The Slate 9-27-22

PA mid-term election proving to be pivotal national contest

Seth Turner Asst. News Editor

The Pennsylvania mid-term election is held every two years, on the second Tuesday in No vember. Residents will vote on senators, congressional repre sentatives, governor and many more positions.

However, two positions have been at the forefront of every voter’s mind. The first is the open Senate seat that will soon be occupied by either Democrat John Fetterman or Republican Mehmet Oz.

The senator will have a vote on any bills, laws or legislation that come through Congress. Fetterman is perceived by many in Pennsylvania to be highly progressive.

“When I’m in D.C., I’ll fight to make more stuff in America, cut taxes for working people, ban Congress from trading stocks, slash “out of pocket” health care costs and end im moral price gouging,” Fetter man’s website explains.

When it comes to Oz’s is sues, his website states his goals are to make healthcare more af fordable, fight for more school choices, tighten border security and make sure “people know the truth about COVID.”

Currently, Fetterman is lead ing by 5% over Oz in the polls (52%: 47% via 270towin.com).

choice and wants to push for clean energy solutions, criminal justice reform and more. Deep er information about his policy can be found at www.joshshap iro.org/policy.

Mastriano, the current 33rd district state senator, is the Republican candidate for gov ernor. He wants to sign the Heartbeat bill into law, outlaw ing abortions statewide. He also wants to crack down on crime, protect the Second Amend ment and decrease institutional fraud. More information can be found at www.doug4gov.com/ theplan.

Shapiro is currently ahead of Mastriano by 2% in the polls. (47%: 45% via 270towin.com)

The other highly anticipated race is for governor of Penn sylvania. The governor has the responsibility of implementing state laws and overseeing the operation of the state executive branch. The two main candi dates from Pennsylvania are Democrat Josh Shapiro and Re publican Doug Mastriano.

Shapiro claims to be pro-

Oct. 24 is the last day to reg ister to vote. Nov. 1, is the last day to request a mail-in ballot. Polls are open on Nov. 8 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Don’t know your polling place? Information can be found at www.vote.pa.gov un der “Polling Place Information.”

SU hosts Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology president

Daniel Reiley Staff Contributor

Dr. Manuel Ruiz, Vice President of Inclu sion and Belonging, hosted Pedro Rivera, president of Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, to give a speech on the future of diversity on college campuses on Tuesday, September 20. Prior to joining the college, Rivera served as the Pennsylvania Secretary of State and served as chair of the board’s Council of Education.

“Our demographics are shifting the envi ronment,” Rivera said, referring to the rising diversity in higher education. “For the sake of our conversation today, for me, equity is providing the resources students need, re gardless of their backgrounds, race, sexual orientation and socio-economics.”

Rivera and Ruiz discussed better ways to help those in struggling economic situa tions. “We realize that there are over 1.1 mil lion Pennsylvanians with no degree,” Rivera said. “Because of family conditions and fam ily circumstances, we have to do a better job of reaching those in the age with new ways

of instruction.”

“You look at the University of Phoenix and Southern New Hampshire University, the reason that they are succeeding seems [to be because] that they are embracing technolo gy,” Ruiz said. “The reality is we’re going to have to embrace some form of technology to succeed and keep [Shippensburg] afloat.”

A question then came to Rivera in regard to how higher education doesn’t have the value it once did, considering other factors such as some warehouse jobs paying up to $15-$20 an hour.

“It’s a major dilemma. It’s actually the current environment that our students are getting into. So we have to change the nar rative,” Rivera said. He also stated that it should be expected, stating that it benefits students and gives them more skills. “We need to embrace the fact that this generation is going to have 10 careers. I have students from year one, and they become skilled enough already in their second job.”

Cuba holds unusual vote on law allowing same-sex marriage

Cristiana Mesquita Associated Press

HAVANA (AP) — Cuba held a rare referen dum Sunday on an unusually contentious law — a government-backed “family law” code that would allow same-sex couples to marry and adopt, as well as outlining the rights of children and grandparents.

Cuba holds parliamentary elections every two years, though no party other than the Communist is allowed, but seldom has it held referendums on specific laws.

And seldom has an officially backed mea sure met as much open criticism as the family law of more than 400 articles, which has been questioned by many members of the island’s increasingly vocal evangelical community.

The sweeping code also would allow sur rogate pregnancies, broader rights for grand parents in regard to grandchildren, pro tection of the elderly and measures against

gender violence.

President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who has pro moted the law acknowledged resistance as he voted on Sunday.

“Most of our people will vote in favor of the code, but it still has issues that our society as a whole does not understand,” he said.

Sixty-four-year-old market vender Miguel Alberto Galindo said he had voted for the measure: “It’s time that homosexuals have the same rights as everyone else,” he said.

But Alejandro Rodriguez, a 33-year-old hardware store worker, said he’d voted against the measure, saying, “Some things in the code are good but others are bad.” He said he did not agree with giving gay couples the same rights as “normal” families.

The measure was approved by Cuba’s Par liament, the National Assembly, following a thousands of government-organized infor mation sessions this year in neighborhoods across the country.

A major supporter of the measure is Mari ela Castro, director of the National Center for Sex Education, a promoter of rights for samesex couples, daughter of former President Raul Castro and niece of his brother Fidel.

But there’s a strong strain of social conser vatism in Cuba, where evangelical churches have been growing. Several religious leaders have expressed concern or opposition to the law, worrying it could weaken nuclear fami lies.

While Cuba was officially — and often mil itantly — atheist for decades after the 1959 revolution led by Fidel Castro — Raul’s broth er — it has become more tolerant of religions over the past quarter century. That has meant a greater opening not only the once-domi nant Roman Catholic Church, but also to Af ro-Cuban religions, protestants and Muslims.

Some of those churches took advantage of the opening in 2018 and 2019 to campaign against another plebiscite which would have

rewritten the constitution in a way to allow gay marriage.

The opposition was strong enough that the government at that time backed away.

Image courtesy of pexels.com

Image courtesy of wikimedia commons

In the race for Democratgovernor,Josh Shapiro currentlyleads Republican Doug Mastrianoby 2 percent in thepolls.

Democrat Josh Shapiro addresses a crowd during a campaign stop.

Cubans voted to legalize same-sex marriage in the island nations

Hurricane Fiona tears through Puerto Rico, rips Eastern Canada

Mason Flowers Staff Contributor

Hurricane Fiona has caused major damage to the U.S. Territory of Puerto Rico, leaving many without power and water access days after passing through. Fiona moved slowly toward Puerto Rico but was only a Category 1 hurricane when it touched down last Sunday. Different parts of the island received any where from 6 to 30 inches of rain, with the southern part receiving the most rain. The rain also caused flooding in rivers across the island, with the Arecibo River rising 13 feet in one hour. The rises led to flash flooding and mudslides in certain areas with some re gions measuring 25 inches of rain by Monday morning.

One person was killed during the storm, and as of Tuesday, Sept. 20, no one was re ported missing. The entire island lost power for a period of time, but work has begun to restore power. More than 376,000 of LUMA Energy’s 1.4 million customers in Puerto Rico had their power restored by Wednesday. This is a large improvement from when Hurricane Maria hit in 2017, when it took over a week to

get power back to any part of the island. There is still plenty of work to do, and President Joe Biden announced an emergency declaration for Puerto Rico on Sunday.

After passing through Puerto Rico, Fiona headed north and hit the Dominican Republic and Turks and Caicos as a Category 4 storm, moving at about 130 mph. It then roared past Bermuda Thursday, with the nation avoid ing a direct hit but still suffering from heavy downpours and winds of up to 125 mph. It isn’t forecasted to bring rain to the eastern United States as it continues north but could bring heavy winds and storm surge on the coast.

The storm struck Nova Scotia, Canada, on Saturday. It was the worst storm system to hit eastern Canada, an area where hurricanes usually die down before reaching. The storm flooded coastal towns and swept homes into the ocean. Hundreds of thousands of people were reportedly out of power after wind gusts of nearly 100 mph tore through eastern Can ada.

3 Dead After Shooting at Amusement Park near Pittsburgh

West Mifflin, Pa. (AP) _ Three people, including two teen agers, were wounded by gunfire late Saturday at an amuse ment park southeast of Pittsburgh, which was kicking off a Halloween-themed festival. Allegheny County police said a 39-year-old man and two 15-year-old boys sustained leg wounds in the gunfire shortly before 11 p.m. Saturday at Ken nywood Park in West Mifflin. Park security responded along with local and county police who were working a security de tail at the park. Emergency responders took the man and one of the youths to a hospital, where the man was treated for a gunshot wound to the leg and released. The youth was ad mitted with a gunshot wound to the leg, and another youth grazed on the leg was brought to the hospital by a relative; both teens were listed in stable condition. Witnesses told in vestigators that two groups of teenagers were involved in an altercation in front of the Musik Express ride and shots were

fired by a male wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and a dark colored COVID mask. A handgun was found near the scene, police said.

Kennywood posted a statement on Twitter around 12:30 a.m. Sunday saying the park had been closed for the night and all guests had exited. Officials said they were “aware of a sit uation that occurred this evening and are working with local law enforcement. The safety of our guests and team members are our top priority.”

The park says on its website that all guests, staff and man agement must pass through metal detectors at the entrance gate, and all bags, purses and coolers are subject to search. The site also says “weaponry of any kind is strictly prohibited at the park.”

Police are investigating using the park’s security cameras and witness statements, KDKA-TV reported. County police asked anyone with information or video to contact inves tigators. The Pittsburgh Public Safety Department said in a social media post that its officers were assisting. Kennywood

was celebrating the first night of its Phantom Fall Fest, sched uled to run through Oct. 16, according to the park’s website. The park will be closed Sunday, with tickets dated for that day good for any other day of the Phantom Fall Fest, and is to reopen Friday, the park said on its website. The website bills the park as a family fun destination featuring seven roller coasters and rides for children.Ward Troetschel, of West Mif flin, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he arrived at about 9:45 p.m. Saturday and saw “way too many unaccompanied minors.’’ He said he left at about 10:30 p.m. because young people were being aggressive and “trying to start fights.” As he left, groups of at least 100 ran past him two or three times, Troetschel said, calling it a scene with ``lots of chaos.’’ Thom as Harrison of Irwin told the Tribune-Review that he was with his fiance and parents when the shots were fired, and then people were screaming, running and pushing each other over to get out of the park.

“Kids were crying,” Harrison said. “Some people were look ing for their loved ones.’’

Protests in Iran continue: 10 days of unrest

Nicholas Behr Staff Contributor

Protests in Iran have been ongoing for nearly a week in response to the death of Mahsa Amini, 22, on Sept. 16.

Amini was reportedly beaten by police and died two days later in a coma caused by a skull fracture. At least 26 people have been killed in protests following her death, and fa talities are expected to increase.

The Iranian government has been unwill ing to allow the protests to continue. Iranian citizens have been cut off from the internet, and female special forces have been deployed for the first time in a bid to quell the protests.

The Iranian government is calling the movement an “evil strategy from the enemy

to weaken the Islamic regime.” Counterpro testers in support of the government have called for executions of anti-government pro testors.

The U.N. has expressed its disapproval of the situation in Iran. On Sept. 23, U.N. Sec retary-General Antonio Guterres said to re porters: “We are concerned about reports of peaceful protests being met with excessive use of force leading to dozens of deaths and injuries. We further call on the authorities to respect the right to freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly and association.”

The situation has intensified throughout the past week and has the potential to result in more than 1,000 deaths. It parallels the Iranian government’s response to the 2019 gas price protests.

ImagecourtesyofNationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministration

Satellite view of Hurricane Fiona striking Puerto Rico

Image courtesy of STR/EPA-EFE

A crowded street blocked by protesters, clashing with police

Image courtesy of Reuters

Protesters behind barricades, lighting fires

Image courtesy of AFP

A crowd holding the Iranian flag

Student debt cancellation: How benefitial is it?

On Aug. 21, President Joe Biden announced his administration would be forgiving $10,000 in fed eral student loan debt. Recipients of the Pell Grant — a program de signed to help lower income fam ilies pay for college — are eligible for an additional $10,000, for a total of $20,000 for low-income students. While I am certainly not the biggest fan of the Biden ad ministration, these measures are a welcome change in policy and a necessary first step in addressing the student debt crisis.

The student loan debt crisis is one of immense proportions. As of July 2022, it has soared to over $1.75 trillion. Between ever-in creasing tuition and real wages that have stayed stagnant for de cades, it has become increasingly difficult for students to get degrees that are treated as necessary for modern employment.

In the 21st century, it is instilled from early on in school that col lege is not just the goal but a re quirement. Primary and secondary schools have become an industri

alized pipeline for preparing stu dents for SATs and College GPA re quirements. I could go on for pages about the failings of the American education system, but suffice it to say — things are broken.

I’m glad Biden is finally doing something to address the issue.

While $20,000 is no small sum, it will help millions of borrowers obtain a life-changing degree. It is just one of a few impactful actions by the Biden administration ahead of what is certain to be a turbulent midterm election in November.

Some decry the loan forgiveness as bribing voters — but in a way, that’s what politics is. Biden is fulfilling a campaign promise that helps millions of Americans. I do not see a problem with governing that actually helps the governed.

While $20,000 will help mil lions, it does not address the scale of the crisis. According to Nerd Wallet, the average household with student debt in the United States in 2021 owed $58,957. For families with that much debt, $10,000 of forgiveness gets wiped out in just a few short years of interest.

Meanwhile, the crisis of student loan debt does not affect all stu

dents equally. Black students, es pecially Black women, have more student debt on average than their white counterparts. It was within this context that the leader of the NAACP, Derrick Johnson, released a statement in response to Biden’s announcement that points out how little it does for Black borrowers.

Like many other policy areas such as the environment and wealth inequality, the Black com munity has historically suffered disproportionate burdens yet re ceived only proportionate relief. Just for years after graduation, Black college graduates on aver age owe nearly twice ($53,000) as much as their white counterparts ($28,000).

Another issue is that this forgive ness only applies toward federal student loans. For many, much of their student debt is held in pri vate student loans. Many students have also refinanced their loans, repackaging their debt into single loans with lower interest rates. The current plan fails to address these scenarios.

The Slate Speaks: Is hook up culture killing romance?

How often have you heard a friend complain that it is difficult to find a meaningful relationship? All anyone is looking for nowadays is a hookup?

Hookup culture has become deeply rooted in the dating landscape and can usually be a point of contention for many people looking to meet someone else. For a real-world ex ample, think of Tinder; how many profiles have you seen with the cap tion “no hookups?” When it comes to dating, there’s now a sense of dread for some people that whoever is on the other end of the conversation is simply looking for a one-night stand. Not to say that there is anything wrong with not wanting something more meaningful as it is 2022, and the times, as well as romances, have changed. However, like many forms of pleasure, there are healthy sides to this culture and other sides that could be harmful.

There is a good amount of loneli ness that comes from hookup culture though. Two people can engage with each other with no strings attached, but hooking up is not something that is emotion-free. There are a lot of feelings that go into those actions, and it is easy to get attached to other people. It’s what makes us human.

And in the same vein, hookup cul ture makes it harder to find a good relationship. When you have the option to, as your grandma might say, “get the milk without buying the cow,” people do not feel the need to be with others outside of pleasing their own appetites.

For someone who is non-monog amous and has more than one part ner at the moment, they think that the idea of hookup culture has made them be more comfortable with themselves and facilitated being open and communicative with the people in whom they are interest ed. Hookup culture has its pros, but emotional connection is also really important.

Like any healthy relationship, ro mantic or not, transparency is the most important part of it. If you participate, make sure both parties are on the same page about expec tations, commitment, etc. If you are not clear about your intentions, then one or both people are bound to be hurt in the end. If you are looking for a long-term relationship, it’s best to find someone who is looking for the same thing. You’re setting yourself up for heartbreak when one-night stands are just that: one night.

The N-Word: The horror and hierachy of hearing racial slurs in the modern day

When is it OK to use the N-word? Well, never. But there are varying degrees of badness, and everyone has a different scale of what is evil and what is OK. But there are two sides to the N-word’s usage, and the other side is hearing the N-word. Even then, the way it is received depends on the person hear ing it. In other words, it is not a one-size-fits-all misery. So, to help break this down I have composed a hierarchy of horror using actual horror movies so that people can

see the differences in their use and their reception.

Level 1: “Sharknado.”

This may have been a scary movie to some people, but it is also still a movie that has Tara Reid, so we must ask: how scary can it be? Also, the name does justice to a tornado that has sharks in it. This is the least scary, almost comical level, and can be produced when Black peo ple use it among other Black people.

Reception: Yikes!

Level 2: “Child’s Play.”

As some may know, this movie is about a doll. Yes, a doll that viciously murders

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people. Chucky the doll is indeed scary looking, and there are some voodoo rit uals involved, but it’s still a doll. Not the worst. Still not good. This is akin to when a white person uses the N-word while singing along to a song that uses it. No malice, but still ignorant.

Reception: OMG — no.

Level 3: “Get Out.”

The movie “Get Out” was petrifying because the sit uation it depicts is unlikely …but not impossible. “Get Out” was scary, especial ly for the Black communi ty, but not enough to give you nightmares. This level

is akin to when white peo ple say the N-word when quoting directly from a text, claiming its use is vital in the name of “art.”

Reception: What the hell? WHY?!

Level 4: “Saw.”

This movie is very scary because it is twisted, sick and in the end, it is all about terrible choices and selfish ness. This is analogous to when white people say it and justify its use by stating: “I didn’t mean it in a hateful way” or they “feel Black” or they “don’t see color” or they use the word for a produc tive purpose. For example, a

professor using it in a class.

Reception: Keeps you up at night and makes you want to change majors.

Level 5: “The Human Centipede”

A movie so disturbing it was banned in some coun tries and should be banned in all. This is parallel to when a white person says it directly to a black person as an attack. As this movie was banned in some countries, so too should the gut-wrench ing feeling of hearing this word hurled at you in a hate ful way.

Reception: Crushing, exis tential pain.

The problem with using the N-word is that its use does not end with the per son who uses it. There is almost always someone at the receiving end of its use, whether the speaker knows it or not. And in the case of this word, intention does not really matter all that much. Even though the levels of discomfort Black people feel when they hear it vary from person to person, the word has only ever been used in a hateful manner and as an insult.

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Photo courtesy of Melina Mara/ Washington Post

President Joe Biden ran on a campaign promise of cancelling millions of dollar in student loan debts.

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Ian Thompson Staff Contributor

Photo courtesy of Pexels.com

Tinder is one of many online dating services for college students to find love.

Monika Lewis Staff Contributor

Ship

The man, the myth, the legend:

GrittyFan69, Nathan Harding

Katie Huston Business Manager

Reisner Dining Hall at Shippensburg University allows stu dents to choose the music playing as they eat. All they have to do is install the Rockbot app on their phone and request the song. Students can become a higher-level DJ on the app by suggesting more songs that please the masses on the app.

While there are many notable student DJs on SU’s campus, such as “JohnMayerEnjoyer” and “mamaslilboy,” there is one that stands out in the list of DJs — GrittyFan69.

A mystery on campus who plays “Wake Me Up When Sep tember Ends” by Green Day and “Free Bird” by Lynyrd Sky nyrd as much as possible, the man behind the profile has been found, Nathan Harding, an SU student, has wreaked havoc on the sounds of Reisner since his freshman year.

“It’s cool, I get an odd 15 seconds of fame every once in a while when someone points me out in the dining hall,” Hard ing said.

According to Harding, since his freshman year, the univer sity has blocked more and more songs from the app. He ex plained that he likes to request songs that make people laugh. As more songs get blocked, this could become more difficult to achieve.

The song “Spooky, Scary Skeletons,” by Andrew Gold is a song that Harding seems to request most often. Students plan ning to go to the dining hall in October usually know what they will be hearing while they have their meal. However, in the Ceddia Union Building (CUB), the song has been blocked by the university.

“I am going to keep pushing the envelope until they block it [in Reisner Dining Hall] as well,” Harding said. “That’s the main goal.”

When he is not being a mysterious and chaotic DJ, Harding is working on his degree in marketing. He was originally an accounting major but realized after a few courses it was not for him and made the switch. Harding explained that his twin, Kristen Harding, also attends SU as a psychology major.

Harding is also a member of the SU track and cross-country teams. This is his 10th year running cross country.

“I played soccer in elementary school. I realized I wasn’t very good, but I was fast,” Harding said. “I have been doing cross country ever since I made the switch in middle school.”

Additionally, Harding is a third-generation motorsports racer from just outside Reading, Pennsylvania. He has partic ipated in races at the Maple Grove Raceway through middle school and high school. He participates in drag racing, which is going in a straight direction at high speeds.

“My fastest speed was probably going an eighth of a mile in 7.7 seconds, about 88mph,” Harding said. Harding explained that he has not participated in motorsports for about four years, so not many people know about it. Though, he did ex plain that he hopes to get back to it in the near future.

It is Harding’s senior year at SU, so there are only a few more months to hear his music choices in Reisner. He current ly works at the Giant in his hometown and hopes to get a job with Giant’s corporate office in Carlisle to use his marketing degree after graduation. For now, keep your ears peeled and stay alert for the constant “Spooky, Scary Skeletons” in Reis ner.

Orbeez Shot in Harley Hall

Joel DeFilippo Staff Contributor

Small paintball-like BBs, otherwise known as Orbeez, have been shot on the third and fourth floors of Harley Hall. Thus, creating various issues for the residents ranging from messes being created within common room to uninvolved residents being used as human shields.

“So originally it wasn’t an issue be cause it was one person outside, and then once it moved inside it became an issue because it was happening so late at night. For one, they were run ning through the halls, which was an issue for lower floors,” Stephanie Runyon, 3rd-floor residence assis tant, explained. “Then it was also the mess it was creating because other residents can be charged for messes that are made in the common rooms, which includes hallways, TV lounges, laundry rooms, all that. Then the third issue was that residents that did not own Orbeez guns were being shot with them to the point that it had broken skin and made someone bleed.” The issue had created concerns for resi dent safety.

“I didn’t care at first, because I un derstand we’re in college and you’re just trying to have fun, but when it started affecting me to the point where I’m going to do lockouts with rooms on my floor and when people open doors, I’m terrified of being shot with one of these things,” Runyon continued. “I would be on rounds and

peek around the corner to make sure they’re not shooting them, or even when I’m just walking out of my room, I do that.”

The reports of Orbeez guns being fired within the halls had become so abundant that SUPD had to track down the incidents.

Further issues continued to arise, including a student attending classes on campus threatening to shoot an emotional support animal) that was residing within Harley Hall.

Such incidents have occurred in other Halls on campus; however, the situation was largely limited to Harley Hall.

Runyon noted that following a dis cussion with an Orbeez owner, inci dents declined significantly.

Most Orbeez guns have been con fiscated during room checks and will be returned to the owners before fall break to be taken home.

However, repeated offenders could have their Orbeez guns taken away again without being returned. SUPD did not get involved any further.

Salsa lesson is a smashing success

Lydia Elmy Staff Contributor

Jose Ricardo-Osorio, the as sociate dean of the College of Education and Human Services at Shippensburg University, di rected a salsa class in the Ceddia Union Building (CUB) on Friday evening.

About 31 people attended the event. Most students came dressed in casual clothing, while others came dressed in skirts and heels.

Ricardo-Osorio began the class by starting from scratch. Before playing music, he asked the students to try and salsa dance without him teaching them any moves first. Afterward, Ricardo-Osorio began to teach everyone how to properly salsa dance.

He taught the students the steps — moving side-to-side as well as back and forth — having

them try with and without the music playing. Most of the stu dents got used to it quickly and loosened up, creating a fun and engaging environment.

Ricardo-Osorio informed the crowd that salsa originated from Africa, and it was all about danc ing to the percussion. He played music and asked the students to try and identify the beat and begin stepping to it. Moving around the crowd with a speaker in hand, Ricardo-Osorio helped those who were struggling a bit. Afterward, the class learned to incorporate upper-body move ment into the steps.

Safety was also a subject of conversation in the class. Ricar do-Osorio informed the students that rather than stepping nor mally, they should step on the ball of their foot so they would not hurt themselves.

After a water break, the class moved onto more advanced salsa

dancing. Ricardo-Osorio taught the students how to step and turn smoothly to the music, as well as moving forward and backward as a group.

Toward the end of the class, Ricardo-Osorio told everyone to incorporate their own moves into the sequence. People danced to gether, some spun around, and many other creative ideas were brought into the cultural dance.

Ricardo-Osorio then went over the entire sequence of the dance with everyone and com bined it all together with the mu sic. Students were laughing, and there was a great sense of com munity and togetherness during the class.

There will be another class on Oct. 21, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., as well as a Halloween party hosted by Ricardo-Osorio on Oct. 31 at the same time. All who plan to attend are encouraged to come dressed up for Halloween.

Insight into annual Diversity Week Itinerary

to “check themselves” to see if they are the ones “stinking up the place.”

Diversity Week is a traditional festival of educational and impactful events that occur every fall semester. This year there are even more eye-opening events in which students can participate.

On Monday, Sept. 26, at noon in the Ced dia Union Building (CUB), students attended the first event kicking off diversity week, “A few things you need to know about racism and ableism.”

Theo Braddy facilitated the lecture and dis cussion. Braddy discussed how people in the world can be misinformed and ignorant due to the media, religion, politics, our peers, and many other sources. Braddy asked students

However, he was not stating this in an of fensive tone about someone’s hygiene but the aspect of ignorance. Are you the one using stereotypes to create racism?

“Ableist and racist ideas are based on mis conceptions, misinformation, falsehoods, myths, stereotypes, and biases,” Braddy said.

At 7 p.m. on Sept. 26 there was an “Invis ible Disabilities Awareness and Advocacy” event. Christina Irene hosted the talk in the Luhrs Performing Arts Center.

On Tuesday, Sept. 27, at noon in CUB MPR B, there will be Safe Zone Training, facilitated by Sahara McGrath, coordinator of the PAGE Center.

“Being JEDI for LGBTQ+ Inclusion” will be at 5 p.m. in CUB MPR A. This event will be hosted by Todd Snovel, the chief leadership and engagement officer for the County Com missioners Association of Pennsylvania.

Wednesday, Sept. 28, at noon in MPR A, “How to Find a DEI Employer,” will be run by Manuel Ruiz, SU’s director of social equity, and Various Employer Partners.

“The Power of the Black Superhero” will occur at 5 p.m. in MPR B and C. This event will be hosted by McKinley Milton, Renee A. Paxton, and Kermit O.

Thursday, Sept. 29, at noon in Orndorff Theatre, “Navigating Identity Through an In tersectional Lens,” will be facilitated by Ste ven Lopez, Manuel Ruiz and a student panel.

Allison Dagnes, an SU professor of political science, will host “Political Speed Dating” at 5 p.m. in CUB MPR B.

Friday, Sept. 30, the Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) will have the annual “Big Quilt Reveal” at 3 p.m. on the front lawn of Gilbert Hall.

According to the Diversity Week webpage, “It is a way that the whole campus can come together and declare that as a campus we will value and appreciate every member of the Ship family and we will seek equality and jus tice for all.”

The week will close with the Latino Student Organization’s annual “Latino Explosion” event in the CUB MPR on Saturday, Oct. 1, at 4 p.m..

Photo Courtesy of Sarah Gingrich

Nathan Harding, the man behind GrittyFan69, drag racing at Maple Grove Raceway.

Tyler Hill Staff Contributor

Image Courtesy of Flickr.com

Lydia Elmy/The Slate

A&E

Review: ‘Don’t Worry Darling’

Paige Shope Managing Editor

“Don’t Worry Darling” is a film about Alice (Florence Pugh) and Jack Chambers (Har ry Styles), a picture-perfect vision of “young love,” who live happily in an eerily utopian neighborhood with their ’50s-style home, cars and wardrobes to match.

Every day, the wives stand in the cul-desac and kiss their husbands goodbye as they simultaneously drive off to work at the myste rious “Victory Project” for their cult-like lead er Frank (Chris Pine). The only explanation given to the wives is that the men work on “the development of progressive materials.” The husbands are forbidden from giving any details about their top-secret work. After the men drive off in their fancy cars into the des ert, their wives turn back and clean every inch of their already pristine homes, go shopping with bottomless checking accounts, swim at the country club pool, take dance classes, lis

ten to Frank’s hypnotic propaganda about the Victory Project, cook a five-course meal and meet their husbands at the door with a cock tail. In this picture-perfect world, the only rule the women are given is to never leave.

What is bizarre in this film is the uniformi ty, the lack of chaos and actual life. What sets it apart from regular neighborhoods is the fact that they are utterly alone, apparently in the middle of a desert, like some sort of oasis. Their glorious houses, pools and lawns are all perfectly manicured.

Alice lives happily until she receives a warning from a friend telling her that some thing is wrong and they “shouldn’t be here.”

This friend, Margaret (Kiki Layne), is appar ently experiencing disillusions, as explained by the neighborhood doctor. Alice, believing her friend to be crazy, ignores the warnings until she witnesses Margaret standing on the roof of her house and taking her own life. When Alice is told that Margaret is fine, she starts to question everything, and Alice’s un

‘The Phantom of the Opera’ to end historic Broadway run in 2023

Adam Beam Asst. Opinion Editor

Andrew Lloyd Webber is no stranger to Broadway theaters, and his musicals have been mainstays in the theater world for decades.

However, Webber’s lon gest and easily most suc cessful Broadway endeav or is coming to an end in a move that has left the the ater world shocked. “The Phantom of the Opera,” af ter 35 years of entertaining audiences, will be dropping the chandelier one last time in 2023.

“The Phantom of the Op era” is based on the novel by Gaston Leroux and tells the story of a deformed musical genius living beneath a Par

is opera house who falls in love with a beautiful chorus girl named Christine Daae.

Webber’s musical pre miered in 1986 on the West End with Michael Crawford as the Phantom and Sarah Brightman as Christine be fore moving to Broadway in 1988. The show was a smash hit, both critically and finan cially, and has cemented it self as a cornerstone in the theater world.

However, due to Covid-19 pandemic, Broad way went dark for over two years. Many smaller shows were lost in that time, but it seemed that bigger shows were relatively unharmed.

Although Broadway made its triumphant return, get ting audiences back in the

seats proved more difficult than initially thought.

In an interview with the New York Times, producer Cameron Mackintosh ex plained his reasoning for ending “Phantom’s” legend ary run.

“You don’t want to run a great show into the ground,” he said. “It’s always been one of my mantras through out my long career: There’s an art to closing a show, as well as opening one.”

“The Phantom of the Op era” will play at the Majestic Theatre for the remainder of the year, and celebrate its 35th anniversary in Janu ary. The show’s final perfor mance is scheduled for Sat urday, Feb. 18, and tickets are on sale now.

raveling begins.

Strange occurrences begin to take place, in cluding unexplained incidents, visions, flash es of memories and a song that stays stuck in her head that she eerily hums throughout the movie. One day, as Alice is riding the trolley into town, (because the women are not allowed to drive) she witnesses a plane crash behind a mountain in the desert. Pan icking, she jumps off the trolley and climbs the mountain passing the “employees only” warning signs. She reaches the top to find not a plane crash, but the Victory Project’s headquarters. A small, white empty building. When she approaches the headquarters, she places her hands against the windows and vi sions appear. She awakes in her bed with her husband singing in the kitchen. She is con vinced that she fell asleep and had a night mare.

Something that catches me off guard is the absolute betrayal in this movie. Jack Chambers (Styles), is a seemingly loving and

hard-working husband. Genuine moments between Jack and Alice showcase deep and undeniable love that would soon be obscured by betrayal, under the guise of helping her. Truthfully, the sadness and the loss of blind, trusting love is probably the thing that has stayed with me the most after watching the film.

Pugh’s performance was outstanding, as always. With a fantastic range and the abili ty to truly drive the emotional turmoil Alice takes on, we can relate and suffer with Al ice as she makes her way through this film. Styles’ performance as Jack is somewhat lackluster. There are moments between Alice and Jack that feel very deep and real, though his character remains surface level while Al ice is dynamic and atable.

Review: ‘Elektra’ shocked my soul

Elizabeth Peters Managing Editor

If you are looking for a book to leave you feeling absolutely empty, Jennifer Saint’s newest novel “Elektra” is for you. Like her other book, “Ariadne,” Saint stayed true to the Greek myths with an emphasis on mor als and fate. From cover to cover, “Elektra” is an in-depth, heart-tearing story about rage, revenge and grief. Saint spared no detail and pulled me in chapter after chapter in her gut ting rendition of the battle of Troy.

Following the original tale of “The Iliad,” Saint has readers see this war through the eyes of three women. The first, Clytemnes tra, is the sister of Helen, the most beautiful woman in Greece. Clytemnestra marries Ag amemnon, tying her blood line to the cursed House of Atreus. The family lineage is riddled with horrible acts for the sake of power, in cluding cannibalism and murder.

Clytemnestra’s story highlights the strug gles of motherhood, a theme across Saint’s two books. She navigates rumors spreading, the death of her first born at the hands of her husband and the 10 years of waiting to get her revenge. The grief and rage that fuels Clytemnestra is powerful, and you almost feel sympathetic enough to excuse her neglecting her other daughters — the key word is almost. In the end, Clytemnestra’s fate was decided the second she took her lover and made him king. In attempting to end the cursed line of the House of Atreus, she continues what is an unending cycle of killing.

The second woman Saint illustrated is Cas sandra, one of the many princesses of Troy. As a child, she dreamed of receiving visions from Troy’s patron god, Apollo. As a young woman, she is granted this gift, but with a horrible price: no one will ever believe her. She spirals into what her family views as madness and is forced to watch helplessly as her city falls to invaders.

I felt the most sorry for Cassandra’s tale, as she went through mental and physical vi olence her entire life. No one believed her story of Apollo, but they naturally trusted her cursed brother’s tales that “forced” him to steal Helen away from the king of Sparta. Cassandra’s story is an unfortunate one that many women are familiar with today. No matter how true her statements are, people dismiss her as just overreacting or being cra zy. The only thing that blesses her life is at least she is released from reality on her own wishes.

The final woman is the title’s namesake, Elektra. She is the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, born only a few years be fore the battle of Troy began. As a young girl, she idolized her father, and waited longingly for the 10 years he was gone. Unfortunately, when her older sister is slaughtered “for a fair wind,” her mother became emotionally gone, allowing for Elektra to build years of resentment. This resentment becomes full rage when her father is killed upon his return home, and boils over when finally his death is avenged.

Elektra personifies the way rage and re sentment harm you over time. While she started as a head strong little girl, she evolved into the most angsty, violent young woman, gripping to her belief her father was a saint. Her tale is the most gutting for me, as she grew up missing her father and never got to say goodbye. She lives through all the stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. I felt so extremely empty once the novel finally ended, truly embracing that life moves on even after all the violence and bloodshed.

If you want to feel gutted but in the best way possible, I highly encourage you to read both of Saint’s novels. They are available for purchase on Amazon, or you can read them for free at your local library.

Review: Lonestar comes to Luhrs

With their ‘TEN to ONE’ album soon to de but, Lonestar jammed out with Shippensburg last Saturday. Performing songs like, “No News,” “Walking in Memphis,” “Mr. Mom,” and “Amazed,” they had the crowd singing along the whole time.

Founded in 1992, Lonestar consists of Dean Sams (keyboard, guitar, vocals, found ing member), Michael Britt (lead guitarist, vocals), Keech Rainwater (drums) and Drew Womack (lead vocals, guitar).

Lonestar had an incredible stage presence and stole some laughs from the audience the whole night. Their enthusiasm for what they do is motivational and heartwarming. They have been performing with passion for over 30 years and you can tell that they love what they do. I do wish that there were more seats occupied during this performance because they were a night to remember.

Lonestar has had 10 No. 1 songs, 22 Top 10 singles and they sold over 10.5 million re cords. They are going on 31 years together and I hope others start listening and enjoying their music as much as I do.

Courtesy of Summ

The Majestic Theatre has been home to “The Phantom of the Opera” since opening in 1988. There is currently no show set to take over once “Phan tom” closes.

Margaret Sobotta A&E Editor

Margaret Sobotta/The Slate

Playlist: Theater songs for Non-Theater Kids to Jam to

Read the full story at theslateonline.com.

Football topples Bloomsburg 31-17

Isaiah Snead Sports Editor

Shippensburg Universi ty’s football team began its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division schedule with a 3117 win over Bloomsburg Uni versity.

SU’s offense exploded for 423 total yards, includ ing 344 yards from red shirt-freshman quarterback Sam Johnson III. Johnson also added three touchdowns and was 29-43 on the day without an interception.

The Raiders led the game the entire way and led 31-3 at the end of the third quarter. Bloomsburg’s offense was held to just 122 total yards after their first eight drives by redshirt-sophomore line backer Matt Feeney and the Shippensburg defense.

Feeney set a single-game school record with 6.5 tack les-for-loss (TFLs) and led the team with 10 total tack les.

The Raiders started the scoring on their second pos session of the game with

an 11-play, 97-yard drive, capped off with a Johnson 17-yard touchdown pass to sophomore fullback Jake DeLuccia.

The teams traded field goals to make the score 10-3 in the middle of the second quarter, but another John son touchdown pass to senior running back Khalid Dorsey and a 1-yard touchdown run by redshirt-sophomore run ning back Nasai Moon made the score 24-3 at halftime.

The Raiders finished scor ing on the day in the third quarter, as Johnson threw his final touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Ian Sheehan from six yards out, swelling the lead to 31-3.

Bloomsburg would score two touchdowns in the final frame, but it would not mat ter as the Raiders went on to win 31-17.

Sheehan and sophomore wide receiver Redd Douglas each hauled in a team-high eight receptions, and Doug las finished with 124 receiv ing yards. Sheehan tallied 81 receiving yards and a touch down.

Redshirt-sophomore tight end Cole Balint finished the game with six receptions for 28 yards despite coming into the game with just five career receptions. Running backs Dorsey and Moon combined for 79 rushing yards on the day.

Redshirt-junior defensive back Nasir Greer grabbed his first career interception late in the fourth quarter, which was the game’s only turnover by either team.

Feeney’s 6.5 TFLs all came in the first three quarters of the contest and ended up as 17 total lost yards. He breaks the record for TFLs in a game which was previously held by Jake Metz, set in 2013 against Seton Hill.

This was Shippensburg’s first win at Redman Stadi um since Halloween Night in 2013, when the Raiders de feated Bloomsburg 34-18 in a nationally broadcast game.

The Raiders will return home next week when they take on nationally-ranked Shepherd University at 1 p.m. at Seth Grove Stadium.

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Week:

Men’s cross country wins team title at Kutztown’s DII Challenge

id time of 27:12, finishing 12th, while Quinan was one place and two seconds behind.

The Shippensburg University men’s cross-country team achieved its second victo ry in as many meets this season last Friday night, claiming the Division II/III Challenge hosted by Kutztown by a 41-point margin.

Shippensburg scored 34 points, well ahead of second-place Moravian University (75 points) and third-place DeSales University (87 points). The host Kutztown Golden Bears took fourth (98 points), while Lock Haven

finished fifth (153 points) as Bald Eagle vet eran Gage Krall ran away with the individual victory with his 8K time of 26:04.

The Raiders responded well to the ex panded 8K distance as juniors Ian Sherlock, Hayden Hunt and Aiden Gonder ran 2-3-4 and finished within five seconds of each oth er. Sherlock’s time was 26:41, Hunt’s 26:43, and Gonder’s 26:46. Junior Joey Cintavey and freshman Garrett Quinan rounded out the Raider scorers. Cintavey delivered a sol

Senior Nathan Harding continued to im press with a 15th-place time of 27:24. Fellow senior Drew Dailey was one place behind at 27:26.

Senior Kevin Wagner and freshman Ryan Wolfe also cracked the Top 20, running 19th and 20th respectively.

Shippensburg will return to action this Fri day at the Paul Short Run hosted by Lehigh University.

Photos courtesy of Brenna White/SU Sports Info.

Shippensburg University’s football team gets a big blowout win over PSAC Eastern Division rival Bloomsburg University, 31-17 on Saturday at Redman Stadium.

Quarterback Sam Johnson III was 29-43 for 344 yards and three touchdowns.

SU Sports Info.

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Volleyball comes back to defeat East Stroudsburg; falls to Kutztown

The Shippensburg University volleyball team rallied for a win over East Stroudsburg University in five sets at Heiges Field House on Saturday afternoon, after losing to Kutz town 3-1 the night before. Both were Penn sylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division matchups.

Shippensburg lost the first set 18-25 against ESU, but then took the second set, 25-17. In the third set, the Raiders saved five set points, yet still lost the set 21-25. Then the Raiders took the fourth set again with 25-17 and made it into the deciding fifth set, which they won 15-13.

It was tied 13-13 in the fifth set when the Raiders head coach Leanne Piscotty took a timeout. The Raiders took the lead and se cured the victory with a big block.

In the fifth set, senior Rachel Verhoef had multiple kills. At the end of the game, she to taled 18 kills and led the team in that statistic. Senior Oyinda Agbale put up 17 kills and two assists. Agbale added three block solos and four block assists. Freshman Kearstin Davis

led the team with 47 assists and added 10 digs and three aces. Fellow freshman Erica Lam pus got a team-high of 15 digs.

The Raiders totaled 57 kills in the game and had a hitting percentage of 0.185, while ESU tallied 44 kills and a hitting percentage of 0.151.

On Friday, SU hosted Kutztown and won a close first set with 25-23. In the second set, Kutztown was always in the lead and SU al most closed the gap at the end of the set, but still fell to Kutztown 23-25.

Kutztown´s offensive play was very strong in the last two sets. The Golden Bears had a 0.560 hitting percentage in the fourth set to take the win over the Raiders.

Sophomore outside hitter Kat Negron led the team with 16 kills and three aces, while freshman Kearstin Davis led the Raiders with 28 assists and 17 digs.

After the weekend, Shippensburg now has an even record of 8-8, and a record of 2-1 in the PSAC. The Raiders will take on Millers ville University on the road next Friday at 7 p.m. for another PSAC matchup.

Men’s soccer blanked at Lock Haven; battles to 2-2 draw with Shepherd

Jack Ansley Asst. Sports Editor

The Shippensburg University men’s soccer team played in two Pennsylvania State Ath letic Conference (PSAC) this week, battling rivals Lock Haven and Shepherd universities.

On Wednesday, the Raiders traveled to Lock Haven and were shutout 3-0. The Bald Eagles struck in the first minute of the contest as Connor Swope beat the defense and buried the ball in the back of the net.

The Bald Eagles extended the lead 20 min utes later in the first half when Dean Lewis scored from 22 yards out. The goal put the Bald Eagles up 2-0.

In the 40th minute Lock Haven’s Caleb Hudson received a yellow card after Hudson committed a foul. However, the Raiders went into the second half down 2-0.

In the second half, the Bald Eagles scored again in the 69th minute when Auston

Kravetz scored on a breakaway. The goal ex tended the lead to 3-0.

On Saturday, the Raiders looked to bounce back after Wednesday’s loss against the Rams. Shippensburg struck first in the game in the eighth minute as junior forward Seth Crabbe scored his sixth goal of the season.

The Raiders held that lead until Justin Langon scored to tie the game 1-1 in the 60th minute of the game.

SU broke the tie in the 76th minute as sophomore Omario Duncan scored his first goal of the season. Hoiwever, 30 seconds lat er, Justin Langon scored his third of the year to tie the game 2-2.

Neither team was able to break the tie af ter extra time and the game finished in a 2-2 draw.

The Raiders will travel to Bloomsburg Uni versity on Wednesday to play the Huskies at 7:30 p.m.

Women’s soccer shutout by No. 16 Bloomsburg

extend the Huskies advantage to 2-0.

The Shippensburg University wom en’s soccer team defeated Lock Hav en University 2-1 Wednesday night in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play.

The Raiders got on the board first in the game when senior Skylar Lam bert scored her third goal of the season which put the Raiders up 1-0.

Later in the first half the Raiders scored again as graduate Alexis Worley scored her first goal of the season, giving the Raiders a two-goal advantage.

The Bald Eagles found the back of the net in the 58th minute when Avery Landrum scored her first goal of the sea son. The goal cut down the lead to 2-1. The Raiders held on to the one goal ad vantage and went on to defeat the Bald Eagles 2-1.

On Saturday, the Raiders traveled to the No. 16-ranked team in the country, Bloomsburg University. The Huskies opened the scoring early in the 2nd minute as Nicole Verano scored her sixth goal of the season which gave the Huskies an early 1-0 lead.

Later in the half the Huskies added to their lead when Brooke Foster scored to

In the second half the Huskies score a third time when Molly Groff scored on a penalty kick extending the Huskies lead to 3-0. The Raiders end up losing to the Huskies 3-0.

The Raiders return to David See Field on Wednesday to play Mansfield Uni versity at 4 p.m.

Emily Merritt/The Slate

After its two contests this weekend Shippensburg University’s volleyball team now has an even .500 record overall and are 2-1 in PSAC play this season.

Nicola Pugge Staff Contributor

Sophomore Kat Negron tees up a serve for SU against East Stroudsburg.

Photo courtesy of Treasure George/SU Sports Info.

Sophomore Omario Duncan celebrates after scoring his first goal of the season.

Jack Ansley Asst. Sports Editor

Photo courtesy of Brenna White/SU Sports Info. Graduate Alexis Worley pushes the ball upfield.

Lonestar Concert Gallery

Photos by Margaret Sobotta

Lonestar brought its pop-country sound to the stage of the Luhrs Performing Arts Center on Saturday night.