The Torch Vol. 100:11 — October 2022 Issue

Torch Photo / Brenden Willsch

Photo Courtesy / Unsplash Janine Robinson

SJU’s Office of Residence Life Issues Plea for Guests to Behave in the Residence Halls

After an uptick in student and guest conduct violations, the office issued a notice to resident students in October.

Brady Snyder | Oct. 26, 2022

Due to an increase in student and guest conduct violations in September, the St. John’s University Office of Residence Life issued a message to students reminding them of their student conduct expectations. The University permitted out side guests to enter the on-campus residence halls during the Fall 2022 semester for the first time since 2020.

The Office of Residence Life issued a “message to [the] community” on Sept. 29 following student conduct viola tions in the residence halls.

“Recently, we have observed an increase in the number of incidents involving guests of residents, including what has been described as pranks, vandalism, and other conduct con cerns,” the email stated. “Mischief, pranks, vandalism and other misconduct by students and their guests are a violation of the Student Code of Conduct.”

That email was sent to all resident students, but a more specific email was sent to residents of Century Hall’s sixth floor, and was obtained by The Torch. “On Sept. 3, 2022, an incident of vandalism was discovered on the sixth floor of Century Hall,” the email said. “The vandalism occurred when handwritten messages ‘SMD’ and ‘that’s not nice’ and ‘if you were workin’ for me you’d be fired immediately’ were found written on the sixth-floor bulletin board.”

The Office of Residence Life directed students who may have been impacted by the incident to Danielle Haynes, the University’s director of equal employment opportunity, compliance and Title IX.

Additional incidents within the residence halls have been reported and referred to the Office of Student Conduct. “Residence Life has been made aware of different types of inappropriate behavior,” said University spokesperson Bri an Browne in a statement. “Including individuals banging on suite doors and running away, people writing unwanted messages on student’s whiteboards and, on two occasions, filming student reactions to unusual behavior for the pur pose of creating social media content.”

There have also been reports of resident students com plaining about unwanted messages written by unknown people on whiteboards hanging on their suite door, accord ing to Browne. These messages usually included profanity.

“There were two reported incidents where resident stu dents reported non-students knocking on their door, en tering the suite, and filming them without their consent,”

Browne said. “This has been ostensibly for the purposes of creating social media/YouTube content.”

When a violation is observed or reported, it is documented through the University’s Office of Student Conduct. There have been several incidents that have been documented, ac cording to Browne, but violators have not been identified. There were two incidents where individuals were charged with violations of the Student Code of Conduct.

If a non-student is identified in an incident that violates the code of conduct within the residence halls, they are tres passed by the University by the Department of Public Safety, said Browne.

The Torch asked whether these figures represented an up tick in residence hall conduct violations when compared to pre-pandemic numbers. “No,” Browne said, “This is only

unique in the sense that is happening in a more concentrat ed timeframe.”

If more incidents occur this semester in a more concen trated timeframe, that would suggest that the rate of these incidents is higher than in previous years. In the weeks since the message from the Office of Residence Life was sent, there have been no updates directly sent to resident students.

The University reminds resident students that they are not only responsible for their own behavior within the residence halls, but also the behavior for their guests. Students can be referred to the Office of Student Conduct for the actions of their guests.

For more information, visit the University’s Student Code of Conduct.

SOAR Sponsors Seventh Take Back the Night March

SJU community steps out and stands up in support of sexual violence survivors.

St. John’s University’s Sexual Violence Outreach, Awareness and Response (SOAR) Office held their seventh annual “Take Back the Night” march Oct. 6 in partnership with Womankind.

Womankind is a women’s center that aims “to help survivors of domestic violence, human traffick ing, and sexual violence rise above trauma and build a path to healing.”

“Take Back the Night” is the “oldest worldwide movement to stand against sexual violence in all its forms,” according to SOAR. The office works to combat sexual violence, dating violence, intimate partner violence, gender-based violence and stalking in the University community.

The event featured a campus-wide march starting at 7:30 p.m., healing practices workshop and “Hear Our Voices,” an arts workshop sponsored by Womankind.

The group began their march at D’Angelo Center (DAC) Plaza, reaching Residence Village and the Great Lawn and ended where they started at DAC. Marchers held signs and chanted various phrases including “whatever we wear, wherever we go, yes means yes, no means no” and “shatter the silence, stop the violence.”

“We’re here tonight to show St. John’s University that we stand up against all forms of sexual violence. We’re here to show people that we support survivors,” said Danielle DiNapoli, Director of SOAR. “There’s no two survivor stories that are the same, and we’re here tonight to acknowledge that and sup port survivors wherever they are on their healing journey.”

Take Back the Night is part of the “It’s on Us” campaign, which aims to increase student and faculty awareness to help be part of the solution. The department offers Bystander Intervention Training to recognize warning signs of high-risk behaviors, affirmative consent program Knowing YES! and will host turn off the violence week in spring.

“I have had people close to me go through sexual assault, so I’m just trying to do what I can to make

sure it doesn’t happen to my fellow students and people I care about,” said Jack Henson, SOAR Guide and Diversity and Inclusion Chair of Sigma Pi. The senior, along with two undergraduate representatives, wore red “It’s on Us” capes and helped lead marchers.

“At the end of the day, we really want to help everyone create healthy relationships,” said DiNap oli. “Unfortunately, the work never stops.”

Olivia Seaman | Oct. 17, 2022

Torch Photo / Sara Kiernan

Pictured: The underclassen residence halls on the Queens campus. Torch Photo / Brenden Willsch

Founders Week 2022 Celebrates Healers and the Vincentian Mission

St. John’s University holds

St. John’s University’s annual “Founder’s Week,” held be tween Sept. 20 and Sept. 27, is a celebration of the Uni versity’s renowned Vincentian heritage. Included in the week’s itinerary are church services, community service opportunities and lecture programs organized to unite students, faculty and alumni together in pursuing the Vin centian Mission of healing.

The lecture programs and University Service Day were orchestrated on the Queens and Staten Island campuses. Founder’s Week culminated in the St. Vincent de Paul Feast Day, which was held on Sept. 27 on both campuses. The University web article, “Founder’s Week a Celebra tion of Healers,” explains the happenings of this harvest of heritage.

The Vincentian Convocation paid tribute to the late Dr. Paul Farmer, who founded the nonprofit organization Partners in Health to provide modern medical services to underprivileged patients. His lifetime of charity echoes the work of St. Vincent de Paul, upholding the universality and timelessness of helping others. The convocation was held on Sept. 22 at St. Thomas More Church, recognizing Dr. Farmer’s immense contributions along with other in dividuals and organizations.

“We affirm the common values of our Vincentian foun dation that have taken root and are lived out in the lives we celebrate today,” said Rev. Brian J. Shanley, the Uni versity’s president.

During the Administrators and Staff Luncheon on Sept. 21, Rev. Aidan Rooney, the University’s executive vice president for mission, delivered a powerful statement about the individual roles possessed in enforcing the St. John’s creed, “we need to build a place where people re alize that’s a part of their commission as a part of the St.

series

events to engage their community with their Vincentian tradition.

Stern

John’s community.”

Dr. Max R. Freeman, an assistant professor at the St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, relayed his research findings on improving children’s language out comes at the Queens Faculty Research Luncheon on Sept. 26.

Freeman’s work exemplified the Vincentian ideals of ef fecting positive changes to social structures and improving the community. “We do this through social action, policy research, outcomes-based research, helping the communi ty and helping those who are impoverished,” he said.

Rooney spoke at the Mass for the Solemnity of St. Vincent de Paul on Sept 27. The service was held at the St. Thomas More Church, and encouraged listeners to embrace the Vincentian spirit within themselves in an abridged sentiment of SJU creed —“Be Vincentian: Be a Healer.”

“They took their little piece of it and made it work where they were, as professors, as admin istrators, as chaplains,” Rooney said.

University Service Day, a 21-year tradition at the University, took place on Sept. 24. Participants gave back to the community, including several volun teer sites: GallopNYC, which gives disabled peo ple the opportunity to ride horses, the League of

Yes, a baseball program organized for people with disabil ities and the Ronald McDonald house, a home away from home for families undergoing cancer treatment.

The Queens campus provided an additional volunteer day at the Soul Fire Farm, a community farm that operates food sovereignty programs for struggling farmers, food in secure households and families living under apartheid.

Founder’s Week yearly provides an opportunity for stu dents to discover and participate in the University’s Vin centian mission. Reverend Patrick J. Griffin, the executive director of the Vincentian Center for Church and Society, notes the binding ties rooted in the annual event, express ing to colleagues at the Faculty Luncheon,“Vincent was a true healer of body, soul and spirit. The theme of Found er’s Week encourages us to be healers. It has solid roots in his life and work.”

Omicron Booster Announced by CDC

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new COVID-19 vaccine booster designed to target the Omicron variant, announced in a Sept. 1 statement. Both the Pfizer-NTech boost er (available for ages 12 and older), and the Moderna

booster (available for ages 18 and older) have been ap proved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The announcement was followed by President Biden’s claim that the pandemic has come to an end.

“The pandemic is over,” is what he told CBS News on

Sept. 18. Ten days prior, a White House statement shows the president encouraging people to take the updated booster to combat the United States’ issue with the Omicron variant.

Although no mandates have been placed on the new Omicron booster, CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky recommends eligible candidates receive the vaccine. “If you are eligible, there is no bad time to get your COVID-19 booster and I strongly encour age you receive it.”

Masks are no longer required in the majority of public areas in New York City as of Sept. 7, when Governor Kathy Hochul lifted the mandates on pub lic transit. 79.7 percent of New York City residents are fully vaccinated, and 40.1 percent of residents re ceived an additional booster dose.

The University announced its booster mandates in the beginning of Spring 2022. No additional boosters were mandated.

Nationwide COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths have decreased from pandemic highs. The CDC reports a daily average of 37,808 cases, 3,247 hospitalizations and 332 deaths. New York City had a 9.4 percent positivity rate in the past seven days ac cording to the New York City Health Department. A daily average of 1,997 cases and 7 deaths were re ported.

Dea HoxHa | oct. 19, 2022

Photo Courtesy / St. John’s Univerity

Photo Courtesy / Unsplash Towfiqu Barbhuiya

City Council Deliberates Solitary Confinement Laws, Prison Activists Call For Change

Hundreds gather in front of CIty Hall to end solitary confinement in New York City prisons.

NEW YORK, N.Y. — Hoards of people have come together on the marble steps of New York City Hall at 10 a.m. on Sept. 28 to rally for the passing of Intro. 594 (otherwise known as the HALT Act) which would ban the use of solitary confinement in New York City jails.

Intro. 594 has the superma jority backing. Councilwoman Shahana K. Hanif, represent ing the 39th District, voiced support for the bill before the council went into session, call ing the practice of solitary con finement “barbaric.”

“It has been a years-long organizing effort, and finally today, we have our hearing,” Hanif addressed the crowd of protestors and reporters. “We are going to win. We are going to end solitary confinement.”

Rabbi Lev Merrowitz Nel son, the Director of Leader ship and Learning at T’ruah, The Rabbinic Call For Human Rights, spoke on the battle to end solitary confine ment in New York City “T’ruah has been working to end solitary confinement for ten years… part

of the issue is that people don’t understand why solitary confinement doesn’t work. It isn’t about public safety, it’s about punishment.”

Members and associates of the Correction Offi

“safety before politics,” as well as photos depict ing correctional officers’ injuries at the hands of prisoners. The group’s chants of “safe jails now!” drowned out the sounds of New York City traffic.

In 2019, 12 states passed legislation banning the use of solitary confinement in jails. New York was not one of them.

Holly Gola, a global de velopment and sustainabil ity student at St. John’s University and a member of the Catholic Relief Ser vices club, stated “Support is basically the number one thing that prisoners ask for, and solitary [confinement] strips them of that. I hope instead of things like pun ishment, reform is going to take place.”

Adrian Greaves, a fellow with Second Chance Stu dios and prison reform ac tivist, said, “I did 24 years in prison. From the inside, they look at us as com modities, and solitary [confinement] is a way of controlling people.”

Family Weekend 2022: Families Gather on Queens Campus

families

As part of an annual tradition, St. John’s Univer sity held Family weekend Friday, Oct. 7 through Sunday, Oct. 9. The three days were dedicated to welcoming families back onto campus with activ ities, food, music and the traditional family car nival.

Families were encouraged to attend Family Weekend as it was the ideal time for students to introduce their families to friends, instructors, ad ministrators and coaches who play an instrumental role in their family at St. John’s, in their collegiate experience and overall in their support system.

The festivities began on Friday evening as the Women’s Volleyball team faced Marquette Uni versity in Carnesecca Arena, followed by a chance to watch Chappell Players Theater Group’s first performance of “Catch Me If You Can” in The Little Theatre.

The Division of Student Affairs held a brunch in Montgoris Dining Hall on Saturday. Partici pants who were interested in Study Abroad were then given the option to attend a presentation, “The Journey Continues Abroad: Understanding

our Global Mission” held in the D’Angelo Center.

The festivities then migrated to the Great Lawn, where attendees convened for the Family Week end Carnival, a highlight of the occasion that featured carnival games, rides including a me chanical bull, slides and a mas sive assortment of free pumpkins in the spirit of fall.

The University held its wellknown Residence Village Block Party in the late afternoon, which featured food and music stations. Sunday saw the con clusion of the weekend with a Community Mass at St. Thomas More Church. A brunch, a raffle and the final “Catch Me If You Can” performance were also en joyed by attendees.

cers’ Benevolent Association (COBA) gather op posite those supporting Intro. 594. In their hands are signs that read “we need safe jails now!” and

Photo Courtesy / St. John’s University

Photo Courtesy / Michael Pagan

National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. The month “recognizes and celebrates the many contributions, diverse cul tures, and extensive histories of the American Latino community,” according to the U.S. Department of Education.

“Hispanics made up an estimated 12% of work ers in media industries such as news outlets, studios and streaming services,” according to Axios. As part of National Hispanic Heritage Month, The Torch looks to highlight editorial board members who each accomplished great things in and out of the news room. As the month comes to a close, Culture Editor Maria Villarroel, Business Manager Ashley Guaman and Opinion Editor Sergio Padilla reflect on their culture and how it has impacted their life.

“I’m always surrounded by people that I love, and I’m so proud of my culture and my country.”

For Culture Editor Maria Villarroel, community is the most important part about being Latina. The Venezuelan-born senior journalism major is a stu dent ambassador, tutor for student-athletes and a member of the St. John’s University President’s So ciety. Upon graduating this fall, Villarroel will pur sue a M.S. in International Communications, as part of a five-year program at St. John’s.

In the summer of 2022, Villarroel had the oppor tunity to itern at LinkedIn, which she recalls as “the greatest experience of my life.” As an editorial intern, she felt proud to be a part of an industry which lacks diverse representation.

“The tech industry is mostly dominated by white men, so some companies at Silicon Valley like Linke dIn are trying to increase their diversity” Villarroel said. “It was really cool to feel like I was part of their efforts to change their demographics”

An important part of her heritage is nursing a sense of community and happiness with those around her.

“Community is anyone who’s around you and who you care about. We celebrate where we come from by staying in touch and appreciating those around

us,” she said. “I’m always surrounded by people that I love, and I’m so proud of my culture and my coun try.”

As Culture Editor she looks to amplify diverse voic es and perspectives in her section. The editor enjoys writing about Bad Bunny, Harry Styles and Taylor Swift, and hopes to continue to establish community through her writing.

“Being in college is already a big accomplishment for people in the Hispanic culture, and being part of The Torch has been an even bigger accomplishment for me.”

Business Manager Ashley Guaman is a proud Ec uadorian helping others in the community. The junior legal studies major is a member of L.A.S.O (Latin-American Student Organization) and the SJU Legal Society.

Her biggest accomplishment is working as a para legal for Palacio Law Group, a Hispanic-owned firm on Long Island. Guaman handles child immigration cases in which a child has been abused or neglected by their parents. She helps children apply for green cards under the Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, which could help them obtain permanent legal res idency.

“I love doing this job just because I’m helping peo ple who are obtaining a green card – which is such a huge treasure for us immigrants,” she said. “Getting a green card allows us to work legally, be able to have American rights and be someone in this country.”

For Guaman, her heritage makes her unique. Apart from Spanish and English, she speaks Quichua – a language native to Ecuador.

“I love being able to tell people I know this lan guage from my culture. It’s a proud moment for me and makes me feel unique,” she said.

As Business Manager, Guaman looks to inspire young people of color and teach others about her culture.

Being in college is already a big accomplishment for people in the Hispanic culture, and being part of

The Torch has been an even bigger accomplishment for me,” she said. “I love composing writings about my culture. It was great for people to read my articles and what it feels like to be Ecuadorian.”

“People will naturally gravitate towards somebody who is doing a great job and leaders who lead by ex ample. By trying to better my craft and refining what I do, that could inspire people.”

Opinion Editor Sergio Padilla is part of a long line of Mexican ancestry. The junior journalism student is an accomplished young journalist – obtaining in ternships at the San Antonio Business Journal and Pensions & Investments – where he reports breaking business news and enterprise stories.

Padilla’s family is from Del Rio, Texas, a small bor der town in the southern region. Padilla takes pride in visiting the town where his dad and grandfather were born, and preserving his heritage.

“We’ve got several generations that go back there. It gives my family and I a better appreciation of those who come before us,” he said. “Whether it be the amazing food, cultural sites or natural beauty, it’s just about appreciating where we come from.”

For Padilla, being Mexican is about making a change.

“A long time ago, a lot of Mexican-American peo ple in the U.S. didn’t have the opportunities that we do now,” Padilla said. “In me being able to do what I do – studying at St. John’s, being a reporter – is making the change previous generations wanted to see in this country and the world.”

As Opinion Editor, he hopes to inspire other writ ers who look like him by being strong in his craft and doing “a good job.”

“People will naturally gravitate towards somebody who is doing a great job and leaders who lead by ex ample. By trying to better my craft and refining what I do, that could inspire people,” he said.

Padilla’s future is bright. As an aspiring business journalist, he hopes to hone his crafts and be ready to go right into the workforce.

Highlighting Hispanic Voices at The Torch Three Torch E-board members reflect on what their heritage means to them.

Olivia Seaman | Oct. 12, 2022

Torch Photos / Sara Kiernan Torch Design / Olivia Seaman

Casey Ellin is On a Mission to Work Hard, Stay Positive and Help Others

St. John’s alumnus Casey Ellin has rebounded from a near-fatal tragic accident and is on a mission to live and give.

AbigAil grieco | Nov. 1, 2022

Casey Ellin, a 35-year-old St. John’s University alumnus, has vowed to make the best out of any situation. Ellin is trying to inspire and make a difference in the world around him nearly one decade following a life-threatening — and life-altering — accident.

On June 1, 2013, Ellin dove headfirst into shallow water at Jones Beach, N.Y., striking what he believes to be a sandbar. “I hit my head and broke my neck,” Ellin told The Torch in an exclusive interview via email, “and then I realized I couldn’t move.”

Jones Beach lifeguards pulled Ellin to shore, who was then airlifted to Nassau University Medical Center where, he recalls, he was “fighting to live for 45 days in the intensive-care unit (ICU).” Ellin fractured the C4, C5 and C6 ver tebrae and damaged his spinal cord to the point of paralysis; he required an emergency spinal fu sion surgery and a femo ral graft, two operations that have extended re covery times.

However, spending months in the hospital, 45 days in the ICU on life support and bat tling several life-threat ening conditions never broke his spirits. Ellin endured 13 grueling yet worthwhile weeks going from physical to occu pational to speech ther apy sessions “trying to figure out this new life.”

“My life changed in the blink of an eye. I now need assistance with most daily activities but I try not to let that stop me,” Ellin said. “Basically it impacted every aspect of my life and I am still trying to navigate this new world.”

Despite these extreme hardships through patience, hard work and perseverance, Ellin has gained back some of his mobility. He has re covered the use of his upper arms and biceps, providing him enough mobility to feed himself despite having no feeling in his hands or fingers.

Currently, Ellin lives with his father and stepmother, but is in the

process of finding a place to live on his own. This is not a straight forward task for Ellin, as he is faced with the challenge of ensuring home health aid coverage.

“I am lucky and blessed to have a great support system between my family and friends,” Ellin said. “Without them I don’t know where I’d be.”

In October, as part of Spinal Cord Awareness Month, Ellin and several other University alumni organized a 10-mile run. The route started at the site of the accident, continued to Cedar Creek Park and then back to Jones Beach.

During the run, Ellin was pushed in his wheelchair by fellow alumni, Quinn Evans and Kevin Thompson.

“St. John’s offered me the opportuni ty to form friend ships with people all across the country who I still remain in contact with to this day,” Ellin said.

Recently, Ellin took on a part-time job at a nonprofit organization that supports children who are develop mentally disabled and medically frag ile. He notes that being able to have a part-time job is one of his greatest ac complishments since the accident, saying that “this disability will not stop [me] or discourage [me] in any way.”

Nearly a decade after the accident, Ellin has worked extremely hard to focus not on the negative and what has been taken from him, but rather he focuses on all that remains and for which he is grateful.

“I think it’s important for people to know that just because someone is disabled does not mean they are not a person who deserves respect and love,” Ellin said. “Just because I may roll around instead of walk does not diminish my drive to live a full and happy life.”

Photo Courtesy / YouTube Ca-sey: “BRAVE”

For first-time voters, voting on Election Day is an initiatory rite into American civic duties. In the 2022 midterm elections, each of the 435 U.S. House of Representative seats, 34 U.S. Senate seats and 36 gubernatorial seats are up for re-elec tion.

With midterms less than a week away, it is im portant to know how to enact your civic duty. These candidates can directly affect your life, and making your voice heard is of utmost impor tance. For first-time voters, the concept of voting may seem extremely strange and difficult, but in reality it couldn’t be easier.

Don’t know how to vote? Here are some steps to prepare for the Nov. 8 elections.

Register to Vote

Before voting, the first step is to register. USA. gov makes this free process simple by providing necessary links and guides to begin the voting process in your state of residence. The site also ap plies voter registration deadlines along with links to confirm and change your registration.

In order to register, voters must be a United States citizen, be 18 years old by election day and meet their state’s residency guidelines. Hopeful voters can register online, by mail or in person at their local election office.

Voter registration deadlines vary from state-bystate. New York’s deadline is Oct. 14, New Jer sey’s is Oct. 18 and Pennsylvania’s is Oct. 24.

Apply and Complete a Mail-In Ballot

If you will not be in your voting district on Elec tion Day, apply for a mail-in or absentee ballot.

Each state has their own guidelines for requesting mail-in ballots, so it is extremely important to re search each state’s criteria.

Many states require voters to provide a “valid ex cuse” for not voting on Election Day, while other states allow any voter to vote by absentee ballot, even if they are able to vote in person on Election Day. Other states only require voters to request a ballot if they need it sent to a different address. New York lists certain qualifications in order to request an absentee ballot, while New Jersey and Pennsylvania allow any voter to request a ballot without an excuse.

Most states enable voters to request their ballots in person or online via their voter and election information portal.

Each state has various mail-in ballot deadlines. In New York, voters must request their ballot on line or by mail by Oct. 24, request an absentee ballot in person by Nov. 7 and return ballots by Nov. 8. In New Jersey, voters must request bal lots by Nov. 1 and return the ballot by mail or in-person by 8 p.m. on Nov. 8. In Pennsylva nia, applications must be received by Nov. 1 and must be returned on Nov. 8.

Once your ballot arrives in the mail, be sure to read the printed instructions on how to complete the ballot and send it by the designated deadline. Vote.org offers links to track ballots in each state.

Vote in-Person

If you choose to vote in-person on Nov. 8, the U.S Elections Assistance Commission provides voter guidance. Created as a result of the 2002 Help America Vote Act, it serves as “a national clearinghouse and resource of information re garding election administration.” Their website offers resources for voters and election officials to

inform the public of election administration.

In order to vote in-person on Election Day, voters must cast their ballots at their designated polling locations. Polling locations are based on home addresses, and are subject to change each election cycle. USA.gov provides links to find polling places across the United States.

For first-time voters, most states require a valid photo or non-photo ID.

Polls hours vary state-by-state. New York polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., New Jersey polls are open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Pennsylvania poll hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. If voters are in line before or at the time the polls close, they are still able to cast their ballots. Click here to find the hours of your polling place.

Research Your Candidates

Investigate your local and state candidates and find out where you stand on their issues. If you’re unsure of your stances, the nonpartisan organi zation Votesmart.org features factual information on each candidate. Ballotpedia is an “encyclope dia for American politics” that features candidate lists, mock ballots and candidate endorsements.

In a world full of misinformation, it is import ant to stay up-to-date on your candidates and fact-check information. Research how candidates have responded to issues, organizations they have funded, attend or watch a debate and check local media outlets’ coverage of candidates.

Being an involved citizen helps you make in formed decisions on Election Day. While many of these links are extremely helpful, it is import ant to note that every state has its own election and voting rules. Check with your local or state election office to obtain current information.

How to Cast Your Vote in the 2022 Midterm Elections Don’t know how to vote? Here are some steps to prepare for the Nov. 8 elections.

Olivia Seaman | nOv. 1, 2022

Photo Courtesy / Unsplash Janine Robinson

This November, Let’s Hold Politicians Accountable forInflation

sergio PaDilla | ocT. 19, 2022

This year hasn’t been pretty. Though COVID-19, for the most part, is now spoken of in the past tense, Americans have had to deal with issues that have affected everyday life. Most notably is that our country is experiencing a cost of living crisis. For most Americans this crisis is inescapable in everyday life.

The beautiful thing about American democracy is that we have the power to hire and fire our leaders. When they do a bad job we fire them.

As of Jan. 21, 2021 Democrats have controlled two of three branches of government.

Consider this: year-over-year inflation during February 2021, Democrats’ first full month of control was 1.7 percent according to the bureau of labor statistics. When looking at core inflation, which strips out the volatile categories of food and energy, prices only increased 1.3 percent year-to-date. Fast forward to June 2022 and inflation peaked at 9.1 per cent year over year, headlined by rising grocery and gas prices according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Core inflation rose 5.9 percent. The most recent numbers in September 2022 show that inflation has settled to 8.2 percent with core inflation now up 6.6 percent year-to-date.

Inflation at its highest in four decades. This has led to an aggressive short term interest rate hike by the Federal Re serve, also unseen in decades. While this may read like eso teric Wall Street jargon, it’s anything but.

When inflation rises, the value of our dollars decreases. We’re able to afford less of what we need. This means poor families, people on fixed income, charities and minority pop ulations struggle the most.

Though an oversimplification, when interest rates rise, so does the cost of borrowing money. This means that loans such as mortgages, student loans, business loans and forms of debt ultimately become more expensive.

Inflation, in part, was brought on by strong consumer de mand for products and services met with a lack of available supply. Demand was ginned up by strong government stim ulus as well as the end of oppressive lockdown policy.

When more people want a product than there are available copies, the price of the product rises.

The Federal Reserve’s stated goal is to bring yearly infla tion down to two percent, resulting in lower demand and a slower economy. This could be tougher than expected, with monthly inflation figures painting a picture of long term high inflation. Because of this, the Fed’s campaign to raise rates will persist.

The supply issue can be traced to decades of policies by the bipartisan swamp in Washington D.C. that adopted disas trous trade deals like the North American Free Trade Agree ment, sending good paying American jobs and supply chains outside of our borders.

Doesn’t it seem like something needs to change? Maybe policies that encourage a reduction of our supply chain’s re liance on foreign nations like China or shy away from fiscal stimulus to the economy while inflation is hot. Reward small businesses and those who manufacture here in the United States. Perhaps take a page from President Ronald Reagan’s book and demand fair trade.

Leading Democrats don’t seem to think so. Massachusetts Representative Jake Auchincloss and Florida Representa tive Stephanie Murphy took to the pages of the Wall Street Journal’s opinion section to argue for less regulation around trade, and less incentives for good paying manufacturing jobs to be created in the U.S.

“The Biden administration—and both parties in Con gress—should pivot toward an unapologetically pro-trade agenda,” the two representatives wrote.

So when rich executives save their companies money by eliminating good paying union jobs, opting instead for cheap labor in other countries as they’ve done historically, that’s what’ll bring down the price of groceries.

Politicians such as Arizona representative Tom O’Halleran, Illinois representative Sean Casten downplayed inflation’s risk. Iowa Democratic representative Cindy Axne called constituents’ inflation fears the result of false advertisement.

Research by the Coalition for a Prosperous America, a non partisan think tank, shows that average homes in the U.S. are roughly six times the average yearly wage, whereas the figure

was only 3.2 in 1967. Younger home buyers will have a hard time finding a home they can afford and an even more difficult time paying for it. Oh, and now mortgage rates are nearing seven percent at an alarming rate and real wage growth has shrunk for over a year.

Gone are the days on which a family could survive on a single income if they so choose.

Politicians in power argue that rich people are actually falsely inflating the prices of everything, acting almost in car tel-like fashion. Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor and Sen ate candidate John Fetterman said on Twitter: “Inflation is *still* squeezing working people every day. We need to crack down on corporate greed to stop it. And make more stuff in America while we’re at it.”

Fetterman might be onto something with manufacturing more in America, but ultimately is comparable to Lucy pull ing the football. By Fetterman’s logic, since inflation is due to greed, that must mean that the most altruistic industry is oil and gas. Gas prices declined for 98 straight days over the summer across the United States. Experts say that this can be mostly attributed to supply and demand, global energy markets and fears of a recession.

Americans deserve better. It’s time each and every one of us look at the candidates whose names will appear on our ballots and see if they’ve contributed to the dire moment we find ourselves in and say: “You’re fired.”

If You Care About The Future Of Our Democracy, Vote For Democrats ThisNovember

Tomas Dominguez | ocT. 17, 2022

Every seat in the U.S. House of Representatives and roughly a third of the U.S. Senate seats will be on the ballot during the 2022 midterm elections — roughly one month away. The results of these elections will determine which party will control one or both chambers of Congress during the second half of President Joe Biden’s first term in office.

You are probably used to hearing about the stakes of up coming elections and why they are so important. But for this election, this statement is more true than ever, because the future of our democracy itself is on the ballot. This election represents our last chance to elect enough Democrats to the House and Senate so that they will have the majorities neces sary to reform our system in a way that will ensure the health and stability of our democracy. Unfortunately, ensuring this will be far from easy.

The Washington Post and ABC News recently released a poll which stated that registered voters prefer Republicans over Democrats by one point, while Republicans have a larg er lead among likely voters by five points. And according to FiveThirtyEight, Republicans have around a 70% chance of taking control of the House from the Democratic Party, as of October 2022.

However, things have improved greatly for Democrats during the past few months. Gas prices went down, some re cent legislative and executive accomplishments were achieved and most notably, the Supreme Court struck down the con stitutional right to an abortion earlier this year.

As a result, Democrats’ chances of retaining the House and Senate have gone up.

This is why it is more important than ever for Americans to vote for Democrats in these midterm elections, if they care about these issues. Some Republicans have made it perfect ly clear what they intend to do if they win back control of Congress. A few weeks ago, Senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC) introduced a bill that would ban abortions on a national scale after 15 weeks. But we can also see hints of what they intend to do at the state level. In the past few years, several Repub lican-led states have passed bills restricticting voting options, abortion access, and what can be taught in schools when it comes to U.S. history, race, sexual orientation and more.

While Democrats currently have a federal government tri fecta, factors such as their narrow majorities and institutional hurdles like the Senate filibuster prevent them from being able to pass legislation.

The majority isn’t wide enough to combat the undemo cratic actions Republicans are taking in states all across the nation.

For example, earlier this year, Democrats did try to use their narrow majority in the Senate to reform the filibus ter in order to ensure the passage of voting rights legislation that would combat voter restriction laws in Republican-led states. However, they weren’t able to because two Democrats in their caucus voted against reforming the filibuster.

If Democrats are able to at least retain their House major ity and win at least two more seats in the Senate, legislation combating Republicans’ undemocratic actions will have a much higher chance of becoming law. But if Republicans are able to win control of at least one chamber of Congress, any meaningful chance to truly combat threats to our democracy and reform it for the better will be gone and with it, poten tially our democracy.

When politicians do a bad job, we fire them.

Photo Courtesy/ Unsplash Vlad Tchompalov

Photo Courtesy/ YouTube Los Angeles Times

The future of democracy itself is on the 2022 ballot.

EDITorIAL PoLIcY

are the opinions of the Editorial Board of the

and other

are the opinions of the

are not necessarily those of the Torch

expressed in editorials, columns,

or cartoons are not necessarily those of the student body, faculty or administration of St. John’s University. All contents are the sole responsibility of the editors and the editorial board and do not necessarily repre sent the views of the administration, faculty or students of St. John’s University unless specifically stated.

coNTrIBUTIoNS

All letters submitted for publication must

name,

to St. John’s.

Rapper Kanye West Returns To Twitter & Immediately Gets Banned Due To Anti-Semitic Tweet

Even in 2022, anti-semitism is not a career killer

and

letters to 350

may be edited for

Please submit letters to

ABoUT ThE Torch

The Torch is the official, independent student newspaper of St. John’s University. The Torch is written, edited, designed and produced by students of the University. The Torch is published througout the week at torchonline.com. There is a weekly newslet ter on Wednesday afternoon, as well as a full digital publication each month.

ADVErTISING

To advertise in The Torch contact torchads@gmail.com. Advertisements can be purchased for placement on our website, in our newsletter and within our full digital publication. For more information, please see The Torch Media Package located on our webisite.

Kanye West has been making headlines once again, this time not for the release of an al bum, but for garnering public outrage.

West is no stranger to scandal and shocks the public with his, at times, erratic behavior. The rapper outdid himself when he tweeted on Oct. 9th, 2022: “I’m a bit sleepy tonight but when I wake up I’m going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE. The funny thing is I actually can’t be Anti Semitic because black people are actually Jew also You guys have toyed with me and tried to black ball anyone whoever opposes your agenda.”

The tweet has since been deleted, and In stagram and Twitter have both restricted West’s accounts. Both companies confirmed to NPR that the reason for removing the posts and locking the accounts were due to a violation in their user policies. Neither Twitter nor Instagram specified whether or not West’s accounts would be deleted for his actions.

Kanye West has been a controversial fig ure for some time. This scandal follows the rapper’s appearance at Paris Fashion Week, where he was pictured with the prominent conservative speaker Candace Owens wear ing shirts that read “White Lives Matter.”

Unfortunately, it seems that anti-semitic and anti-black rhetoric isn’t as lethal to one’s reputation as it should be. A handful of prominent conservatives have come forward to defend West, such as Candace Owens and Indianna’s Attorney General Todd Rokita.

“The constant hypocrisy from the media is at an all time high. They have now gone after Kanye for his fashion line, his independent thinking, and for having opposing thoughts from the norm of Hollywood,” Rodkita tweeted in response to an article in MSNBC

calling West a “racist hate-monger.”

“If you are an honest person, you did not think this tweet was antisemitic,” Owens stated on an episode of her political talk show “Candace.” “You did not think that he wrote this tweet because he hates or wants to genocide Jewish people. This is not the beginning of a Holocaust.”

In response, many have taken to social me dia to confirm that West can in fact, be both black and anti-semetic. To claim he will “go death con 3 on Jewish people” is inherently offensive.

Others, such as the American singer-song writer John Legend, have criticized the idea that West is a ‘free thinker.’ “Weird how all these ‘free, independent thinkers’ always land at the same old anti-blackness and anti semitism,” tweeted Legend in response to Rodkita’s support of Kanye.

As many people as there are condemning West for his rhetoric, there exist people who proudly support him and his statements. This proves that even in 2022 anti-semitism is not a career killer.

The current state of affairs is one where at tention is more profitable than morals, and outrage garners a lot of attention. West may have lost whatever fans he has left, but he will undoubtedly gain new ones who agree with his blatant anti-semitism and anti-blackness.

His reputation is far from destroyed, and if Mel Gibson’s career is any indication, West is sure to enjoy the benefits of being a public figure with a nasty track record. To see a real change would require a considerable shift in the culture and a conscious decision to not give bigotry a platform — even if the one perpetuating said bigotry is entertaining.

Connor Richards Maggie M. Turner Weston Greene Tomas Dominguez

Sydnie Stern Olivia Rainson Layla Santana Joseph Featherston

STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS

Maggie M. Turner | OcT. 23,2022

Photo Courtesy / YouTube Paris Videostars

There is something about James Cameron’s “Avatar” that prevents its relevance from fully dissipating. Perhaps it is the 2009 epic’s box office success — it remains first all-time on the global leaderboard, often be ing brought up whenever a new film lands on the list. Alternatively, it could be the seemingly endless saga that has been the development of its sequels. The film’s strong presence at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom certainly contributes to its staying power as well.

After seeing the film once again in IMAX 3D, I have concluded that it is just that emblematic and groundbreaking, even thirteen years later.

“Avatar” became a topic of debate for many people when “Avengers: Endgame” hit theaters, as the two projects jostled for positioning on the all-time grossing charts. Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe were quick to dismiss Cameron’s work, citing the emergence of IMAX and RealD 3D at that time as the sole reason for the film’s popularity.

While the emerging appeal of those technologies at the time certainly contributed to its box office success, it was not until my experience seeing the remastered film that I truly appreciated what Cameron achieved with “Avatar.”

From a technical standpoint, the 2009 film’s visual effects triumph over most projects today. This was no small feat for the crew to accom plish, as the entirety of the film takes place on a fictional planet named Pandora. Here the native people, called the Na’vi, are blue humanoids with cat-like features standing approximately 10 feet tall. Set in the year

2154, the fictional technology and equipment showcased throughout also required plenty of computer-generated imagery (CGI).

That would be a daunting task for any studio to accomplish today, much less in 2009 when “Avatar” debuted. This accomplishment deserves far better than the film’s legacy being minimized to the spectacle of 3D and IMAX. While the beautiful, unparalleled visuals of “Avatar” can be enjoyed throughout, its plot and storyline are equally as impactful on the viewer. Though its comparisons to Disney’s “Pocahontas” are certainly warranted to some degree, “Avatar” stands out by refusing to sugarcoat man’s desire for profit above anything else — whether that be the na tive culture, the environment or sacred land. Cameron masterfully cre ates parallels that force audiences to reflect on both current and historic events, something that is unfortunately easy to do over a decade later.

Upon seeing the film, I looked to The Torch’s archive to see if stu dents had anything to say about the film when it was initially released. Sure enough, a contributing writer in 2010 shared their thoughts on how Cameron masterfully intertwined religious and political metaphor into “Avatar,” making particular note of the Western perspective on the nat ural world. The writer concluded their piece with an inspiring call to action.

“The point [of the film] was to show that, like Jake Sully, we must defy convention and brave uncertainty if we are to stand on the side of bio spheric truth,” Mark Peterson wrote for The Torch. “To do any justice whatsoever to the Earth, each one of us must make conscious sacrifices to reduce our individual consumption.”

It is depressing to think about what the film’s legacy has become since that contributing writer’s piece was published. What does the general public truly remember about the film? Not much more than the visual spectacle of the piece, unfortunately; this is most evident in how people have discussed “Avatar” in the aforementioned “Avengers: Endgame” debate, despite Cameron’s attempts to highlight environmentalism and colonial exploitation.

I will not pretend that “Avatar” is a flawless work; the film does not boast any award-winning performances, although Zoe Saldaña stands out from her castmates as the female lead Neytiri. Thankfully the writing is just strong enough to keep up with “Avatar’s” technical achievements, making for an excellent experience that many films today cannot achieve without A-list castings.

The sequel, “Avatar: The Way of Water,” will arrive in theaters on December 16, so this remastered version of the first film could not have arrived at a better time. A third feature has also been filmed and is slated for a 2024 release, with biannual installments beyond that soon to be confirmed as well. Needless to say, there is no better time to check out 2009’s “Avatar” if you have not already. Perhaps these later entries in the story of Pandora will leave a greater impact on pop culture moving forward.

Viewers can see “Avatar” in beautiful IMAX 3D for a limited time only. Though it is currently unavailable on the streaming service due to its theatrical run, expect the epic to return to Disney+ sometime in the coming weeks.

pings of the time.

“Killers Of The Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI,” is a harrowing retelling of a se ries of racially-motivated murders in 1920s Oklahoma. The book explores themes that echo loudly in the mod ern-day political landscape: racism, entitlement and the oil-industrial complex.

Although the story itself is over a hundred years old, the mistreatment of the Native American nation — the Osage — is undoubtedly connected with the greed of the Iran and Iraq wars and the invasion of Kuwait. These modern examples demonstrate the societal lust for wealth and oil superseding human rights is a continuous prob lem and one that has not been combatted since the Osage were forcibly pushed into extinction in the last century.

The book’s connection to modern-day issues is what elevates “Killers Of The Flower Moon” into a different stratosphere of societal importance than the average non-fiction or textbook readings. It perfectly encapsu lates the homicidal excesses of capitalism, the underbelly of the “American Dream,” and makes “Killers Of The Flower Moon” a must-read for college students, young adults and individuals in all walks of life.

The story is centered around the nation of the Osage, who, during the Industrial Revolution, became the wealthiest group of people per capita due to a large de pository of oil discovered beneath their land. This sudden and immense wealth changed the entire complexion of the tribe by upgrading their quality of life through the construction of sizable houses, sending their children to better schools and indulging in all the extravagant trap

This was an overwhelmingly positive development for a nation that, like most Native American Tribes in our country’s history, were forcibly removed from their homeland, and relegated to a seemingly barren reserva tion.

This changed when members of the Osage Tribe start ed being brutally murdered by an unidentified killer, or group of killers, in increasingly brazen ways. The death toll rose into the double digits and eventually swelled to twenty-four total deaths among the tribe without an ar rest or a single credible suspect. This is where J. Edgar Hoover, and his newly founded “Federal Bureau of In vestigation,” got involved in the case.

Hoover sent a lawman with the alias of “Tom White,” to Oklahoma in an effort to resolve the cold cases.

The book was written by native New Yorker and ac claimed journalist David Grann. Grann spent years re searching and writing the project, spending prolonged periods of time in Oklahoma sifting through records and attempting to piece together the narrative surrounding the Osage Indian Tribe.

A historical epic mixed with a true-crime thriller, “Kill ers Of The Flower Moon,” is one of the most acclaimed pieces of 21st century literature.

The result is a true-crime story with the pacing and sus pense of a well-written novel.

“Killers Of The Flower Moon,” is paradoxical; it is a book that’s both captivating and chilling. Nightmare-in ducing and oddly satisfying when finished, all 352 pages of the novel capture the reporting and re-telling of the tribe’s story.

Grann methodically examines the murders, the sus pects, the legal investigation and the ensuing murder tri al with a rhythm usually only found in works of fiction by masters of the genre like Elmore Leonard and Agatha Christie. It offers a glimpse into the profound racism and greed of the Industrial Revolution and our nation as a whole, and operates as a page-turner in a way that stories this sadistic usually don’t.

The book was adapted for the silver screen by Acad emy Award-winning screenwriter Eric Roth of “Forrest Gump” fame, and directed by another Oscar winner, Martin Scorsese. The film, which stars Leonardo DiCap rio, Robert De Niro and Jesse Plemmons is currently in post-production and slated for release in early 2023.

Revisiting “Avatar” Thirteen Years Later: Still An All-Time Great The rerelease of the 2009 epic confirms its place among the all-time greats.

“Killers Of The Flower Moon” Book Review and Cinematic Preview A new masterful non-fiction book promises to stick with readers and moviegoers in the near future.

Connor riChards | oCt. 21, 2022

Weston Greene | oCt. 25, 2022

/ YouTube 20th Century Studios

Photo Courtesy / YouTube The1920sChannel

Photo Courtesy / YouTube Avatar

Taylor Swift Returns To Her Pop Roots With Her Newest Album “Midnights”

Swift released her tenth studio album on Oct. 21, bringing a flawed yet familiar perspective on love and self perception.

As the clock struck 12 (and a couple extraminutes accounting for Spotify’s outage) onOct. 21, singer-songwriter Taylor Swift released her tenth studio album titled “Mid nights.” The record presents a recollectionof thirteen sleepless nights Swift has livedthroughout her career. And while it is easyto pinpoint which songs belong to the different eras of her life, the concept of stayingup in the middle of the night overthinkingabout the ins and outs of life is often lost in the songs’ euphoric yet busy production.

The Grammy Award-winner went back toher roots by announcing the release of her album two months in advance, stepping awayfrom the surprise factor that came with therelease of both “folklore” and “evermore.”

However, Swift’s marketing strategy is notthe only characteristic that sets “Midnights”apart from previous albums, as this newrecord brings an experimental pop sound.With the whimsicality of “Speak Now,” thejoy of “1989,” the revengeful side of “Reputation” and the romance of “Lover,” “Mid nights” proves to be a potpourri of Swift’sexperiences and a reflection of her career.

Not having any preview of what the recordwould sound like prior to its release, somefans had speculated this new album wouldhave a moody 70s rock theme. However,the record takes an unexpected turn openingwith “Lavender Haze,” an upbeat and amorous pop tune that resembles her previoussong “I Think He Knows.”

As the album progresses, Swift touches ondifferent subjects ranging from her 2016drama with Kanye West to her own insecurities and distorted perceptions of herself –all while maintaining the album’s signature

chic pop sound.

There is no denying this record relies heavily on its production. However, by bringingproducer Jack Antonoff back for anotherround, this should not come as a surprise.Antonoff’s style stands out from the crowdas the “Bleachers” singer often uses over-the-top melodies throughout his work — it canbe seen with Swift’s own “Death by a Thousand Cuts” dreamy concept and even fun.’snostalgic yet cheery “We Are Young.”

Though the production can make Swift’svocals seem restrained and waiting to comeout, such as in “Labyrinth,” some of thework’s highest moments also come from itsoverproduction, as seen with the “Reputation”-esque track, “Karma.”

Another point of conflict from some fanscomes from its seemingly simple lyrics. Formost tracks, Swift steps away from “Folklore” and “evermore’s” academic words and complex sentence structures Instead, sheopts for a more clear and concise message.While phrases like “karma is my boyfriend”often sound infantile and shallow, knowingSwift’s road to love and fame and lookingat the overall message of the song allows thesinger to remain familiar and close to herlisteners. At the end of the day, it takes asmuch skill to write simple lyrics about universal experiences than it is to craft compound ones.

With “Midnights,” Swift takes listeners through a journey of love, revenge andself-hatred. One of the standouts from the whole record is “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve,” which was released in the de luxe “3 a.m. Edition” of “Midnights.” Inthis track, the singer reflects on one of her

past tumultuous relationships. In previousworks, the artist often takes a recent and melodramatic approach to her heartbreak.But with this particular tune, she takes a retrospective one, in which she regrets beinginvolved with her subject.

Arguably one of the most personal songsin the entire album is “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve.” It’s a clear ode to women who have been blinded by a seemingly knight inshining armor who turned out to be a merely egocentric and selfish “devil.” The age difference and the power imbalance discussedin the song makes fans speculate the trackdeals with singer-songwriter John Mayer,who Swift dated when she was 19 and he was 32.

Along with “Midnights,” came the musicvideos for her first two singles, “Anti-Hero”and “Bejeweled,” the latter of which is rumored to have easter eggs that would hint at2010’s “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” asthe next star of Swift’s re-recording saga.

Despite its recent release, the long-awaited LP has already broken several Spotify records including the most streamed album in24 hours with 184.6 million streams, break ing Drake’s “Certified Lover Boy.” Swift’salbum was also the most-streamed pop album in 24 hours on Apple Music, and wasthe biggest release of any album recorded inSpatialThoughAudio.often flawed in its production,“Midnights” serves as a conglomerate ofSwift’s past work, in which she reflects andeven pokes fun at subjects she’s rather familiar with: her journey of finding love, howshe views herself and how her public personaaffects her relationships.

Maria Villarroel | oct. 26, 2022

Photo Courtesy / YouTube Taylor Swift

“Moonage Daydream:” Universal’s Newest Masterpiece

In glorious cinematic chaos, “Moonage Daydream” illustrates the artistic evolution of rock pioneer David Bowie. The mu sical montage focuses on three stages of Bowie’s discography: beginning during the early 1970s Ziggy Stardust era, followed by Bowie’s tenure in Germany working on compilation album, “The Berlin Trilogy” and arcs during his 1980s dance rock period.

Rather than conforming to a standard chronology, the film instead bounces from hotel rooms to limou sines to recording studios. The film assembles vintage footage of Bowie, inter cut with Sci-Fi snippets, cul tural soundbites, kaleidoscopic visual effects and most memorably, intimate audio of the virtuouso’s voice steeped in introspection.

Emerging from stage darkness, a man with striking cheekbones and alluring presence performs for the entranced audience. The concert is overlaid with an unconventional deep cut, 1995’s “Hallo Spaceboy,” which is revisited several times over and remixed with other tracks. Bowie’s stage persona Ziggy was a hy brid of rockstar and alien, a sci-fi sketch with an equally stunning voice in 3D. The film shows Ziggy on stage performing as well as preceding the concert in the pro cess of hair and makeup.

The radical notion of a man wearing cosmetics pub licly was revolutionary. “Moonage Daydream” director Brett Morgen emphasizes the influence of Ziggy on the 1970s gener ation, who embraced his approach to androgynous style. Bowie created his original character by piecing together cowboy boots and leather jackets with false eyelashes and neon hair colors, and listeners felt liberated to do the same. Bowie broke the boundar ies of convention and birthed his own.

Fizzling in and out of focus in vibrant tessellations, Bowie

takes care of the daily routine. He faces himself in the mirror applying elaborate stage makeup, and then striking the electric guitar onstage circa 1983 garbed in neon tuxedos and a less youthful, 21st-century circa Bowie, bare-faced and performing an interpretive dance. Bowie reveals a close relationship with his older brother Terry that initiated his musical interest. By exposing him to classic jazz records, he left an indelible mark

of theater arts student charm, and the film includes behind the scenes footage of him acting and directing works of his own. Bowie’s archives transport the audience half a century back in time, finding him sprawled on the floor of a studio immersed in his work, filling notebooks with a sketch of his next celestial costume, or listing ideas for a screenplay.

Even fans well-versed in Bowie’s records will discover new chartered record territory. A scarcely recorded duo performance with rock guitarist Jeff Beck, segments of 1974’s nostalgic “Soul Tour” ac companied by unreleased live covers of “The Jean Jeanie” and the Beatles’ “Love Me Do” are brought to light. Bowie’s directorial debuts that have become cult favorites, among them horror picture “The Hunger” and sci-fi feature, “The Man Who Fell to Earth” are included in the film. Like slides on a projector, the scenes flip through Bowie’s endless stream of videog raphy. Viewers might conclude he created art and music in his sleep to acquire such a robust body of work, literally spanning the length of a lifetime. Moonage shows him in mid-process, producing a gallery of postmodern artwork and a healthy cache of feature films, in addition to “Ziggy Stardust,” “The Berlin Trilogy” and “Let’s Dance.”

on an adolescent Bowie. Unfortunately, Terry returned home to post-war Brixton exhibiting signs of psychiatric illness, and Bowie painfully recalls being extremely affected by his brother’s condition. The steady pulse of the film, in the absence of a typi cal chronology, is his resonant and thoughtful candor.

Dreamy clips of Bowie’s martian-filled moonscapes appear sporadically, expressing his life-long infatuation with the galaxy. Bowie absolutely excelled in visual performance, exuding a kind

The musical documentary doesn’t subscribe to a sequence, instead it is stylized as an arthouse monument of his career. The absence of structure was effective in expressing Bowie’s cosmic, cartoonish essence, conveying the feeling of perpetual creation. David Bowie’s inspiration lives on through his renaissance of self-identified creativity, along with his ability to craft a tune loved by the masses. “Moonage Daydream” gives fans a glimpse of Ziggy’s ‘favorite form of worship’ — life.

Curated Collections: Fall Feminism Novels That Capture Womanhood and Sexuality

ilar subjects, and Broder draws from her own life to create relatable content for other girls to share what brought her out of her agonizing cycle of anxiety and depression.

“The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah

A classic historical fiction novel, “The Nightingale” is the story of two sisters – Vianne and Isabelle – during World War II. Many historical fiction novels, especially during this time period, are centered around men and their bravery fighting in war. Although that is something to be commemorated, so is the role of women. Throughout the novel the two sisters represent the “women’s war” that is rarely depicted in these novels.

into a mesmerizing feminist commentary on sex and love in modern society.

“Enough Rope” by Dorothy Parker

“Enough Rope” is a collection of poetry and prose from 20th century poet Dorothy Parker, who rose to fame as an American writer through her collection of witty short stories published in The New Yorker, and later screenwriting in Hol lywood.

As the weather begins to cool, the new revival of reading has made for many ambitious “to be read” lists for this fall. Read ing is becoming more popular in 2022, and social media helps provide thousands of book recommendations to satisfy new readers.

The genres and themes are endless, but my personal favorite lately has centered around the fictional or real lives of women. More women are being recognized in novels and the book industry itself, and through various genres I have found my fa vorite feminist works. Many of these novels touch on sensitive topics, so before reading, research possible trigger warnings.

“So Sad Today” is a collection of essays that began as tweets from Broder’s anonymous twitter handle @sosadto day. These nonfiction stories are brutally honest and do not hold back on the struggles of the author with topics ranging from sex, love, anxiety and addiction, as well as simpler issues—like getting a text back.

Broder’s writing is an acquired taste because of the discom fort it causes in its raw honesty. However, it is extremely re freshing to see an author, especially a woman, be so truthful in her experiences to normalize the aspects of girlhood. Broder’s well known novel “Milk Fed” has similar themes and is a more cohesive story, instead of a collection of essays. Both have sim

Vianne and Isabelle suffer from losing their womanhood as they struggle to survive, and even join the rebellion against the war despite imminent consequences. Full of emotion and inspiration, “The Nightingale” is a poignant tale of the work women performed during the war, and serves as an example for women who are told that there is nothing a girl can do. “Oh, for heaven’s sake, Isabelle. Paris is overrun. The Nazis control the city. What is an eighteen-year-old girl to do about all of that?” Hannah writes.

“Three Women” by Lisa Taddeo

Based on over a decade of research, “Three Women” is based on the true stories on the lives – or more specifically, sex lives– of women in America. Taddeo introduces three main characters that readers follow throughout the novel. Lina, who lives in Indiana, commences in an affair with an old lover af ter her marriage of a decade is starting to crumble. Maggie is a 17-year-old girl involved with an English teacher, and the small community she is from in North Dakota is disturbed with a criminal trial because of it. Last but not least is Sloane, a successful woman in the restaurant business whose husband practices voyeurism. This novel is a feat of journalism but also a literary accomplishment for nonfiction novels. The story of these women is exceedingly honest and offers a glimpse inside the lives of women all across the country, all fighting for some thing or someone. Taddeo weaves the stories of these women

Her poems are a commentary on women in the modern ur ban age, and she is known for being a “wisecracker.” Parker wrote about genders, her childhood, and was involved in poli tics–her left-wing stance had her blacklisted from Hollywood. This is my favorite collection of poetry because it is so simple in its delivery yet contains such complex ideas on feminism and even mental health in her poem “Resume,” which was something scarcely talked about in her time. Like many of the other authors on this list, Parker was honest in her ideas and was not afraid to speak out against injustice and misogyny.

“Boy Parts” by Eliza Clark

Often compared to a woman’s version of “American Psy cho,” Eliza Clark’s “Boy Parts” is a disturbing and captivating story of Irina, a photographer whose work focuses on explic it pictures of men. On sabbatical from her job at a bar, she works at a gallery exhibition and gets dragged into the art world while on a self-destructive streak. She struggles with her obsessive best friend, who she once had a romantic relation ship with, and becomes enamored with an employee from her nearby supermarket, who will be the new object of her desire.

Full of shock and gore, “Boy Parts” is a contemporary nov el which includes sexuality and gender struggles–making a strange novel more relatable. Fans of Otessa Moshfegh’s “My Year of Rest and Relaxation” might want to take a look at this novel, as both stories highlight female characters who are perfectly unlikeable and wonderfully crazed.

These five novels capture womanhood and sexuality across various decades and borders with a raw and fresh perspec tive.

“So Sad Today: Personal Essays” by Melissa Broder

Moonage Daydream is a riveting odyssey of the mercurial David Bowie’s ascension in rock history.

works of literature discuss the complexities of womanhood.

Olivia rainSOn | Oct. 26, 2022

Photo Courtesy / YouTube Bad Bunny

Photo Courtesy / YouTube David Bowie

Photo Courtesy / Unsplash Gülfer ERGİN

Red Storm Tip-Off 2022 Box Office Sees Significantly Shorter Line Than 2021

St. John’s University Women’s Basketball Team to Play at UBS Arena in 2023

The Johnnies will trade their Metro cards for Long Island RailRoad tickets as the St. John’s Women’s Basketball team travels to UBS Arena to take on the University of Connecticut on Jan. 11, 2023. This will be the second appearance for Red Storm at Long Is land’s newest venue, after Men’s Bas ketball fell to Kansas last December. The primetime matchup will be the first women’s college basketball game ever played at UBS Arena.

The Women’s Basketball team will play at UBS Arena this January after 1,424 days since the last off-campus home game in 2019, when they took on DePaul in a Sunday matinee at Madison Square Garden.

QUEENS, NY — Lines

for tickets to Friday’s Red Storm Tip-Off proved to be short, a drastic change in comparison to last year’s hours-long wait for tickets. The event marks the start of basketball season, and will feature a special guest performance from California artist Blxst.

Red Storm Sports sent the student body an email Thursday, giving them ticket information regard ing the event. “Admission to Red Storm Tip-Off is free for all St. John’s stu dents, but attendees must be in possession of a phys ical ticket,” the email read. “Tickets can be picked up on the morning of the event at the Carnesecca Arena box office.”

General admission tick ets for students could be picked up starting Fri day at 9 a.m. and tick ets for the general public began at 4 p.m. Student season-ticket holders re ceived digital tickets Fri day morning through their ticket account. Only student season-ticket holders can use a digital ticket for entry.

The silver membership runs for $50 and includes tickets for “all St. John’s games at Madison Square Garden and a pre-loaded ticket for Tip-Off.” The gold membership is $100 and includes tickets to all

Students had higher ex pectations for this year’s turnout. “I expected there to be a line. I heard this morning that there was no line for tickets,” said sophomore Nadia Per saud. “People aren’t show ing up. They don’t know who the artist is. The fly ers are really boring. They did a better job at hyping it up last year.”

When asked whether she was excited for the event, sophomore Samantha Pascalli said she was not. “It’s still worth the expe rience of going. I saw they were giving out tickets at Monty’s too.” Persaud and Pascalli waited for hours to get tickets last year.

Junior Jennie Vosilla was among the first people to receive their tickets. “My friend and I decided how fun it would be to be the first people to get our tick ets. We were at the booth by six and brought blan kets,” Vosilla said. “We were one of the first four people to get our tickets and Mike Anderson con

gratulated us. It makes to night even more exciting.” When asked about pre-opening lines, Vo silla estimates about 3040 people in the line by 7 a.m., with the queue reaching almost 90 people by 8 a.m.

Last year’s line extended from Carnesecca Area to Gate 2. The line moved up slightly every 10 min utes, and students were given water, donuts and coffee throughout the day.

Sophomore Amaiya Sancho waited five hours for last year’s festivities.

“My friends and I waited

from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. last year, and I remem ber the line being so long. I had never seen a line that long at this school,” Sancho said. “This year, I went to get my ticket at 10 a.m., and didn’t wait in any line. I was shocked.”

Doors open for Student Season ticket holders at 6 p.m. General Admission doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tip-off begins at 7 p.m in Carnesecca Arena. The Athletic Department rec ommends lining up early for better seats and give aways.

The St. John’s Athletic Department, in planning this event, appears to have done so with the opponent in mind; according to the UConn Athletics website, the Huskies averaged 8,892 fans at each women’s basketball home game last season.

Based on the statistics provided on the Red Storm’s website, this is more than double what St. John’s Women’s Basketball drew in their entire home slate last year. That figure also dou bles the average attendance at each St. John’s Men’s Basketball home game in 2021-22.

Needless to say, this move looks to capitalize on UConn Women’s Bas ketball’s massive following. It is less than a three hour drive from Storrs to UBS Arena, and a large turnout from Husky fans should be expected. Last year’s showdown between the schools in men’s basketball showcased that UConn’s fanbase travels well, so the same should be expected for the wom en’s visit to New York in January.

However, for fans of the Johnnies, this is an excellent opportunity to generate school spirit and excitement around the women’s basketball team. To see the school represented at a state-of-the-art venue against a top team in the country is a fantastic op portunity for the student body and lo cal supporters. Redzone and St. John’s Athletics should look to duplicate the experience fans had on last year’s trip to UBS Arena, and hopefully the Red Storm can secure an upset on this massive stage.

Tickets for the Jan. 11 matchup in Elmont went on sale to the general public on Friday, Oct. 21. For last year’s Men’s Basketball contest, Red zone provided limited bus transporta tion to and from the event. There has yet to be an announcement regarding tickets and transportation for students on the Queens campus.

St. John’s games at Mad ison Square Garden, a pre-loaded ticket to TipOff, exclusive entrance at Carnesecca Arena on game days, a limited edi tion RedZone t-shirt, Empire Classic ticket perks and priority line for student giveaways,” according to the Athletic Department’s Fevo page.

Olivia Seaman and dea HOxHa | OctOber 21, 2022

Torch Photo - Olivia Seaman

cOnnOr ricHardS | OctOber 21, 2022

Torch Photo / Sara Kiernan

Red Storm Tip-Off 2022red storm Tip-OFf 2022

The Performance Wasn't a BLXST As student turnout underwhelmed

St. John’s Athletics held their annual Tip-Off event Friday, Oct. 21 at Car nesecca Arena in front of a meager crowd. Fans were treated to a night consisting of performances, contests, player introductions, an intrasquad scrimmage and a musical perfor mance by BLXST, a BET nominated performer from Los Angeles.

Students were given the opportuni ty to obtain tickets at 9 a.m. Friday morning, with some students getting there as early as 6 a.m. to make sure they were one of the first people to get their tickets. Student season-tick et holders received digital tickets Fri day morning through their ticket ac count, and did not need to stand in line. Only student season-ticket hold ers can use a digital ticket for entry.

Carnesseca’s doors opened for Stu dent Season-ticket holders at 6 p.m., and general admission doors opened at 6:30 p.m. Student Season-ticket holders were given red t-shirts along with wristbands that lit up the arena.

After shooting contests by fans along with great music by St. John’s resident DJ, DJ Zeke, the St. John’s Cheer and Dance teams each had outstanding performances.

After the performances by the Cheer and Dance teams, the lights were dimmed again as the Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams took the court at 8 p.m. with an electrifying entrance. Men’s Basketball head coach Mike Anderson and Women’s Basketball head coach Joe Tartamel la took the court to say a few words to start the season. “Fans are worth six to seven points,” Anderson said, referencing home court advantages this season. Tartamella said he and his team “look forward to the TipOff every year as the kickoff to their season as it makes it real.” Tartamella was also joined by a young fan, King, who was announced to be three-years cancer free, creating the crowd’s loud est and best cheer of the night.

The fans were then treated to two

eight-minute scrimmages from both teams, who were split into red and white jerseys. The Women’s Basket ball scrimmage began with presea son All-Big East player Kadaja Bailey leading the team. The matchup end ed with the red team edging the white team, 29-27.

After another performance by the Dance team, the Men’s Basketball team followed with their eight-min ute scrimmage. DePaul University transfer David Jones had an impres sive three-point shooting perfor mance that gave the crowd a great sneak-peek of what to expect from him this season.

Freshman AJ Storr, the highest rat ed recruit in the Mike Anderson era, had some powerful dunks in his first performance in front of the Carne secca Arena crowd. The team’s other highly-touted newcomer, freshman Kolby King, impressed as well. Re turning sophomores Rafael Pinzon and O’Mar Stanley all had athletic

plays on both ends of the court.

The Men’s Basketball scrimmage ended in a 41-34 victory for the white team after a display of great shooting in only eight minutes.

California artist Blxst took the stage at roughly 9:30 p.m. Students were underwhelmed with much of the are na clearing out following Blxst’s ap pearance.

The official start of the Men’s and Women’s Basketball season is just weeks away. Men’s Basketball has two scrimmages — both at Carnesecca Arena. They face Adelphi Oct. 26 at 7 p.m., followed by a contest with Southern New Hampshire on Oct. 29 at 6 p.m. to cap off the preseason.

Both teams begin their regular sea son on Nov. 7. The Women’s Basket ball team tips off at 1:00 p.m. against Monmouth in Carnesecca Arena. The first Men’s Basketball game is at 6:45 p.m. against Merrimack at Carnesec ca Arena.

Joseph Featherston | oct. 26, 2022

Torch Photo / Sara Kiernan

Torch Photo / Sara Kiernan