4 | Th e Stat e N e ws | F r iday, February 7, 201 4 | staten e ws .com
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‘The Biggest Loser’ stirs up controversy
Performance pressure affects students, Olympic athletes alike
Although the TV show “The Biggest Loser” has never really been a shining pinnacle of body positivity, recently one contestant has stirred controversy via social media because of her drastic weight loss.
T
he 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, are about to begin. As always, figure skaters have found themselves in a spotlight that they do not receive at any other point in the four-year Olympic cycle. This time around, the light has fallen on a 22-year-old military brat who embodies the feisty American spirit: Ashley Wagner. Wagner has spent the last eight years finding her footing in a world after skaters Michelle Kwan and Sasha Cohen, breaking out in 2012 with routines to popular scores such as “Black Swan” and “Shine On You Crazy Diamond.” These routines have allowed her two national championships, two top-five finishes at the World Championships and numerous gold medals in international competitions. However, following a failure to the podium at the crucial 2014 National Championships with a fourth place finish, Wagner had to be placed on the Olympic Team in a controversial decision that forced another girl — Mirai Nagasu, a former Olympian and national champion herself – to sit at home. This has caused a firestorm of public reaction that can be seen around the world including articles in Russia itself, which have published images of Wagner falling on her behind. From my perspective however, her reality may not be that different from yours or mine. Wagner’s plight has represented a component of performance that every student can relate to:
— Olivia Dimmer, State News reporter Professors and pressure. Many times, this pressure can be placed upon peers alike look to oneself. Wagner stated that she would take her these students to proRead the rest online at first national title months before the competi- duce work to an acastatenews.com/blog. tion and succeeded in doing so. This self-creat- demic level that one had ed pressure can be seen on our campus, as many in the past, and if they fail students give themselves expectations and feel to do so, emotional distress is evident. a sense of failure when they canAshley Wagner faced not reach that expectation. Wagguest columnist similar pressure as the twoner also faces additional prestime defending national champisure, whether conscious or subon and the highest internationally conscious, from her family. Figure As Spartans, each one of us is at the point ranked American skater. This pres- where this part of life will be gone before we skating is a demanding sport and, sure was compounded with pres- realize it. If we allow pressure to overtake us and like many skaters, Wagner has had sure from the LGBT community, dictate the way we see our experience at MSU, to move across the country numerwhich adopted Wagner as their own, our memories will be tarnished. When you feel ous times without her family to after she publicly criticized Russia’s the pressure come on you later this semester, I reach her goals. LGBT policies throughout the last few encourage you to take a second and reflect on Although MSU students may Daniel becker months. experience this pressure at a difwhat you have earned thus far. Be proud of your becker76@msu.edu All eyes were on Wagner during successes, and enjoy every moment you have in ferent level, most students have every single fall at the 2014 National East Lansing. experienced a phone call from home asking simple and good-natured questions Championships, and this pressure from the sourcNext week, Ashley Wagner will take to Olymof, “What happened in chemistry, Johnny?” or es around her and emerging from her prior suc- pic ice. Despite the pressures of expectation that cess resulted in tears and a solemn, “I am sor- have resulted from her selection and from the “Did you just not study, Emily?” I strongly believe there is a sense of pressure ry” to the NBC audience that watched the com- mixed opinions to her political statements, Ashthat performance itself creates. This pressure can petition during the live, primetime broadcast. ley has become an Olympian. If she can rememIf I could send any message to students who ber this and let everything go, I am sure she can come in many forms, whether it is from instructors, peers or the sources above. But together face these diverse levels of pressure and to Ash- guarantee herself an Olympic experience that they create an atmosphere where a student that ley — which might be tough because she report- will last a lifetime. excels at the onset of a semester is expected to edly has shut off her social media because of pubDaniel Becker is a comparative cultures and polcontinue to do so, if not exceed beyond that level lic criticisms — I would say enjoying the moment itics and international relations junior. Reach him of academic success, by the end of the semester. for what it is worth can change your life. at becker76@msu.edu.
opinion column
editorial cartoonist
Politics overshadow Olympic Games
B
efore heading to Volgograd, Russia, where I spent the majority of my study abroad at the beginning of last summer, I visited the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. The staff there warned our group that anyone who was gay might best leave that hidden in Volgograd, because of recent violence for that exact issue. This shocked me, but didn’t affect me personally. I figured it might have just been a random incident.
Michael Holloway mholloway@ statenews.com
JUST SO YOU KNOW thursday’s poll results No 30%
What do you think of MSU’s football recruiting class?
None 74% One 23%
81%
Today’s state news poll
19% 0
Total votes:52 as of 5 p.m. Thursday
20
40
60 PERCENT
80
100
I'm pleased we landed so many high-profile recruits.
Do you know who your ASMSU representative is? To vote, visit statenews.com.
More work needs to be done to catch up to top-tier programs.
Comments from readers nn
“Letter: Friend of fatally shot student outraged by university’s response If you’re actually “From EL”, it’s pretty courteous to notify people in the area that there has been a shooting within the city, especially if you have a warning system more or less in place. Cedar Village will NOT be empty at 8:45 on Friday if you know anything about East Lansing. Campus doesn’t have to be shut down necessarily, but it’s human decency to give people a heads up. And who cares if YOU don’t want a warning, if any single person feels safer because of this system, then it is doing its job when utilized. That’s non-negotiable in my opinion. Raymond Hidalgo, Feb. 7
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one of the most viewed international events, Putin’s regime should have compromised on its adamant stance against these values that may not accurately line up with its own. Personally, I have no problem with Putin flexing his power and standing up against the West. Just like domestic U.S. politics have checks on power, it’s not so terrible to have some check on power at the international level. But this is not the right event or issue to do so. Some athletes have spent their lives preparing for these games, and they shouldn’t be afraid of being who they But I was reminded of the discourse are. In an event with such internain Russia by recent coverage leading up tional attention, compromise must be to the start of the Olymmade for inclusivity of all pic Games. Personally lifestyles. Guest obsessed with Russia, I Regarding the terrorist columnist was excited for it to host scare, an occurrence of an the Olympics, an internaattack would be more dettional event free of direct rimental to Russia than political tensions. That anyone else, and therefore was naïve. there is no doubt that much In came Russia’s antiis being done to prevent an gay laws, along with fears attack. over terrorist attacks and I am also irritated by the criticism toward Russia’s level of negative coverage Paul Rose behavior in their “war of unpreparedness in Sochi rosepaul@msu.edu on terror” with the volfrom journalists that have atile Chechnya region. arrived. Journalists have More recently, there’s been discussion flocked to Twitter to joke about their of the preparedness of Sochi as jour- experiences and the awful accommonalists arrive in the city and are met dations in conjunction with this year’s with less-than-stellar accommodations, Olympic Games. As they’ve began to ranging from broken door handles in get “settled in” to the city, as opposed dirty hotel rooms to struggles to find to reporting the issues they’ve encounsafe drinking water. tered more sensitively — dirty hotels, The spotlight that has been put on broken elevators, poor water quality these controversies and fears actually and many others — many have turned is no surprise, but the way a couple of the image into that of a laughing stock. these issues are discussed is misguidWhile I was in Volgograd, many ed and overshadows the importance areas weren’t perfect. The university of the Olympics. that I studied at had many issues, such Given that there have been recent as broken sinks and no air conditionterrorist attacks in Volgograd, near ing. And yes, I was advised not to drink Sochi, general fears of this occurrence from the faucet. That is a reality that also are legitimate. With the $50 bil- some people have to live with every lion price tag and controversial means day, and not only in Russia. Being a to prepare Sochi, such as herding stray reality for some, making a joke out of it dogs to kill, the city’s readiness war- is not a respectful approach to criticism. rants discussion. Of course, I like working elevators Today, many of us likely will tune in and clean water, but it seems that this to watch the Olympic Games unfold, has quickly turned into a classic case but with an added skepticism based of us targeting everything that seems on what has been reported on Rus- backwards, while ignoring other funsia’s anti-gay laws, terrorist threats damental complexities and positive and harsh living conditions. parts of Russian society. Even worse, The country has received criticism it is turning the games from a fun in every form for these issues, some- sporting competition to direct polititimes constructive, and sometimes, cal competition. unfortunately, with ill-intent. Because With the opening ceremony Friday the games are an international event, I evening, there are things we must conmust stand against these anti-gay laws. sider. We must not let politics crowd Ignoring laws targeted against gays, the enjoyment of the games, while supespecially gay athletes who have spent porting those negatively affected by the their lives training for this, would be laws. Let’s try to respect the sensitivridiculous. ities and cultural gaps that we lack a Russia’s President Vladimir Putin’s firm understanding of, and therefore regime has for many years, especial- have no right to authoritatively speak ly recently, been occupied with claims about. to freedom and rejected outside poliPaul Rose is a comparative cultures cy interference on what it sees as its and politics, international relations and own business. Russian junior. Reach him at rosepaul@ That’s fine, but by accepting to host msu.edu.