The Battalion - October 1, 2020

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2020 STUDENT MEDIA

Silver Taps

Victoria Annette Walker June 27, 1999 - August 30, 2020

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First responders ages 18-75 are eligible to participate in a vaccine trial hosted by A&M.

A&M researchers host vaccine trial First responders eligible to participate in BCG study

Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

Head Yell Leader and construction science senior Keller Cox releases his debut single “California Cowgirl” on Thursday, Oct. 1.

By Aubrey Vogel @aubrey_vogel With the ongoing pandemic, Texas A&M researchers are looking into a potential vaccine that may help with COVID-19.

In addition to the medical professionals that have participated in the BCG vaccine study, more first responders such as firefighters and police officers can now see if they are eligible for the study.

The BCG vaccine was developed in the 1920s and originally used for tuberculosis, but researchers feel this vaccine could be used for patients with COVID-19. Jeffrey Cirillo, Director of A&M’s Center for Airborne Pathogen Research and Tuberculosis Imaging, said this vaccine has the potential to be used almost immediately because it’s already FDA approved.

Researchers are using first responders because of their interactions with patients that may have COVID-19. In the first round of data collected, VACCINE TRIAL ON PG. 6

Tradition meets talent Yell Leader Keller Cox ties A&M roots to debut single

By Shelby McVey @shelbyxbreann

I

t all started with the strumming of a guitar, country radio and a little push from his dad.

Head Yell Leader and construction science senior Keller Cox will be releasing his debut single “California Cowgirl” on Thursday. Available on all platforms, the single is the first of a series of songs he plans to release in the coming months.

Picking at guitar strings since the eighth grade, Cox said his motivation to move forward with music was inspired by his dad, who pushed him to play for anyone that would listen.

“I’ve always played, whether that be in church or for my family and friends,” Cox said. “I was never necessarily comfortable with it until my dad would make me play like three songs for people then I just started liking it more and more.”

Growing up on mainstream country radio, Cox wasn’t introduced to the genre of Texas country until he landed in Aggieland.

“I always grew up listening to regular country like your George Straits, your Alan

Jacksons and all that stuff,” Cox said. “We grew up listening to country radio all the time, but I had never really heard of Texas country music and the way that it tells more stories. And then when I came to [Texas] A&M and learned this thing called Texas country, I was like, ‘Man, this is cool.’”

As he grew more comfortable with the Texas country scene, Cox said the songwriting process came naturally to him.

“I didn’t really think much of it, I was just living and then two summers ago, going into my junior year, I wrote my first song,” Cox said. “I started singing it for different people and people were liking it so it was KELLER COX ON PG. 2

Aggies travel to No. 2 Alabama

Kaylee Cogbill — THE BATTALION

Honorlock is one of several proctoring programs approved by Texas A&M.

IT encourages internet safety A&M’s Division of IT urges students to remain cautious while online

By Grace Carter @gracercarter

Courtesy of Bailey Orr — Texas A&M Athletics

Sophomore running back Isaiah Spiller had 117 rushing yards against Vanderbilt.

Students are spending an increased amount of time on their devices due to the shift to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Practicing internet safety is especially important now that so many people depend on being online for school and work. The good news is there are various ways to practice internet safety that can protect everyone’s privacy and security.

Lacey Baze, director of product strategy and communication for Texas A&M’s Division of ONLINE SAFETY ON PG. 2

A&M looks to break Crimson Tide’s seven-game win streak

By Meghan Sharber @meghan_olivia02 After opening the season with a win against Vanderbilt, Texas A&M football is preparing to play No. 2 Alabama this Saturday.

A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said Alabama

has established a culture of winning over a long period of time. The Crimson Tide leads the matchup against A&M 10-2, and the last time the Aggies defeated Alabama was in 2012. Since 2013, A&M has endured a seven-game losing streak against Alabama under coach Nick Saban.

“They understand how to win,” Fisher said. “They are very sound and multiple-schemed. They are very sophisticated and complex on offense and defense. They have created great competition and you

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have guys that know how to win and are very well coached.”

Fisher said the Aggies have to create explosive plays to stop Alabama since the Crimson Tide is physical on both sides of the ball.

“Our guys will definitely be up for the challenge; they will come to compete and play their tails off. I feel that 100 percent.”

Fisher said. “I love our guys and we are ready to compete.”

Alabama’s offense is led by redshirt junior quarterback Mac Jones, who stepped into the starting role last November when former quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a season-ending injury against Mississippi State. In the season opener against Missouri, Jones logged 249 yards and two touchdowns through the air.

Alabama junior wide receiver Jaylen Waddle netted 134 yards on eight receptions last weekend, and senior running back Najee Harris recorded 98 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

Fisher said Alabama has great players all over the field that A&M will have to watch out for.

“They have good players everywhere,” Fisher said. “They’re all top guys. You got to play all the way across the board.”

Last season, the Aggies fell to Alabama 4728 at home. Despite the loss, A&M started the game with its longest opening drive of the season which lasted 8:03, according to 12thman.com. Senior quarterback Kellen Mond’s two touchdown passes tied him for the fifth-all time for A&M’s career passing in the game touchdowns list with a career total of 44.

GAME PREVIEW ON PG. 2

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The Battalion | 10.1.20

PROVIDED

Head Yell Leader and construction science senior Keller Cox began playing the guitar in eighth grade.

KELLER COX CONTINUED kind of like, ‘What in the world? This is kind of crazy,’ and I just kept writing and writing.”

Looking up to artists like Cleto Cordero of Flatland Cavalry and Parker McCollum, Cox said he used their experience in the industry to fuel his songwriting obsession.

“Something I learned from Cleto is he always says, ‘If you don’t have anything to say don’t say it,’” Cox said. “Something I really take from that is you can’t just sit down and write a song. Songs just kind of have to write themselves and then you get to put the pen to paper.”

When it came time to record, Cox said Texas’ stay-at-home orders were a blessing in disguise.

“I really wanted to record and kept wanting to get in the studio and then quarantine happened so I thought I might be able to give some more time to music,” Cox said. “I’m excited to release something I actually had time to do that I might not necessarily have gotten to do if it wasn’t for quarantine. I think it’s kind of cool how good things can come out of a bad situation.”

Cox said in making “California Cowgirl,” his ties to College Station were prevalent, with Hurricane Harry’s being the main inspiration behind the song.

ONLINE SAFETY CONTINUED

The No. 13 ranked Texas A&M football team will take on the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 2:30 p.m. on CBS.

GAME PREVIEW CONTINUED Due to COVID-19 precautions, the Aggies will travel to Alabama on Friday instead of their normal routine of traveling to away games on Thursday.

“We will go on Fridays now and be there one day,” Fisher said. “We have to be safe and cannot expose ourselves to other people outside of our bubble.

We have to eliminate as many cases as we can.”

Senior defensive tackle Jayden Peevy is confident in A&M’s defense.

“This week we are going to emphasize hitting and running to the ball and stripping balls and getting more fumbles and picks to get more turnovers,” Peevy said.

Sophomore running back Isaiah Spiller said he is confident about the matchup against Alabama.

“We need to be consistent and every-

one needs to do their jobs,” Spiller said.

“If we just go out there and do what we need to do and focus on the details then I feel like we should really be fine.”

Alabama coach Nick Saban has mentioned Spiller by name as one of the key players that Alabama has prepared for.

“He should be looking for all of us because we are all problems,” Spiller said.

“I think he should be worried about the whole team because we are coming.”

Spiller said this will be his first time playing in Alabama, and he is looking forward to this week.

“I always look forward to the big games and the big moments,” Spiller said. “You train for these moments to help your team out in any way you can.”

A&M will face Alabama on Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m., and the game will be televised on CBS.

certain security requirements. Sam Jefferis, who serves as the academic affairs chair for the Student Senate, said Honorlock does meet certain standards, but students have the right to be worried.

“Some students still think that Honorlock does not have to comply with FERPA when in reality Honorlock is contractually obligated to comply with all privacy laws, including FERPA,” Jefferis said.

Among those students concerned for their online security is telecommunication junior Chloe Parchman, who said she has recently taken steps to become more internet safe.

“I am worried because I have a lot of information on my computer, so if anything were to get hacked, the hackers could get a lot of information,” Parchman said. “With school being online especially makes me nervous because if something bad were to happen, all the information that I have kept would be gone.”

Baze highlighted key tips for students: 1. Maintain your computer’s operating system and keep its anti-virus program up to date. This includes changing passwords regularly.

2. Avoid using information in passcodes that could be obtained from social media.

3. Beware of scams. There are many new scams concerned with the COVID-19 pandemic which aim to collect personal information.

4. Two-factor authentication is always recommended when available.

For more information on online safety, visit it.tamu.edu/security.

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Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

IT, said in an email that it is important for students and faculty alike to be aware of their internet presence.

“It’s always important to stay alert online, whether on social media, taking an online class, answering emails or surfing the web. New scams appear every day, so it’s best to always be skeptical,” Baze said. “Be careful opening email from a person or entity you don’t know, hover over links in messages to make sure they are going to a legitimate website and never open attachments you weren’t expecting.”

Baze said the Division of IT has created fun and engaging ways for individuals to learn about internet security by releasing new online games each October in recognition of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

“This year’s game will be released Oct. 19,” Baze said. “[They] are always a good way to test your online security knowledge.”

Additionally, Baze said students and faculty at A&M have free access to an A&M Virtual Private Network, or VPN, to stay secure.

“Always use a Virtual Private Network to protect your privacy and increase security on the internet,” Baze said.

Several A&M students have expressed concern for their online privacy and security, with some signing a petition to end the implementation of Honorlock for proctoring online assessments.

Many of these concerns are rooted in the fear of invasion of privacy and the service not meeting

“It’s about a girl from California but is as Texas as they come,” Cox said. “It definitely explains the Harry’s scene a little bit. There’s a line in [the song] about going out on Thursday nights and you know, not everyone goes out on Thursday’s everywhere else. When it came time to decide if I should keep that line, I was like, ‘Of course I should keep it’ because it’s College Station and that’s what we do here.”

As such a prominent part of A&M tradition, Cox said this release is helping him gain the confidence to branch out while still maintaining the Spirit of Aggieland.

“As Head Yell Leader, my goal is leaving Texas A&M better than I found it,” Cox said. “In a year, my time at A&M will be gone. Yell Leader is an incredible platform to share the Spirit of Aggieland and bring people joy, but music is another way I’ve found to do that and hopefully continue to do down the road.”

For now, Cox isn’t sure what his future might look like, but said he’s excited for his debut release and more to come.

“It’s just super exciting to see that there’s something else outside of A&M,” Cox said. “And you know, I don’t know that it’ll work out necessarily, but I couldn’t be more stoked.”

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The Battalion | 10.1.20

Silver Taps June 27, 1999 - August 30, 2020

VICTORIA ANNETTE WALKER An outgoing individual whose kindness was known to all she encountered

By Julia Potts @juliapotts

V

ictoria Annette Walker never knew a stranger and put her heart and soul into every conversation.

One thing was for sure; Victoria was never going to live her life standing still. Whether she was playing softball, hanging out with her friends or even just going to the store with her family, she did it all with energy and enthusiasm.

Accounting senior Brady Knubley, a close friend of Victoria’s, said she loved football, loud music and trying on clothes in the mall just for the fun of it. Their friendship started almost immediately after beginning their college careers at Texas A&M. “First day of class, freshman year, she was the very first classmate I ever met,” Knubley said.

“She was just sitting there, she said, ‘Do you want to help me study’ and I was like, ‘Sure.’”

From there, Knubley said they became closer friends during their late-night study sessions.

Also, as big A&M football fans, they went to the games and tailgates together.

“As I was saying to my friend the other day, the world could be crumbling around me and she would find a way to make me laugh,” Knubley said.

Another good friend of Victoria’s, Kara Williams, reaffirmed Victoria’s need to fill her days with activities.

“She was always rearranging her room like every month,” Williams said. “She [would be] like, ‘Oh, this would look good over here. Oh, I should move this over here.’”

No matter the time of the day, Williams said Victoria was always down to have some sort of adventure.

“We’d be sitting there and we’d be like, ‘You know what? We should go do this,’” Williams said. “We would, randomly, in the

Via Instagram

Victoria Walker shared her love of Texas A&M with her family including her parents, Tamara and David Walker.

middle of studying be like, ‘Let’s go get ice cream.’ or we would go for hour-long drives in the middle of nowhere to listen to Taylor Swift and sing at the top of our lungs.”

Victoria’s sister, Madeline Walker, said Victoria decided she wanted to go to A&M almost immediately after her first visit and was excited to come to Aggieland.

“She came to visit me at Texas A&M one time and decided very quickly that she was going to be an Aggie,” Madeline said. “After getting her acceptance letter, going to A&M was one of the only things she ever talked about.

She couldn’t wait to be a part of all of the traditions and attend all of the sporting events.”

Victoria was also happy to share her love for A&M with her family, inviting them to Midnight Yell to meet her friends and show off all the yells she learned. Madeline said one of her favorite memories was from their childhood, which she and Victoria still laughed at years later.

“Another memory that always sticks out to me is when Victoria was younger, she had braces,” Madeline said. “My family went Christmas caroling one time and Vic had on gloves. She

tried to take them off [with] her mouth and the glove got stuck in her braces so she had to ride around for a while with a glove hanging out of her mouth. We were still joking with her about it this summer.”

Madeline said she wants her sister to be remembered for her passion for everything she did and the love she showed to all she met.

“I want people to remember [her] as someone who was full of life, love and laughter,” Madeline said. “She was always happy, never afraid to be herself, stood up for what she believed in and loved fiercely.”

Aggies have

FOUR BILLION REASONS TO BELIEVE IN TOMORROW because...

A new green space engages the campus community.

Enjoy the great outdoors at the Leach Teaching Gardens, a seven-acre oasis on West Campus that opened in 2018 as a result of private gifts to the Lead by Example campaign.

Amy ’84 and Tim Leach ’82 contributed a lead gift toward the project, while contributions of all sizes ultimately brought the Gardens to fruition. Whether studying or relaxing, you can enjoy everything the Gardens has to offer, including 21 themed sections as well as a vineyard, outdoor classroom, event lawn and pavilion. Designs for the remaining 20 acres are underway and will include rose gardens, a children’s garden, educational and event venues, and a recreation of The Grove, an outdoor amphitheater originally located on main campus for concerts, movies and events. By providing a campus green space for education, research and social gatherings, the Gardens give Aggies four billion reasons to believe in tomorrow.

Learn more about the campaign’s impact at leadbyexample.tamu.edu.

FOOTBALL

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The Battalion | 10.1.20

5 things to watch for during A&M-Alabama

Senior quarterback Kellen Mond had two of the five fumbles during the Vanderbilt game.

Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

By Emily Wedemeyer @emilynwed

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Last Saturday, Texas A&M earned its first victory of the season by defeating Vanderbilt 17-12 at Kyle Field. This week, the maroon and white will travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to face the Crimson Tide, currently

A&M-Alabama history The Aggies have not been victorious over the Tide since A&M’s first year in the SEC. Alabama leads the all-time series 10-2 and will have the home-field advantage this weekend as the Aggies travel to Bryant-Denny stadium. CBS will be televising the game and have deemed Alabama a 16.5-point favorite.

However, an upset cannot be ruled out, as the season’s unprecedented circumstances could make for an exciting game.

Aggie defense A&M’s defense is on an upward trajectory and is beginning to prove itself worthy of the term “Wrecking Crew” once again. Last week against Vanderbilt, the maroon and white held the Commodores to 255 yards with an average of 3.8 yards per play, the second of any Power Five school. The defense is led by senior linebackers Buddy Johnson and Aaron Hansford, who each recorded 11 tackles in the season opener. Other defensive veterans include defensive backs Leon O’Neal Jr., Demani Richardson, Myles Jones and Keldrick Carper, who will be crucial against Alabama’s stacked roster of wide receivers, including junior Jaylen Waddle.

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ranked No. 2 in the AP poll. Alabama is coming into this matchup after a 38-19 victory over Missouri last week. Here are five things to consider as the Aggies take on Alabama:

A&M’s run game Running the ball and finding success on early downs will be imperative to A&M’s offense. Sophomore running back Isaiah Spiller recorded 117 yards on the ground in last week’s game against the Commodores — the fifth 100-yard rushing game of his career. Utilizing Spiller and sophomore running back Ainias Smith to monopolize A&M’s time of possession could be a critical factor in the game, and it may allow the Aggies to keep up with Alabama’s elite offense.

Bobby Brown III Junior defensive tackle Bobby Brown III was once briefly committed to the Crimson Tide.

The former four-star recruit initially committed to A&M, only to de-commit and commit to Alabama two days later. Brown flipped back to A&M on National Signing Day and appeared in all 13 games of his freshman and sophomore seasons as an Aggie. Brown contributed three stops and had a quarterback hurry last week against the Commodores.

With Alabama’s arsenal of running backs, Brown and other defensive linemen will have to consistently pressure the Tide’s offense to prevent them from quickly driving downfield.

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Minimizing mistakes The Aggies struggled with ball security and penalties in the season opener. The team accumulated eight penalties, costing them 50 yards with one resulting in a safety. A&M also overcame three turnovers, two of which were fumbles by senior quarterback Kellen Mond.

However, Alabama is a more physical, technical and talented team than Vanderbilt, which is all the more reason for the Aggies to execute precision and incredible discipline in their matchup this week. A&M cannot afford costly mistakes such as fumbles and interceptions. If the Aggies want to stand a chance against the Tide, winning turnover battles is a must.

FOOTBALL

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The Battalion | 10.1.20

AROUND THE SEC A LOOK AT THE CONFERENCE IN WEEK 2

By Casey Stavenhagen @CStavenhagen

In the highlight of Week 1 SEC action, Mississippi State’s air raid offense sparked an upset against the defending national champion LSU Tigers. The rest of the SEC’s games played out in line with preseason rankings. With

the first games of the season decided, teams look to iron out any issues in preparation for Saturday’s matchups.

Arkansas (0-1) at No. 16 Mississippi State (1-0)

No. 7 Auburn (1-0) at No. 4 Georgia (1-0)

Saturday, Oct. 3 — Davis Wade Stadium — Starkville, Miss.

6:30 p.m. on SEC Network Alternate

Saturday, Oct. 3 — Sanford Stadium — Athens, Ga. 6:30 p.m. on ESPN Although both Auburn and Georgia won last week, the Bulldogs’ success was significantly uglier than the Tigers. Georgia went into last week at Arkansas with questions at quarterback, and those questions still remain unanswered for the most part. Quarterback D’Wan Mathis started last week, but after an underwhelming first quarter that included an interception, Stetson Bennett stepped into the second half to lead Georgia in the win. Bennett completed 20 of 29 passes for 211 yards and two touchdowns in the second half, likely earning him the starting spot this week. Their defense played well, but more so because of Arkansas’

shortcomings than the Bulldogs’ successes.

On the other hand, Auburn was dominant throughout last week’s match against Kentucky, particularly on defense and in the air. Auburn’s ground game is currently lacking. With quarterback Bo Nix having a star receiver in Seth Williams, expect the Tigers to keep the ball in the air. Nix completed 16 of 27 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns, two of which Seth Williams accounted for, along with 112 yards.

Both teams have proved to be strong, but the certainty in Auburn’s play could be the edge they need to upset Georgia.

Mississippi State coach Mike Leach and quarterback K.J. Costello made a statement in the SEC. Upsetting the defending National Champion LSU Tigers through an SEC record-breaking performance, Costello passed for 623 yards and five touchdowns on 36 of 60 attempts. Although the completion percentage and two interceptions for Costello were not ideal, that is to be expected in a pass-first, pass-second and pass-third style offense such as this one. The Bulldogs also played great defensively, running a 3-3-5. They forced two interceptions and applied plenty of pressure to LSU’s quarterback. Arkansas knows about effective defense as well. Despite losing 37-10 to

Georgia last week, the Razorbacks outscored Georgia in the first half 7-5, mainly due to a crushing defense. Considering they held the No. 4 team in the nation to 387 total yards and that nine of Georgia’s points scored were on defense, it becomes hard to deny Arkansas’ strong defense. Its offense dragged its feet throughout that game, though, struggling to push the ball and only netting 280 total yards. Quarterback Feleipe Franks, who threw two interceptions last week, will likely have turnover issues yet again against a high-pressure Mississippi State defense. Poor offensive production will make it hard for Arkansas to win games, regardless of its strong defense.

Prediction: Mississippi State 35, Arkansas 17

Prediction: Auburn 31, Georgia 28

WEEK 2: STAFF PICKS A&M vs. Alabama Saturday, Oct. 3 at 2:30 p.m. on CBS

Brady Stone

Camryn Lang

Managing Editor @CamrynLang

Editor-in-chief @bradystonex

I’m gonna choose A&M because I’m ~quirky~ and different.

BRADY

Hannah Underwood

CAMRYN

Sports Editor @hannahbunderwoo

HANNAH

This game might be a bigger shitshow than the first presidential debate.

JENNY

Meredith Seaver

Photo Chief @MeredithSeaver

MEREDITH

Aggie win for my 25th Birthday?!

Yes... Maybe... No? OK.

The question isn’t ‘Will we lose?” The question is “Will we lose by 20, 30 or 40 points?”

Jennifer Streeter

Assistant Sports Editor @jennystreeter3

If A&M loses by less than 14 points, I’m counting it a win... but I’m still scared.

Cori Eckert

Head Page Designer @corieckert

Alabama might “bleed crimson” but the Aggies are gonna be the ones bleeding this week...

CORI

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The Battalion | 10.1.20

REACH Project raises funds for member of A&M support staff

Via GoFundMe

A GoFundMe was started by the REACH Project to raise money for Texas A&M custodian Doug Eastep’s living expenses.

A&M custodian with financial struggles receives help from local community

By Jack Corrales @JackCorrales11 Many staff members work to keep Texas A&M’s campus grounds and residence halls clean. Often, students don’t see all the work they are doing, as they quietly do their jobs behind the scenes.

Doug Eastep, a custodian for the Corps of

VACCINE TRIAL CONTINUED the researchers realized they may need to branch out to others for a more accurate trial.

“We started out focused on health care workers because health care workers are on the front lines and they were the highest frequency of infection, they were the most at risk,” Cirillo said. “We realized early on [in] the trial that first responders were just as likely or even more likely to come in contact with those with COVID-19.”

Cirillo said this has been an ongoing research trial and many in the medical field have already begun to participate in the study. After hearing about the trial through an A&M

Cadets dormitories, is one of the many employees that keep the campus clean, but, as is the case for many of A&M’s support staff members, there’s more to his story than meets the eye.

Recently, Eastep has gone through some difficult times, with his mother unexpectedly passing away in December 2019. Not only was Eastep very close with his mother, but he also lived with her. Without her income, he was unable to cover bills and taxes for his household.

Needing help, Eastep turned to his uncle

for assistance. Unfortunately, his uncle wasn’t able to provide sufficient support and sold their residence in the process. This left Eastep with only his mother’s car to his name, which was now where he lived.

Ella Foster, Eastep’s assistant supervisor, had heard about the REACH project a short time before he started working with her and recently joined the program. Eastep wanted to get involved with the project, so Foster spoke with REACH on his behalf.

After she connected him with REACH, Eastep confided in Foster as she talked with

email, Dr. Neal Spears, director of the pediatric clerkship for the Texas A&M Medical School-BCS campus, signed up through the link sent to him that day.

“I think it is a very interesting hypothesis,” Spears said. “I am at risk of exposure and BCG is an old and pretty safe vaccine so I felt like there was very little risk and great potential benefit.”

Spears works for CHI-St. Joseph with out-patient pediatrics, although he has not worked with COVID-19 patients until after they have been cleared from having the virus. He said the patients he has seen with COVID-19 have had very mild symptoms.

“It is important to have a safe and effective vaccine so we can return to pre-COVID un-

restricted life,” Spears said. “The restrictions have been horrible for the mental health of my population, and most of my patients had huge increases in BMI due to being at home and bored and snacking all day.”

Cirillo said the trial is a one-time vaccine of either the treatment or a placebo, and then the collection of blood samples to track the efficiency and collect data for the researchers.

Participants also have weekly symptom checks via online surveys.

Although the data is not yet ready, researchers want to use the results to see if the BCG vaccine will help to be preventative or lessen the effects of the COVID-19 virus.

“People always ask what a specific vaccine comes along, and makes this unimportant and

him at work.

“He had let me know that he was basically sleeping in his vehicle and parking wherever he could park or wherever he could pick up WiFi,” Foster said.

While Eastep had to drive around quite a bit to ensure his basic needs were met, Foster also needed a way to contact Eastep so he could keep up with his work responsibilities.

Without a cell phone, the odds were stacked against him.

The REACH Project, which aims to help the “Invisible Aggies” of campus like Eastep, provides necessities for its constituents and assists in other areas of need. One way they help is food distribution, which the Aggie Men’s Club, or “AMC,” has recently begun assisting with this past semester, said Hudson Neuhoff, an industrial distribution junior and AMC service chairman.

“Pretty much we have a weekly meal distribution, so what that looks like is we get packages from Brazos Valley Food Bank, and then those packages have some great produce that a lot of these families have said they typically wouldn’t have,” Neuhoff said. “It can be anywhere from black beans, to potatoes, to cantaloupe, to apples — things like that.”

After talking with Eastep, REACH founder and CEO Max Gerall said he realized Eastep needed more than food, so the REACH Project took things a step further to try and meet his housing needs. “[We told him] we’d work with [him] to find an apartment, but we’d have to get into an apartment, we would pay for it for six months and if we had any extra money, we’d help pay for electricity and stuff each month with you,” Gerall said. “He said that he thinks that will be exactly what he needs to get back on his feet and start changing his life.”

To accomplish this, Gerall started a GoFundMe for Eastep, which quickly spread on social media, with the campaign currently exceeding $7,000. These funds enabled REACH to begin the process of helping Eastep sign a lease. In addition, REACH met its initial fundraising goal, and extended their campaign to help cover necessary furnishings like a bed, dresser and dishes, while also hoping to pay for another six months of his lease.

Editor’s Note: At time of publication, Eastep could not be reached for comment.

the fact is that’s not true, this vaccine has been shown along with every other vaccine used against viruses, if you get this vaccine first and then you have a subsequent vaccine, like a flu vaccine, the vaccine works better,” Cirillo said. “That’s one thing that this vaccine has the ability to do is target your response so if you get another vaccine afterwards then you should have a better response and it should protect you better.”

Researchers are looking for additional enrollments that fit the criteria of the study.

They are still able to accept around 500 more individuals to participate. Medical professionals or first responders can visit their website for more information.

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OPINION

7

The Battalion | 10.1.20

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg served for 27 years on the U.S. Supreme Court at the time of her passing.

Illustration by Gabrielle Shreve — THE BATTALION

Paying tribute to RBG

Advocating for racial minorities Columnist Caleb Powell reviews Justice Ginsburg’s record on race

Opinion writer Sam Somogye reflects on the life of Justice Ginsburg Sam Somogye

A

@samsomogye

lthough I disagreed with much of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s judicial philosophy, there are few people I respect and admire more than the notorious RBG. As a Republican, I take a much different approach to the Constitution and how it should be interpreted. Nonetheless, on Sept. 18, we lost a woman of considerable stature. The country mourns this loss, Republicans and Democrats alike.

Now is the time to put party politics aside and come together as a nation to celebrate the life of an astounding individual.

Ginsburg lived a life worthy of celebration. While serving on the Supreme Court was arguably her most significant accomplishment, it was far from her only one. Some of her academic achievements include graduating first in her class from Cornell during her time as an undergrad. She then attended Harvard Law School, where she became the first female editor of the Harvard Law Review. She then transferred to Columbia Law School to be with her husband, where she was elected to be on the school’s law review and went on to graduate first in her class there, too. She accomplished this all while parenting a young daughter and looking after her husband who was battling cancer. It is worth noting that this was all achieved when the country still treated women as second class citizens.

Her academic triumphs were just the beginning. Despite her stellar academic record, no New York Law firm would hire her, solely because she was a woman. This situation led to continued life in academia, as she went on to be a professor at Rutgers University Law School. After that, she became the first female law professor at Columbia Law School to receive tenure. While she was a professor, she was also the director of the Women’s Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union. In this role, she argued before the Supreme Court six times, where she won five. Little did she know that one day she would be on the other side of the bench.

In true Ginsburg fashion, she continued to make history. She did this by serving as the second female justice and first Jewish female justice when former President Bill Clinton nominated her to the bench. Ginsburg has a long list of accomplishments while serving on the liberal bloc as a fierce advocate for women’s and LGBTQ rights. However, most of my admiration for RBG stems from her life off the bench.

If you want to find a Supreme Court Justice with starkly opposing views of the law than RBG, then look no further than Justice Antonin Scalia. Ginsburg, a justice who interpreted the Constitution as a living document, a liberal viewpoint, was dear friends with Scalia, a conservative icon. Regardless of their drastic differences when it came to interpreting the law, they were great friends. Their families spent New Years’ Eve together for years. They would antique together on vacations, shared love for the opera and even rode an elephant together. Their relationship was such an amazing example of friendship that it inspired the making of an opera.

In today’s political climate, a public friendship like Ginsburg and Scalia’s sounds like something out of a fairy tale. To think two people with extreme differences such as they had could do something as simple as have lunch together is unimaginable. If we could all act a little more like these two great justices, we would all be better for it.

Ginsburg was brilliant, fearless and nothing short of an icon. She was a legal giant on the bench. She kept attorneys on their toes and the rest of the country on the edge of their seats with each decision she made — all while sporting her iconic collars, of course.

With all the madness that has occurred in 2020 and all the losses the country has experienced, the passing of RBG was a blow unlike anything else.

However, I can’t help but think how lucky we are that fate gave us the gift of RBG and the legacy she left behind. We all owe her a great deal.

The tragic passing of this icon leaves me left with one final word: Here.

Sam Somogye is a political science senior and opinion writer for The Battalion.

Caleb Powell

O

@calebpowell23

n Sept. 18, America lost one of its greatest icons — Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. An ardent champion for women’s rights, many like President Bill Clinton lauded Ginsburg as the “Thurgood Marshall of gender equality law.” History will remember Ginsburg for defending women’s rights, but she also has a lesser-known history regarding racial justice.

Ginsburg dedicated much of her career as a lawyer to the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project. However, some of her work overlapped with racial justice issues. For example, in 1973, Ginsburg and the other Women’s Rights Project cofounder, Brenda Fiegen, represented Nial Ruth Cox in a federal lawsuit. Cox was a Black woman who was forcibly sterilized by a state-run eugenics program in North Carolina and sought to declare the program unconstitutional.

While the court declared the case moot since the program was no longer in effect, the Cox case displays how Ginsburg’s advocacy for women simultaneously affected people of color.

Similarly, in 1977, Ginsburg co-authored an amicus brief for the Supreme Court case Coker v. Georgia opposing the death penalty in sexual assault cases.

Ginsburg argued that courts disproportionately applied capital punishment to Black men raping white women. Moreover, she asserted this policy treated women as property and painted Black men as threats to society. The Supreme Court ultimately did not include Ginsburg’s arguments revolving around race in their decision. However, the amicus brief displays Ginsburg’s willingness to defend men and women of color equally.

Although she advocated for racial equality as a lawyer, Ginsburg had a more significant effect as a Supreme Court justice. Most notably, she defended the Voting Rights Act, or VRA, of 1965 in the 2013 Supreme Court Case Shelby County v. Holder. The court voted 5-4 to remove independent oversight for states with a history of suppressing minorities’ votes.

In her dissent, she pointed to a 1927

Texas law barring Black people from voting in primaries. While it was struck down, Texas “reenacted” the law with minor alterations in 1944. Ginsburg made evident the struggle for equal voting rights is ongoing, and some states will continually attempt to prevent racial minorities from voting.

In the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial race, the Associated Press reported then-Secretary of State Brian Kemp’s exact match verification process left 53,000 voters with a pending status.

Almost 70 percent of those voters were Black even though they make up about a third of the state’s population. In retrospect, Ginsburg was right in arguing the VRA is a necessary step in protecting racial minorities’ suffrage.

However, while Ginsburg has a rich history of defending racial equality, she has also made some missteps. When Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the national anthem at NFL games, Ginsburg said the protests were “dumb and disrespectful.” While she subsequently apologized, Ginsburg’s “dismissive and harsh” comments displayed a lack of tacit knowledge regarding race in America.

What is most disappointing about Ginsburg’s record on race is that she mostly confined it to advocacy. Ginsburg significantly advanced women’s rights in several substantive ways. In contrast, the Cox case, amicus brief and VRA rollback indicate Ginsburg was less influential in promoting racial equality. However, her shortcomings do not define her legacy on race relations in America.

Ginsburg cited Justice Hughs in 1936 when she said her advocacy would hopefully reach “the intelligence of a future day.” While Ginsburg may have been less influential on racial justice issues, her dissenting voice never ceased to defend Black, Latino and other oppressed Americans.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg may have passed on, but her legacy will continue to inspire many to fight for equality in every aspect of our lives. If anything, her record on race shows that change starts with advocacy. It is our job to honor her work and make America a better place for all marginalized groups.

Caleb Powell is a biomedical engineering sophomore and columnist for The Battalion.

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NEWS

8

The Battalion | 10.1.20

Via PBS News Hour YouTube

Republican nominee President Donald Trump and democratic nominee former Vice President Joe Biden participated in the first 2020 presidential debate on Sept. 29.

First 2020 Presidential Debate recap Trump, Biden clash over current issues facing Americans last Tuesday

By Grace Carter @gracercarter The first presidential debate of 2020 was highly anticipated after an unprecedented six months. In the first debate of three, former Vice President and Democratic candidate Joe Biden faced Republican candidate President Donald Trump.

The debate was hosted at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio on Tuesday, Sept. 29. Moderator Chris Wallace had his hands full with the two candidates as he posed questions concerning the five main points discussed below.

CANDIDATES’ RECORDS Trump began by listing his administration’s successes, adding that he will have appointed 300 judges by the end of his term. Biden responded that under Trump, the nation has become more divided.

Regarding climate change, Trump said he wants clean air and clean water, and he said leaving the “disastrous” Paris Agreement was necessary. Trump further called for better forest management, which he said would help prevent future forest fires like the ones currently burning in California. Biden said as president he would make the federal fleet electric and weatherize four million buildings.

Additionally, he said his green infrastructure will create many jobs, and he will rejoin the Paris Agreement.

SUPREME COURT Trump said he has a respected and well-educated justice lined up to be confirmed to the Supreme Court in Judge Amy Coney Barrett, and continued to say he has the right to appoint her because it is within his fouryear term. Biden said he is not opposed to the selected justice, but believes confirming a new justice before the election is not appropriate.

When asked if he would “pack the court,” Biden did not respond with a clear answer.

The Supreme Court will hear a case one week after the election about the fate of Obamacare. Trump said he would like to end Obamacare because, “no matter how well run, it is a disaster.” Additionally, Trump said drug prices will come down if he is re-elected.

Biden refuted these claims and responded that Trump has no plan for healthcare.

COVID-19 Biden said Trump has no plan to address the coronavirus moving forward, and that Trump’s decision to refrain from telling the public about the severity of the virus was not to avoid public panic, but because Trump was panicking himself. Biden continued and said there is a need for government funding so schools and businesses can safely reopen.

Trump said his closing of the country early, something Biden disagreed with at the time, saved many lives. He said Biden could not have performed as well as him in addressing the pandemic, and recalled Biden’s leadership during the swine flu, which killed at least 14,000 Americans. To date, COVID-19 has

killed over 200,000 Americans.

Regarding a coronavirus vaccine, Trump said it is a “very political thing” and could happen quicker than we think. Additionally, he said Biden wants to keep the country shut down, which would hurt the economy more.

Biden said he wants to reopen once the U.S. has the proper funding. The coronavirus topic concluded on the discussion of how each candidate has campaigned. Trump said he has had no issues with his rallies, many of which he said are held outdoors, though Biden said Trump has been irresponsible in holding largely populated events without proper COVID-19 precautions.

ECONOMY Trump said leading up to the coronavirus, he built “the greatest economy.” He said Biden wants to shut the country down again, which “will destroy the country” and said it’s unfair to those states who remain unopened.

Biden responded and said the rich, like Trump, have “done well,” but those in small towns are not experiencing the same success.

He said Trump cannot fix the economy until he fixes the coronavirus. Biden cited the net job loss that has occurred during Trump’s term as the reason the Trump administration has negatively affected the economy. Trump responded to Biden by saying if Biden was in office things would be much worse.

On education amid the pandemic, Biden said schools aren’t open due to a lack of funding, as it does not fall under the national emergency umbrella. Trump responded plainly, saying Americans want the country to be open again.

RACISM & CIVIL UNREST Biden said he has never walked away from the values that contribute to ending racism, but Trump has. He said Trump throws the military and tear gas into peaceful protest, and tries to generate race division. He said Trump’s actions in office have been detrimental for the Black community. Trump responded by saying Biden called Black Americans “super predators” in 1994. Trump said Biden has no law enforcement support and will not address law and order because he would lose the radical left. At one point during this segment, Wallace asked Trump to disavow white supremacists to which Trump replied “stand back and stand by.”

If elected, Biden said he will call together groups to work toward transparency and accountability. In answering the question of why he recently attempted to end racial sensitivity training, Trump said the programs were racist themselves and are teaching “radical lessons.” Biden responded that individuals need to be aware of what is insensitive in order to defeat racism. Biden said he supports the police, but they need more assistance so they don’t feel the need to use force. Regarding protests turning violent in several cities, Biden said he does not currently hold office, but he has made clear that violence should be prosecuted. Trump responded that he wants to see peace.

A Vice Presidential Debate will be held on Oct. 7 between Democratic nominee for Vice President Senator Kamala Harris and Republican nominee Vice President Mike Pence.

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