in on straws is not going to make things any better, and it may just make them worse in the long run.

The straw bans are really not about saving the environment. They are a political ploy so somebody can stand up and say, “Yes, I voted for that. Keep voting for me!”

Real legislation would focus on making plastics more recyclable and providing incentives to make recycling more economically viable.

Straw bans are, again, nothing but a nice waste of time.

But this will not happen.

It is too hard. We will take the easy road and ban, of all things, straws. A price we will happily pay.

However, consider this: are the oceans only worth giving up straws?

Letter to the Editor: #metoo is not a problematic movement HEIDI FORTENBERRY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Dear Editor, While I understand freedom of the press, I cannot help but say I am a little disappointed in The Reflector publishing a story on the front page about a #metoo protest, then letting Chris Lowe write an opinion piece on page four, saying the movement is failing in its original objective and no longer viable.

I must say, Editor, I totally disagree. This article did nothing but help perpetuate rape culture by sprinkling doubts on what he calls an “overdue” movement.

Chris Lowe claims, in the sixth paragraph, women are using the #metoo movement to gain attention, money and revenge.

Does he have any actual statistics to back up this

outrageous and egregious claim?

It is not that the women who choose to speak out are being overshadowed, but they are silenced by political parties who say they are trying to gain attention, money and revenge.

In the next paragraph, he stated men are now afraid to compliment women in any way, touch them or be alone with them.

I see this as false and degrading toward men who have a brain and are not total creeps.

It is possible to compliment a woman, touch her and be alone with her, without her feeling like you are degrading or harassing her.

He also claims men are constantly having to “watch ourselves” around women. The tone he claims is a “bad thing” is exactly what women have

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only guilty men are scared of women.

Why be scared of us and keep us at arms-length unless you have a reason?

They must be nervous they have done something which could be misconstrued.

If you are completely innocent, then you should be supporting the movement, not nervous or scared of it. It is like the old adage goes, “Where there is smoke, there is fire.”

How about not giving a woman any reason whatsoever to think you are being creepy? Have you tried this? Most of us learn as children to think before we speak.

Therefore, if men think it is going to be creepy, or even borderline creepy, and decide to keep their mouths shut and hands to themselves, then there will be

no report to add to the #metoo movement.

Understand? Good.

The fact men are scared is showing our #metoo movement is working. It is showing how our collective voice is being heard.

As a survivor of rape and sexual assault, who chose to speak out, I am certainly thankful for it. The movement has even had #WhyIDidntReport on Twitter trending, with men and women sharing why they chose or were forced to stay silent.

In a society which perpetuates rape myths, rape culture and revictimization of survivors, I am proud to be a voice of the #metoo movement.

So Mr. Lowe, I know you do not think it is working, but I can tell you, you are wrong. I am woman, and you just heard my roar. #metoo

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Life Editor/Emma Moffett

Managing Editor/Kristina Domitrovich News Editor/Katie Poe

been fighting for in the #metoo movement.

Yes, watch yourself. We have a voice and we are not afraid to use it.

Men should keep an armslength approach to women professionally all the time, and personally until consent is given.

If not, then yes, please keep yourself at arms-length.

He also claims because men are now shaking in their little boots, it is hurting women in the workplace, resulting in fewer opportunities for them.

Um, hello–this is illegal!

You cannot discriminate against someone in the workplace based on their sex.

So when he quoted Katherine Tarbox of HBR saying women are not being hired because men are scared, tells me two things: first off, this is illegal, and secondly,

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THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018 @REFLECTORONLINE

LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT

5

‘Live from the Basement’ hosts intimate concert MARY MADELINE LAMASTUS STAFF WRITER

MSU Music Makers hosted their fifth show of the series “Live from the Basement” Wednesday night in the basement of the 929 Coffeehouse.

The lineup featured Bedon, opening for Bulldog Bash, McKenzie Lockhart, currently on a Southern tour and playing at the Underground 119 in Jackson Oct. 13, and John Hart, a former Mississippi State University graduate, who was promoted as the main act. All three artists’ music can be found on Spotify.

Bailey Berry, a member of Music Makers, said while Music Makers usually reaches out to artists, the artists reached out to the organization about a Starkville performance.

Berry said she was happy to oblige to a more acousticstyle show for this series.

“These shows are always so much fun because it feels more intimate in the tight

basement atmosphere,” Berry said. “For many people, 929 might be a stressful place because they come here to study, but during this time, we want to turn it into a place where they can relax, have fun and listen to good music.”

Berry also said this set was unique since it was the first strictly-acoustic set for Music Makers. She noted the aim of “Live from the Basement” sets is diversity, as the organization wanted to bring together both students and the Starkville community at large.

An intimate setting with good music was delivered as promised. Opening the session with Bedon, a fun but quiet crowd began to fill the basement. Though Bedon noted he is more comfortable with a full band, the artist compromised well for the acoustic stage.

Beginning with just his guitar and a few original songs, Bedon ended his set with a guitar and harmonica, conversing with the audience

Mary Madeline LaMastus| The Reflector MSU students and the Starkville community gathered in the basement of 929 Coffeehouse to watch and listen to the intimate performers at “Live from the Basement.”

from the stage and asking for requests.

Next in line, the Americana artist McKenzie Lockhart set a very personal tone, sharing the story behind each of her songs.

The crowd grew quieter and began to sit down on the basement floor, mirroring the contemplative theme of her lyrics.

Contrary to popular belief about crowd interaction, Lockhart noted how when it comes to her music, she believes a quiet crowd is good.

Lastly, John Hart ended the night with a louder sound. Yet Hart held true to the personal manner of the event, giving testimonies to each song’s origin before

performing.

The height of the performance was his song, “Terry’s Song,” written about his close friend who passed away.

Though the crowd was largely students, the age group was diverse as a few older faces could be found.

Whether it was young families with children or

MSU students, the show was an overall success for the entire audience.

Chris Stacy, an MSU junior, said he has seen the artists before, but was impressed by the overall structure and ambiance of this event in particular.

“I’ve seen these artists play before, and they always put on a great show,” Stacy said. “929 has an awesome set up, and the atmosphere was really cool. I feel like they were just jamming out, and the room was really loving it. I would really like to see more acoustic sets here at 929. They are very fitting.”

Bri Morgan, an MSU sophomore, echoed Stacy’s sentiment, and hopes there will be more intimate music events in the future.

“It was nice to sit and listen with friends away from the big crowd atmosphere. I would like to see more small events like this, the ones that make you feel important,” Morgan said. “I felt like I was a part of the show.”

‘Haze’ sends serious message to MSU students HELEN SINGLETON

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Office of Sorority and Fraternity Life teamed up with Health Promotion and Wellness to host the film screening of “Haze” on

celebration in the woods with his new brothers after bid day.

The active members of Chi Psi left the pledges in the woods with large amounts of alcohol and were told they were not to return to the house until it was gone.

These Hands

Don’t

Haze

Rosalind Hutton

Sept. 25 in the Bettersworth Auditorium at Mississippi State University. The film was a part of the “These Hands Don’t Haze,” a component of Greek Week on campus and National Hazing Prevention Week.

The film centered around the story of a young man named Gordie Bailey who was a freshman at the University of Colorado in 2004. He had recently pledged the fraternity Chi Psi, and was taken to a

NEVER NOT ON. DOWNTOWN STARKVILLE

After the pledges consumed ridiculous amounts of alcohol, they returned to the Chi Psi house where they played drinking games, and many of them became very ill from the alcohol they drank, including Gordie. Gordie passed out and his brothers placed him

on a couch in the living room, not to be checked on again.

When Gordie was found the next morning, he was laying on the floor, face down, covered in vomit and had rude phrases written all over his body in permanent marker.

The paramedics arrived and immediately determined Gordie had died an alcoholrelated death due to hazing from his Chi Psi brothers.

Hazing is a very serious problem, not only at the University of Colorado, but also at most universities around the U.S. John Michael Vanhorn, who is the associate director for the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, said MSU showed this film because hazing happens in many organizations on campus, including sororities, fraternities, athletic teams, clubs and bands. Vanhorn said he wanted the campus and community to recognize hazing is a serious problem students face.

Hazing is not normal or acceptable, but many students come from high school where they have already experienced forms of hazing, and consider it normal when they enter the MSU community.

The purpose of this film was to shed light on and start a conversation about the serious issues of hazing. Many people do not realize how common and real hazing actually is, and that it could be happening so close to them.

Kayla Brownlee, a junior and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, said the content of the film was shocking, but important for people to understand.

“I did not know anything about this issue and that the

film was very eye-opening,” Brownlee said.

Shantee Johnson, health and wellness coordinator, said she and the Health Promotion and Wellness office strive to provide education to students on the seriousness of hazing, and let them know about the many resources available to them as MSU students.

Some of these resources include the counseling center, the Health Promotion and Wellness office and the Dean of Students office.

Following the film was a panel discussion where

questions about the movie were answered. Members of the panel included Nick Gordon, assistant director of Student Conduct, Lateshia Butler, compliance specialist at the Office of Compliance and Integrity, and Katie Malone, professor at the Mississippi University for Women.

They described their reactions to the film as “heartbreaking” and “real life” while explaining how Gordie’s situation could have been avoided entirely if just one person would have called for help when they saw he

was unconscious and not breathing.

The film was a very eyeopening experience for many students, and proved hazing and alcohol-related deaths can happen to anyone.

This film will hopefully inspire students to take alcohol abuse seriously, and to never overindulge in drinking, even when they are pressured by friends.

Students should have the courage to report hazing if it is happening to them or someone they know, in hopes of ending this serious issue.

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SPORTS

Badham’s cross-country journey from New Zealand to the US

HANNAH BLANKENSHIP STAFF WRITER

Starkville is a far cry from Katherine Badham’s hometown of Auckland, New Zealand.

The sophomore elementary education major had quite the compelling journey to becoming a Mississippi State University cross country runner.

Growing up, Badham showed great athletic potential and excelled in multiple sports, including gymnastics and field hockey.

In high school, she began competing in triathlons and had great success in the sport, traveling to the U.S., Mexico, Japan and Fiji to compete internationally.

Additionally, she earned six national medals in cycling. Badham said she never dreamed of being a cross country runner, and thought she would do field hockey or gymnastics her whole life. However, she changed running coaches junior year of high school, a choice that completely altered her trajectory in life, ultimately leading to where she is now. A college career in running suddenly entered the realm of possibilities when the high school nationals came to her hometown senior year and she decided to compete.

“I’d never done it before, I was like, ‘I’ll just go do it, get a good time,’” Badham said. “I won. I don’t know how, no one knows how. I don’t know how.”

From there, her name got out in the running world, and a few colleges contacted her. She said the idea of going to college in the U.S. never crossed her mind until a fellow runner mentioned the idea.

Badham sent out emails to several universities and woke up the next morning to an inbox full of messages from interested coaches. Badham barely had any time to choose, as she started looking in March of her senior year and had to decide by April.

In the meantime, she had to scramble to take the proper college entrance exams, as well as apply for a visa and fill out the necessary paperwork.

Badham chose MSU for the cross country head coach Houston Franks.

Being so far from home, she said having a this leader in her life was very important in her decision on where to attend for college.

“I just really connected with coach Franks the best,” Badham said. “I just felt so comfortable, and he helped me with the whole entire process, even before I said I was going to come here and I thought, ‘Well, if I was going to spend four years of my life somewhere without my family, I may as well go somewhere with a coach I can be comfortable with.’”

Badham said she also loves the small college town aspect of MSU, something she did not really have back home, as Auckland has a population of over a million and a half people.

“I wanted to go

Rosalind Hutton

“Don’t worry, Coach, I’ve got my blinders on.”

Moving on from Kentucky, MSU focuses on first home SEC game HUNTER CLOUD SPORTS EDITOR

Caleb Garner | MSU Communications

Katherine Badham, a sophomore from Auckland, New Zealand, running in the Crimson Classic last season. She ran a personal best of 18:53 at the Memphis Twilight 5K on Sept. 1.

somewhere that was going to be totally different than I could get at home,” Badham said. “I didn’t want to go to a city-centered university, I wanted to go to a college town because you don’t have those in New Zealand at all. I wanted to go somewhere where I could get a really full experience.”

An elementary education major, Badham does not yet have any definite plans for after graduation.

Going to college in the U.S. opened a lot of doors, and she plans to keep her options open to see what opportunities arise. Being a student athlete, though challenging, has not been an issue for Badham, due in a large part to the great academic athletic support MSU provides.

Badham set a personal best at the Memphis Twilight Classic earlier this month and is having a great 2018 season, as she also finished 12th in the Falcon Classic two weeks ago. She said her personal goals for the season are to keep improving and to maintain her position in the top five to score points for her team. She also thinks the team is capable of making it to nationals this year.

“I want to stay in the top five in our team, I want to score, I want to score well,” Badham said.

“I obviously want to keep progressing, and I want our team to get to nationals for sure. We have a really good chance at it this year.”

Franks praised Badham’s talent and value as a member of the team, despite her being one of the younger, less experienced members.

“She’s going to be a key part to how well we do in cross this year, and at an SEC school, that’s a lot for a sophomore to take on,” Franks said.

One of the unique things about Badham’s running career is how new she is to the sport compared to other runners.

The fact she began running cross country toward the

end of high school, and now, just a few years later she is a top-five runner at a division one SEC school is testament to her incredible natural skill, though it did pose a few problems to work through.

Franks said recruiting Badham was a bit of a risk due to her lack of running background, but they knew “the engine was there,” and she was very talented. Franks said last season was about Badham’s development and learning how to manage more sustained training. “(This year) she’s had to take on a little bit higher pressure role, and that’s hard for a sophomore, but I think she’s ready for it,” said Franks.

For Badham, the best part of cross country is the team aspect. Despite the fact cross country is technically an individual sport, the dynamic of the team really impact performance. “(Cross country) helps us build a really unique relationship with each other,” Badham said.

“Cross workouts are so hard. Everyone’s in the same boat, everyone helps each other through it.

Some days, people are feeling really really bad and other people are feeling good, and then it all flips around.

It’s definitely character building and team building.”

MSU runs at the Greater Louisville Classic this Saturday in Louisville, Kentucky, before going to College Station, Texas, to run in the Arturo Barrios Invitational on Oct. 13.

The Bulldogs are currently a month away from the SEC cross country championships on Oct. 29 in Auburn, Alabama.

The ultimate goal of a team is not to play well, but to win, which was one focus from Mississippi State University as they prepared to play the University of Florida.

Defensive Coordinator Bob Shoop said he wants to see the team get back to winning football.

“There is a difference between playing well, and playing winning football,” Shoop said. “The object is to play winning football. I think everyone on our staff feels that way. One of the things I love about the culture that Moorhead has brought us: there are no egos.”

One of the things that kept MSU from playing winning football last week were the 16 penalties for 139 yards. Mark McLaurin, a senior safety from Collins, said the team has put last week to bed.

“It’s behind us, we know we have to be focused this Saturday for this game,” Mcclaren said. “We just have to look forward, keep pushing and keep fighting.”

The team had a playersonly meeting after their loss to Kentucky. Gerri Green, a senior defensive linemen from Greenville, stepped up and was one of three players to take charge at that meeting. “(It) was just to talk to the team without the coaches, let them know that everything was okay,” Green said. “Kind of get everybody level and get everyone back to our standard. These last few practices we have come out extremely focused.”

One of the things Shoop said he learned is that teams are going to run different offenses to counteract the strong defensive line of MSU. “Teams are going to run gimmicky offenses on

us, kind of unbalanced formations or run formations into the sideline,” Shoop said.

“We took a new approach this week because we knew Dan Mullen uses a lot of those formations and has a unique style. Hopefully we will be much improved in those scenarios this week.”

Shoop said the team’s focus is at the highest point yet this year, and while it hurts that it took a loss for this to happen, it does show how the team can move forward and play the most important game all year, which is the next one on the schedule.

“I have moved on from everything.

We have a great new staff, coach Moorhead and a whole new defensive staff. Everything is cool and I have moved on.”

-Errol Thompson, sophomore linebacker “Yesterday was as lockedin and as focused of a practice as we have had all year,” Shoop said. “There was not really a whole lot of yelling and screaming, it was really business. I think when you are 18 to 22 years old, it is hard to stay locked in for long periods of time. I think we rallied back this week, but we will find out.”

Green said the team is

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focused on this game not because former head coach Mullen is on the other sideline, but because it is the first SEC home game on the schedule, and they need to win the game.

“This game, the main focus is this is the first SEC home game of the season,” Green said. “The emotions are going to be there, but we learned last week what happens when you let your emotions get too high.”

One of the keys to the MSU defense is stopping the run, once they can do this, they can put pressure on the quarterback; however, they struggled with this against Kentucky last week. Green said it is always a challenge to stop the run in the SEC. “We are still going against SEC running backs, they are good, you know,” Green said.

“If you give them a hole, they are going to hit it. They have speed, power, so you cannot overlook a running back in the SEC.” This game is the first time MSU (3-1) will play Florida (3-1) since Mullen went there, and as much as the fans make the game about Mullen’s return, the players like Errol Thompson, a sophomore linebacker from Florence, Alabama, who was recruited

by Mullen before coming to MSU, have moved on.

“I have moved on from everything,” Thompson said. “We have a great new staff, coach Moorhead and a whole new defensive staff.

Everything is cool, and I have moved on.”

Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. on ESPN, it is a white-out game, and the winningest coach in MSU history, Jackie Sherril, will be honored at halftime in the first SEC home game for the Bulldogs.

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STARKVILLE ALDERSGATE

United Methodist Congregation Rev. Jamie Bailey, Pastor 820 Evergreen Street Starkville, MS 39759

Welcomes ALL Students!

Starkville Aldersgate and Reverend Bailey invite you to make us your Church home while at MSU

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