Issue 10 | Volume 101

The Official Student Newspaper of Georgia College

Discriminatory hiring practices

Paige Blakemore Staff Writer

Arthur Grand Technologies, an IT service firm based in Ashburn, Virginia, is under fire for a recent job listing posted on the hiring website Indeed.

The listing said only white applicants will be considered for the position but that this information was not to be shared with prospective employees.

“Only Born US Citizens [White] who are local within 60 miles from Dallas, TX [Don’t

share with candidates],” the listing said.

Although the company did not immediately respond, Arthur Grand has since removed the job posting and released a statement on the issue via a follow-up LinkedIn post.

“At Arthur Grand, we

do not condone or engage in any type of discrimination based on race, color or religion,” the company said. “We conducted an investigation and discovered that a new junior recruiter at our firm was responsible for the offending posting. We have taken imme-

diate action and terminated their employment for violating our policy.”

The LinkedIn post was later removed and replaced with another explanation.

“A former employee took an existing posting and added discriminatory language, then repost-

ed it through his own account,” the company said. “The moment this was brought to our attention, we worked with the job portal to remove this offensive job posting.”

See HIRING | Page 4

DRAG RETURNS TO MILLEDGEVILLE: GC’S PRIDE ALLIANCE HOLDS SEMI-ANNUAL SHOW AT BUFFINGTON’S

Jennifer Crider

A&L Editor

On April 13, the GC Pride Alliance hosted the semi-annual drag show at downtown Milledgeville restaurant Buffingtons.

“The energy was very good,” said Lily Murphy, junior mass communication major and Pride Alliance treasurer. “Everybody listened. It was a good crowd. It was a good tipping night, which I know, in the past, has been a problem.”

There were performances from five students, as well as performances from three professional drag queens from the Macon drag group The Tribe.

“This year, we actually had an even split between the drag queens and drag kings,” Murphy said.

“There was four student drag kings, and there were three professional drag queens, and one student drag queen, which, as far as I am aware of, that is the first time I’ve seen that happen.”

Caleb Rogers, freshman biology and Spanish double major, discovered his love for drag through participating in these shows.

“I was interested in drag in high school, but I had never done it before the show last semester,” Rogers said. “I was excited because I have performed on stage before with regular acting stuff. So, it was not super

KRUMDIECK STEPS DOWN AS VOLLEYBALL COACH

Owen McDaniel

Contributing Writer

After building the GC volleyball program from the ground up in 2012 and 10 diligent

seasons at the helm, head coach Gretchen Krumdieck is stepping down to pursue career opportunities in her hometown of Cincinnati.

Krumdieck spent the entirety of her first season

Parasocial celebrity bonds

And why the public went too easy on Johnny Depp

at GC recruiting girls to join the inaugural volleyball roster, a task she admits was Herculean.

“It was really tough,” Krumdieck said. It was tough to get somebody to buy in when there was nothing there before, so I give those girls a lot of credit for taking a chance.”

Krumdieck doggedly fought that uphill battle, and she was rewarded with a Division II NCAA Tournament appearance and the Peach Belt Conference Coach of the Year award in just her fifth year of coaching.

Despite enjoying her fair share of success over the years, Krumdieck says that is not what she will remember most about her time in Milledgeville.

See KRUMDIECK | Page 5

Hannah Adams

Asst. Opinion Editor

In the summer of 2022, actor Johnny Depp famously sued his ex-wife Amber Heard on grounds of defamation and slander to his name. The case, which was broadcasted live on an array of television platforms, caught national attention. People were quick to choose sides, with Heard receiving a much larger blow of backlash than Depp. The trial, which went on for almost a month, unveiled countless vial, strange and violent behaviors exhibited by both members of the couple. Despite this,

Heard was largely the one taking the brunt of public onslaught for her actions. Depp came out of the trial with a win, the public on his side and apologies from brands that had dropped him.

After a year to digress from the initial excitement and emotions of this intense trial, many are beginning to retrace

steps and reevaluate their stance. While it remains generally agreed that Heard’s actions were bad, people are beginning to turn their lenses towards Depp once more. During the trial, there were many conversations between Depp and friends that were brought to attention on the stand.

See CELEB BONDS | Page 10

Rahm takes home his first green jacket.

Biomedical plant could produce thousands of jobs

Catherine Wall Staff Writer

The Meissner Corporation recently announced that they would be building a new site in order to produce filters and conduct research in the city of Athens, Georgia.

The Meissner Corporation specializes in the biomedical field by producing and manufacturing products that help with ailments like cancer, heart disease and immune diseases. The company even helped by producing much-needed COVID-19 vaccines.

The corporation is investing more than $243 million dollars in

this new plant. There is much controversy over how beneficial this will be for Georgia — or if it even will be at all.

AP News reported that the Athens-Clarke County Commission announced that the company would be able to offer a salary of $65,000 to its future workers.

The commission said the company’s new site is needed in Athens, where poverty and a low-wage economy run rampant.

“The University of Georgia is a big economic driver,” said Mike Hamby, a commissioner in Athens-Clarke County. “What we need is other economic drivers.”

The new site will

-Annabel

be able to offer more than 1800 jobs by 2031.

Some argue that bringing jobs of this magnitude could help solve the housing and wage inequality in Athens-Clarke County, which has struggled economically for several decades.

Furthermore, some point out that having this company in Georgia will help boost the state’s profile in the biosciences, especially with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention already existing in Atlanta. Georgia is already one of the nation’s leading bioscience states, and a new site for Meissner Corporation will only add to Georgia’s prestige in the field.

The company added that, while building its site in Athens, it will work on forming partnerships with the Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Georgia and Athens Technical College, with potential

internships and other opportunities for students at the new facility.

GC students have differing opinions on Meissner Corporation’s new biomedical facility and the potential collaborations between the corporation and local universities.

“I think that having local opportunities for college students, such as the ones that could be offered through this facility, will encourage students to apply their studies in internships and future jobs with the company,” said Emma Laprade, a freshman nursing major.

Second chances behind bars

“I support it because if it gives people jobs, I don’t really see a downside to it,” said Annabel Hirst, a freshman language major.

Other GC students feel differently.

“I believe that the increased availability of biomedical sources, such as The Meissner Corporation, is critical not only in the recovery of these widespread ailments, but they could possibly delve into preventative measures for these as well,” said Grace Cote, junior biology major.

Right now, America is experiencing a dire

shortage of medical supplies and medicines.

Just recently, there has been a massive shortage of amoxicillin, which is used to treat strep throat..

“Also, Meissner Corporation helped to produce COVID-19 vaccines, and honestly, with new strands emerging, I think it’s good they’re building another site,” Cote said.

It will take time for residents to reach a verdict on the facility’s efficacy, as operations will begin in 2026 and are expected to reach the company’s goals by the early 2030s.

Inmates in Henry County graduated with certificates in welding and other skills

Kate Verity Contributing Writer

In Henry County, Georgia, a new program is helping to provide inmates with the skills needed to enter the workforce after they are released from incarceration. In late March, six inmates graduated with certificates that will make it significantly easier for them to get jobs after serving their sentences. After completing the 100-hour-long program, each inmate was awarded with certifications in welding, forklift operation, CPR and other technical skills.

The main goal of this program is to work to reduce recidivism. Recidivism is a term that refers to the tendency of those who have entered the prison system once to “relapse” or re-offend, thus reentering the prison system shortly after each time they are released. This program aims to keep current Henry County inmates from becoming repeat offenders after serving their current sentences.

From 2008 to 2018, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics conducted a study to investigate

whether former prisoners would re-offend.

The study, led by Dr. Leonardo Antenangeli and Matthew R. Durose, followed released prisoners over the course of a 10-year period.

“Among persons released from state prisons in 2008 across 24 states, 82% were arrested at least once during the 10 years following release,” Antenangeli and Durose said. “The annual arrest percentage declined over time, with 43% of prisoners arrest-

ed at least once in Year 1 of their release, 29% arrested in Year 5, and 22% arrested in Year 10.”

The program in Henry County aims to address this trend. The idea is

have been able to make good use of their time behind bars to better prepare for their futures.

Inmates who have been charged with misdemeanors are eligible

ty wants to change lives with this program.

“The overall goal is to stop someone from a life of crime because that’s all that they know,” Scandrett said.

mand. The Henry County Jail is both decreasing the number of individuals cycling through the prison system and working to add to the local workforce by producing more working individuals with a specific skill set.

Senior political science major Tristan Hooper sees this program as beneficial.

“I think it sounds like a great idea,” Hooper said. “It’s shown — that prisoners, oftentimes when they get out, they struggle to find work. So, if they’re able to find a way to advance their career, even while they’re in detainment, I think that that’s good for everyone.”

that if inmates are taught technical skills, they are going to have an easier time landing a job once they are no longer incarcerated. The opportunity to participate in this kind of program is something that these inmates would have been unlikely, or unable, to pursue on their own. However, they

to fill out an application to enroll in the program.

The Henry County Sheriff’s Office partnered with WorkSource Atlanta Regional in 2022 to implement this program.

Henry County Sheriff Reginald Scandrett spoke with 11Alive in late March. He told them that Henry Coun-

“If we can input some additional knowledge and education, we can change one life at a time.”

In addition to changing the lives of these individual prisoners, this program helps to increase the skill set of the American workforce. Technical skills, such as welding, are in high de-

This program has proved successful so far, and more inmates have been working on completing this program. If these sorts of programs increased in popularity in prison systems across the state and the country, it could put a significant dent in the recidivism problem America faces. Providing those who have struggled in life with the skills and opportunities to pick themselves up increases the likelihood that they will turn their lives around for the better.

Hirst

I support it because if it gives people jobs, I do not really see a downside to it

Courtesy of The Associated Press

Claire O’Neill | Art Director

Trigger warnings in college classes

Rebecca Meghani News Editor

The administration at Cornell University recently rejected a proposal to require faculty to provide trigger warnings to students on class content that may be considered graphic or traumatic.

Claire Ting and Shelby Williams, representatives of the university’s student assembly, submitted a proposal, titled Resolution SA 31, describing their goal to require instructors to provide a notice to students and refrain from penalizing students who opt out of exposure to potentially graphic content.

The resolution was passed by the Student Assembly and sent to the administration on March 31.

The recommendation mandates warnings for topics including sexual assault, domestic violence, selfharm, suicide, child abuse, racial violence, transphobic violence, homophobic harassment and xenophobia.

The resolution explains the purpose of the warnings: to avoid triggering students with PTSD who may suffer from forms of anxiety, fear, irritability, flashbacks and panic attacks.

It also outlined that, if enacted, students who chose to opt out of class due to triggering content would not be penalized, contingent on their responsibility to make

HIRING

Continued from page 1

Additionally, in the days following the incident, Arthur Grand referred to itself as a minority-owned company.

According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, it is illegal to publish a job posting that uses race to differentiate applicants.

This job posting has sparked a conversation about discriminatory hiring practices, including topics of systematic racism and people of color being dismissed when saying that lack of diversity is a pipeline problem.

A recent study conducted by the business website Gitnux found that more than 60% of U.S. employees reported experiencing

up any missed content.

In early April, the university’s administrators responded to students’ pleas for change.

“We cannot accept this resolution, as the actions it recommends would infringe on our core commitment to academic freedom and freedom of inquiry, and are at odds with the goals of a Cornell education,” the administrators said.

In response to the denial, Claire Ting, representative for the School of Industrial and Labor Relations and Student Assembly member, explained her thoughts.

“I agree with the core of what she addresses

or witnessing workplace discrimination.

Inequitable hiring in the U.S. is rooted in systematic racism and only increases the Black-white wealth gap.

These practices, such as simply having a “Black name,” can affect prospective employees as early as the application process.

The National Fund for Workplace Solutions reports that just 20% of Fortune 500 companies account for half of the hiring discrimination in the U.S.

While Western societies have fought to make improvements, such as through the Civil Rights Movement, progressive steps still seem insufficient to enact real, lasting change.

Priya Hemphill, a se-

in terms of academic freedom and learning to engage with challenging material, I think that we’re very much on the same page there,” Ting said. “At the same time,

I also believe that we are both individuals who seek for a better Cornell community — trying

Post and other high-profile media outlets.

It was also inspired by a student’s recent experience studying, in graphic detail, the Rape of Nanking, where soldiers committed atrocious human rights abuses against captured Chinese civilians, af-

in a letter to its incoming freshman class.

“Our commitment to academic freedom means that we do not support so-called ‘trigger warnings,’ we do not cancel invited speakers because their topics might prove controversial, and we do not condone the creation

that more than half of the sample have used trigger warnings to avoid triggering students with potentially upsetting material.

Of those who had used trigger warnings, 64.7% chose to implement the cautionary messages without request from students or administration.

Many institutions, like UC Berkeley, choose to use their syllabi to warn students of potentially triggering topics.

“Conflict is an inherent, and good, part of a university environment, but not when it impedes learning and inquiry,” said university administrators at UC Berkeley. “Of course, instructors cannot hope to foresee all possible areas of conflict, but they can come prepared with strategies for generating good discussions.”

Evelyn Evan, a freshman history major at GC, discussed the topic of trigger warnings in college classes.

to make the environment better for Cornell students so that we can produce the next generation’s leaders — and in doing so we must serve the needs of our [student] communities.”

Ting said the resolution was written in light of the issue’s mischaracterization by Fox News, The New York

nior theatre major at GC on the verge of entering the workforce, shared her concerns as a young Black woman.

“I think I have been more hesitant to apply for jobs outside of At-

ter experiencing sexual assault themselves.

Cornell President Martha Pollack and Provost Michael Kotlikof asserted that the idea of these warnings may be “appropriate,” but might also infringe upon academic freedom.

In 2016, the University of Chicago discussed the popular topic

lanta, or places where I know race isn’t a concern,” Hemphill said. “I know that’s not a concern for my white friends. They worry more about the distance from their family or the cost of liv-

of intellectual ‘safe spaces’ where individuals can retreat from ideas and perspectives at odds with their own,” said John Ellison, Dean of Students at University of Chicago.

A 2016 NPR poll asked 800 professors across the country about their use of trigger warnings in the classroom.

The results showed

ing, whereas I have to worry about if they are going to be racist to me.”

Hemphill went on to explain the realizations she hopes employers have in the future.

“There are less, and dif-

“I think trigger warnings can be a good thing because, for some people, certain topics can trigger PTSD,” Evan said. “Just like a brief warning, I don’t really see a problem with that.”

With an increase in content and trigger warnings in higher education throughout the country, the debate surrounding the matter is set to continue.

ferent, opportunities for minorities than there are white people,” Hemphill said. “There are many more things to consider before race or gender when hiring someone.”

Claire O’Neill | Art Director

Continued from page 1

“All the girls have been awesome,” Krumdieck said. “Just funny things that happened on the bus, like all those little things. You don’t remember the wins and losses, but just the times you spent with them.”

Senior setter Emily Long, who has spent four seasons with Krumdieck, recalled the annual Halloween practices as some of her favorite memories with her coach.

“I remember, one year, she came in on a little scooter playing some kind of song, and it was really funny,” Long said. “We were all standing out there already, and we were like, ‘Where’s

coach?’ and then we hear this music, and she just comes out scootering around on the court.”

Callie Miller, a junior outside hitter, remembered fondly that during the Friday practices Krumdieck would try to liven up with music and intrasquad scrimmages.

“When we would have Friday practices, she would always bring out the music, we would get to play (against) each other and it would just be a fun Friday,” Miller said.

Although freshman libero Alanis Bernis only played under Krumdieck for one season, she believes Krumdieck has made a lasting impact on her.

“She will always have a place in my heart that no other coach will

have,” Bernis said. “I’ve had a million coaches, but she was my first college coach, she gave me my first experience, and I think I’m going to compare everyone else to her now because she was good to me, she was good to us.”

One thing that all three players agreed on was that one of Krumdieck’s best qualities that set her apart from other coaches was her genuine, caring heart for her players. She always saw her players as humans first, rather than just athletes that only need to focus on their physical performance.

“She always cares about what’s going on outside of our athletic lives,” Long said. “She always wants to make sure our academics are

good, our social lives are good and we are okay emotionally and mentally, not just physically.”

Krumdieck believes that, going forward, the key to the volleyball program continuing to have success is both bringing in the right coach, which she firmly believes the college will do, and recruiting more and more talent.

“I think the school is easy to recruit to,” Krumdieck said. “It has high academics. It fits a volleyball student athlete perfectly, so I think as long as you keep recruiting to that, the sky’s the limit,” Krumdieck said.

Krumdieck will be pursuing a career opportunity in fundraising and event planning at her high school alma mater,

Jon Rahm wins his first green jacket

Drew Bogumill

Staff Writer

The 87th edition of the Masters Tournament has concluded, and Jon Rahm took home the green jacket after beating out Brooks Koepka by four strokes.

Right out the gate, Rahm and Koepka were going at it, along

with Viktor Hovland. All three were tied for the lead after round one at 7-under-par.

The other big news of day one was Tiger Woods shooting a 74. Woods went into the tournament having made the cut 22 consecutive times.

Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 golfer in the world, had a solid start to the tournament. Even with

his trouble on the greens, Scheffler still posted a 68, putting him only three strokes behind the lead.

Round two was all Koepka, as he continued his stellar performance while also managing to finish before the bad weather came in and halted play.

After two trees fell and inclement weather suspended play on

Friday afternoon, it resumed Saturday, meaning several groups had to stretch their 18 holes over two days.

As Koepka sat comfortably in the clubhouse, Rahm did his best to close the gap on the leaderboard. Rahm had a topsy-turvy final four holes, as he went birdie-bogey-birdie-bogey on 15, 16, 17 and 18. He finished the day at 10-under par through 36 holes, in sole possession of second place.

Woods made the cut for a record 23rd consecutive Masters’ cut, tying Gary Player and Fred Couples.

The bad weather continued during round three, suspending play again. Koepka was 13-under par through six holes, Rahm was second at 9-under par and amateur Sam Bennett was in third at 6-under par.

GC softball takes on No. 1 UNG

Emily Henderson

Staff Writer

GC Softball hosted former Peach Belt Conference champion the University of North Georgia in a three-game series on April 15 and 16. This series also featured the Bobcats’ Senior Day celebrations.

GC softball honored four seniors, as they played their last weekend home series of their careers.

Game one of the series started a little cold for the Bobcats, as the Nighthawks started out hot. The Bobcats got two quick outs to start the inning before a couple errors, walks and a triple scored three runs for the Nighthawks.

The second inning started with a UNG home run followed by an easy out to end the top of the inning.

The Bobcats first five batters reached. The inning started with soph-

omore Devina Checo getting hit by a pitch. Mackenzie Martian then singled to right field, and a walk that loaded the bases followed.

Three singles drove in the first three runs for the Bobcats. With the bases still loaded, Jessica Owens hit a ball deep to left center field, leaving the park for a grand slam and making the score 7-4 for the Bobcats.

Again, in the fourth, the Nighthawks showed off their bats. A leadoff double along with another double and single put up two more runs for UNG, cutting the Bobcats lead to just one run. GC was not as fortunate in their half of the inning, leaving a runner on after a groundout to the pitcher and two strikeouts to end the inning.

After an uneventful fifth and sixth inning, the seventh inning rolled around. A leadoff double by UNG started their

rally to take the lead. The Nighthawks produced four runs off four late-inning hits. The Bobcats failed to respond, having a quick three up, three down inning to finish the game, losing 10-7.

“The first game, I thought our hitting and pitching was great, but obviously, our defense slacked a little bit,” said senior infielder Montana Ledbetter. “When we had runners on, we were able to execute, which shows with the numbers we were able to put up. We hit to win but just came up short.”

The Bobcats tried to push back from this late-inning loss but could not come close to a win in the following two games.

Game two of the series was a slow game for the Bobcats, only producing one hit, in the bottom of the seventh. UNG produced six runs off of six hits, including a three-run home run

where she will also coach volleyball. The GC community and volleyball program in particular

will certainly miss her, but the legacy she is leaving behind will live on here for years to come.

After two days of bad weather, the 87th Masters resumed Sunday under sunny and dry conditions, with golfers completing the third round in the morning before starting the fourth and final round in the afternoon.

“I thought Brooks Koepka was going to win at the start of the tournament,” said senior business management major Jakob Flores. “He was playing great until Sunday, and then he just choked the whole thing away.”

Rahm, who entered the final round trailing Koepka by two strokes, shot a 3-under-par 69 in the final round to finish 12 under par for the tournament and claim his first green jacket. It is Rahm’s second major tournament victory; he won the U.S. Open in 2021.

“The Masters is so

special because of the beautiful scenery of the legendary Augusta National golf course,” said former GC golfer Luke Ninneman. “I’ve been watching The Masters since I was a kid, and the special feeling it gives me never goes away.”

“I got to go to a practice round once with my dad when I was younger,” said junior marketing major Jackson Kiser. “The whole experience was surreal. I recommend everyone go at least once in their lives.”

The Masters is, without a doubt, a very special golf tournament, and Rahm has officially marked his name in the history books. He now just needs to win the PGA Championship and the Open Championship to complete his Grand Slam.

in the top of the third.

The Bobcats started the final game of the season strong, tallying multiple hits in the early innings of the game. GC struck first in the fourth after a single by Stephanie Condland.

UNG, however, hit two home runs the following inning, and the Bobcats never recovered. The Nighthawks drove in two more runs, ending the game 4-1.

While the Bobcats were swept, they played fairly well against this highly ranked team. UNG is not only currently ranked No. 1 in the PBC but also nationally ranked No. 1 in all of Division II softball.

“Playing this well just reiterates that what we are doing works,” said head coach Jamie Grodecki. “We just have to keep fighting. If we reduced the mistakes, we might have won that first game. We were in the game. We

were right there. When you are right there, it’s going to take one or two things going your way to just keep it rolling.”

Despite the loss, the crowd was still excited to honor four seniors: Montana Ledbetter, Lauren Sommerer, Ashley Schell and Katelyn Hobbs.

“It feels really innocent to be playing this game,” Sommerer said. “You have your whole family there, like when you used to play rec ball, when your whole family could always be there. Since you’re so far

away from home, you get this sense of home spirit and innocence. It is also just fun to come out here and play the game you love with the seniors you have been here with for four years.”

These four seniors, along with the rest of GC softball, have three more home games this season, all against Georgia Southwestern. Game one will be held on April 24 at 3:00 p.m., and games two and three will be played April 25 at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Courtesy of GC Athletics

Former head coach Gretchen Krumdieck

Two-time major golf champion Jon Rahm.

Marissa Marcolina | Digital Media Editor Junior pitcher Shelby Jones fires a pitch to the plate versus No. 1 North Georgia.

Owens takes Bobcat Athlete of the Week

Christian Castillo Staff Writer

Bobcat Softball grabbed a PBC series win against Augusta — with offensive fireworks. These fireworks included senior first baseman Jessica Owens adding the rare feat of hitting a cycle to her list of career accomplishments, as well as a crucial game-three grand slam.

In game one, Owens became the first GC softball player in recent memory to hit a cycle, meaning she hit a single, a double, a triple and a home run all in the same game. On five at bats, Owens recorded four historic hits, which resulted in a total of seven RBI and her scoring two runs. Owens completely took over in game

one, with involvement in nine of GC’s 10 runs.

GC won game one 10-6, lost game two 7-3 and won game three 7-6. Over the span of

In game three, both teams had the bats cracking during an explosive third inning, which ended with a GC leading 6-5. Two early-inning

for a grand slam, sending three of her teammates home before her.

“I feel like I have had a very successful season so far,” Owens said. “I have

was fortunate enough to be able to hit for the cycle, and that is something many of them will never do. It’s rare. No other GC softball player has done

competitive, and I always want to win,” Owens said. “I also want to be the best at what I am doing. When I decide I am going to do something, I put everything that I have into it. I’m an all or nothing type of person. You either get 100% of me, or you get nothing. When I see my dedication paying off, it makes me want to do more, give more and attain more. The high of success is something I am always chasing.”

the series, Owens went 5-12 at the plate, being responsible for 11 RBI and scoring four runs. Owens also recorded perfect stats on the field in all three games.

hits and a walk resulted in the Bobcats having the bases loaded when Owens stepped up to the plate. This proved to be bad news for Augusta, as Owens went

played extremely well, and it has been recognized by both the school and the Peach Belt. There are players in the conference with stats that are better than mine, but I

it in recent history. I feel like that alone speaks to what I am capable of.”

Owens pinpointed her competitive edge as her main motivation.

“I am unbelievably

NBA begins highly competitive playoff

Bruce Smith Staff Writer

The NBA regular season came to an end on April 9. This season was one to remember, and with the playoffs starting on April 15, fans are sure to have even more excitement over the next two months.

The playoffs are divided into two sides, the Eastern and Western Conferences.

The East is headlined by the 2021 champions, the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Bucks went an impressive 58-24 in the regular season and are led by star forward and former MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Although the Bucks are the clear favorite in the East, the two-seed Boston Celtics have had an impressive year so far and are backed by superstar talent in Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.

“The Celtics are, for sure, winning the championship this year,” said Joshua Hammond. “I’ve been a Celtics fan for most of my life, and I feel very confident in this year’s team and know we will make some noise in June.”

After losing in the championship last year, the Celtics are out for revenge and are definitely a team looking

to make a long run.

In the West, the Denver Nuggets are the headline team after going 5329 in the regular season.

The Nuggets are a large team backed by last year’s MVP, Nikola Jokić.

Jokić had another impressive year this season, averaging 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds and 9.8 assists per game.

Even though the Nuggets are the one-seed, everyone is talking about last year’s champions, the Golden State Warriors.

The six-seed Warriors had a quiet season, going 44-38.

However, star guards Steph Curry and Klay Thompson have some of the most experience in the playoffs and are sure to have their squad ready for whoever they are matched up against.

“I feel like the Warriors could be the oneseed or the eight-seed

and everyone would pick them to win,” said sophomore Austin Sloan, a GC basketball player. “I guess it’s just the Steph Curry effect, and no matter what team he is on, you always have to give them a chance.”

The Western Conference is packed with star teams and star players and has the potential for some crazy upsets.

Another team to

The senior craves competition, wins and success, which she displays with her play.

These qualities made her the X-factor against Augusta and are sure to lead to more impressive performances.

look out for is Georgia’s own Atlanta Hawks.

The Hawks are the seven-seed in the Eastern Conference and have a really tough road if they want to make it to the NBA Finals this year.

“I would love nothing more than for the Hawks to win the championship this year,” said Will Thomas. “However, I think we stand little to no chance of even

making it out of the first round, but I will still cheer them on proudly.”

The Hawks will most likely be the underdog in every game they play in these playoffs, so if they do make it far, it would be one great Cinderella story for the city of Atlanta.

The NBA Playoffs officially kicked off on April 15. Games are broadcast on ABC, ESPN, NBA TV and TNT.

Courtesy of GC Athletics

-Joshua Hammond

I’ve been a Celtics fan for most of my life, and I feel very confident in this year’s team and know we will make some noise in June.

DRAG SHOW

Continued from page 1 Rogers, who is also known as the drag queen “Tina,” has become a crowd favorite at the past two shows.

“The name ‘Tina’ came from my first day of college,” Rogers said. “There was a hypnotist show the first night that I was here, and I volunteered to go on stage. One of the things the hypnotist made us do was make our own superhero. The first name I thought of was ‘Tina.’”

Through drag, Rogers has developed a sense of community along with more con-

fidence within his abilities as a performer.

“The other queens were helpful when I had to change costumes for the show,” Rogers said. “They helped me out when I needed help. At the end, there was that whole thing when we all got up on stage, and I liked the support that everyone gave. I needed it. I needed some motivation and inspiration.”

The preparation for these types of shows is quite extensive for the queens, with them having to focus on perfecting not only their dance moves but also their hair, makeup, costumes and nails.

“From start to finish, for rigorously planning, three weeks ahead of time, planning out when I was going to practice with nails on,” Rogers said. “The actual day of, it took me three hours: two for makeup and one to get dressed and do my hair. It took me about 10 minutes to take off later that night.”

Although this show has been a GC tradition since the early 2000s, it did not always take place in Buffingtons.

“It was changed over to Buffingtons in either 2010 or 2012,” Murphy said. “It was usually at Russell or Peabody Auditorium or Magnolia.

But a student that had already been performing drag outside of GC thought it would be cool to do a community show, and the drag queens can actually go into the crowd at Buffs. We’ve held it there ever since.”

Cale’s cinema critiques: “Air”

Each semester, this experience unifies GC students and the local community through a night filled with costumes and dancing.

“It was really fun,” said Collin Zabroske, senior mass commu-

nication major. “It felt really nice to be in a queer environment because GC lacks that, so it is nice when it actually happens. The vibe was inclusive and accepting. I felt free to be myself.”

Note: If you are unfamiliar with the story of Jordan Brand, be warned; this article contains spoilers for “Air.”

Cale Strickland

Managing Editor

If you are a fan of Ben Affleck, as I am, you will know he is a Boston guy. Yet, 25 years after he and his best friend, Matt Damon, made “Good Will Hunting” together, he has ditched his Boston Celtics fandom — just for a brief moment — to make a movie about the man who picked them apart for more than a decade: Michael Jordan.

But “Air,” Affleck’s latest directorial effort, is far from standard sports-drama fare. This is a movie about Nike’s efforts to, through the design of the Air Jordan 1, recruit Jordan and subsequently save the company’s struggling basketball division. Yet, ironically, Jordan is, barring a couple of scenes, absent from the film. On the rare occasion we do see him, he is shot from behind. We never see his face — be-

cause this is not a movie about Jordan; it is a movie about his mother.

Deloris Jordan, played by Viola Davis, was the architect of her son’s financial success. And as Affleck’s film, and Davis’s powerhouse performance, makes clear, that was the result of her steadfast belief in her son’s worth. Instead of accepting Nike’s run-ofthe-mill offer matched by brand rivals Adidas and Converse, she pushed for her son to receive a piece of the profits generated by each pair of Air Jordans sold, a deal which makes her son hundreds of millions of dollars every single year.

Exploring Deloris Jordan’s efforts to set the foundation for her son’s future is not just a fresh, new perspective on the Michael Jordan story; it is timely. Across the country, more and more college athletes are, finally, beginning to be compen-

sated for their talents, the result of a decades-long struggle inspired by the Jordan family’s historic deal. Nearly 40 years later, Deloris Jordan’s ideas, that athletes create far more value for companies than companies create for athletes, is starting to catch on.

Fittingly, “Air” is also the first film produced by Artists Equity, the production company Affleck and Damon started in an effort to reshape profit distribution in the film industry and tailor the filmmaking process to the interests of creatives, not studio executives.

You can feel Affleck and Damon’s fingerprints all over the film. Aside from Deloris Jordan and Nike Basketball talent scout Sonny Vaccaro, played by Damon, soft-spoken designer Peter Moore, played by Matthew Maher, is the story’s hero. Of course, any pair of shoes Mi-

chael Jordan stepped into would, by the pedigree of his name alone, have been special, but it was Moore’s colorful, revolutionary silhouette that would grab the attention of teenagers wandering the country’s malls. Sure, Vaccaro and the rest of Nike Basketball’s executives had to stretch the department’s budget to create afford the deal — Vaccaro promised the Jordan family Nike would pay the fines Jordan would receive for wearing shoes “too colorful” for the NBA’s taste — but the Air Jordan 1 is a direct product of Moore’s mind.

Of course, as unconventional as Affleck’s film is, there is one glaring aspect undermining its underdog story: The film was financed, at least in part, by Amazon. It is hard to keep a straight face and call “Air” a shining example of people-over-profits

filmmaking when it was paid for by the labor of warehouse workers barred from unionizing, bathroom breaks and livable wages.

But, if you can check your reservations at the auditorium’s doors, “Air” is a perfect choice for a night out at the movies. It has a star-studded cast: Affleck, Damon, Davis, Jason Bateman, Chris Tucker and Marlon

Wayans. It is well-made. You will laugh. You will cry. You will leave with a smile on your face. It is a feel-good story about one of the greatest — if not the greatest — American athletes of all-time. I, a diehard LeBron James fan, dug it. And if that is not a glowing recommendation, I am not sure what is.

Anjali Shenoy | Digital Editor Caleb Rogers as ‘Tina’ at this years drag show

Anjali Shenoy | Digital Editor

College students experiencing bad concert etiquette

Kylie Rowe Contributing Writer

Attending a live concert can be an amazing experience, but it can quickly turn sour if you encounter people with bad concert etiquette. These individuals can ruin the atmosphere for everyone else and even create safety hazards.

With the rise of TikTok and other forms of live streaming, concerts can become another atmosphere for people to make viral content. This can be very disruptive for other people in the audience when people are taking up space and doing abnormal things to get views.

One of the more wellknown examples can be seen on half of the TikToks you see of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour: con-

cert proposals. Many people’s love of Taylor Swift translated into their partners proposing to them during the concert, but not everyone is so thrilled about this.

Grace Arnold, a sophomore graphic design

ing access to technology, this is, seemingly, unavoidable. However, LiveAbout, an entertainment reporting website, suggests being more respectful of those around you when recording or photographing.

“You may be distracting the artist or other concertgoers with your bright screen and obtrusive lens,” LiveAbout said.

Another example of frustrating concert etiquette is talking loudly or engaging in other disruptive behaviors during the performance.

it difficult for others to enjoy the show, but it can also create safety hazards.

“You may think you’re just having a good time, but your actions can lead to injury,” said ConcertHotels, a website for finding hotels near concert venues.

In 2019, a concertgoer was injured during a Lil Uzi Vert concert in Atlanta, Georgia, due to shoving and overcrowding. The woman suffered a broken ankle and was transported to the hospital for treatment.

and was exacerbated by a lack of security personnel and barriers. The incident raised concerns about the safety of overcrowded concerts and the need for venues to have proper safety protocols in place to prevent injury.

GC students have the opportunity to go to concerts held by downtown businesses and GC itself. So far there have been no formal reports of bad concert etiquette, but students should still be aware of proper concert etiquette.

such as Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, touring this year, there is a great risk of injuries and disrupting events happening more frequently. It is more important than ever for concertgoers to be aware of risks and mindful of their own behavior.

major and lifelong Taylor Swift fan, is attending the Eras Tour on April 28.

“Truthfully, people should have enough human decency to know that a proposal should be a special moment separate from an entire concert,” Arnold said.

Along the same lines, bad concert etiquette includes recording or photographing during the entire performance. While it can be tempting to capture the moment, this can be disruptive to those around you.

With the increas-

“People attend concerts to hear the music, not to listen to chatterboxes,” LiveAbout said.

When you are talking during a performance, not only are you disrupting the experience for those around you, but you are also, potentially, drowning out the sound of the music.

A common issue that has resulted in injury is people who are constantly moving around, pushing, shoving or just being disruptive to those around them. This type of behavior not only makes

The incident occurred during the opening act

With some of the most highly awarded artists,

Taking product placment to the next level

Bad concert etiquette can ruin the concert experience for everyone involved. Even though it is important for people to get views online or have the best view at an event, good etiquette helps provide positive experiences for everyone in attendance.

Popularity is rising among biopic films of consumer products like snacks and stuffed animals

Shaw Coggin

Staff Writer

Product origin biopics have become the new trend in Hollywood, with the releases and announcements of films like “Flamin’ Hot,” the story of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, “Blackberry,” a movie about the once-popular smartphone, and “The Beanie Bubble,” which will be about the story of the Beanie Babies

line of stuffed animals.

These films are not just any low-budget movies, though. The companies and minds behind them are putting in millions of dollars as well as getting massive names involved.

Take 2016’s McDonalds origin movie, “The Founder,” for example, which had people like Michael Keaton, Nick Offerman, Laura Dern, Linda Cardellini as well as many other big-

time actors involved.

The aforementioned “Flamin’ Hot” will be directed by actress Eva Longoria. “The Beanie Bubble” has big names attached as well, like Elizabeth Banks and Zach Galifianakis, and will be written by Emmy Award-winning writer Kristin Gore and co-directed by her and her husband, the front man of popular 2000s alternative rock band OK

Go, Damian Kulash.

Even people like Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have turned to the product origin story trend, as the first release of their new production company, Artists Equity, is a biopic about the creation of Air Jordan.

The abundance of product and business-centric movies that we have been getting lately has left many moviegoers to question the practice and compare it to the next evolution of product placement.

Josh Johnson, a sophomore finance and economics double major, thinks that the idea of giving a product an entire movie, rather than just placing it in a movie or show, is an interesting one. He also thinks that the concept is based more on advertising than storytelling .

“Anytime you can bring a product into the

film industry, it’s a best of both worlds scenario,” Johnson said. “You get those people who are brand-attached to go see your movie or tv show, then you get people who are into the movie and get them into that brand or product.”

Though these companies might be making these films to advertise their products and business, that does not mean the final product can not necessarily be considered “not good.”

“I actually watched “The Founder” on Netflix,” said Peyton Cusick, a sophomore computer science major. It was pretty interesting. I liked it. The acting was nice.”

Cusick is interested in learning about the lore behind these companies and products that have become a natural part of her day-to-day life.

Many of these films have not had much suc-

cess upon release. “The Founder,” for example, was a flop when it was first released. Since then, it has gained an audience and popularity through streaming. Recently, the film has even become one of Netflix’s most watched movies.

This situation could come into play with more recent releases like “Tetris” and “Air” which are currently not making too much of a dent in the box office or on streaming.

Kaley Parham, a sophomore philosophy major and avid movie watcher, thinks this will be the case.

“I do think those types of movies do better on streaming just because people don’t usually want to watch them in theaters,” Parham said. “Once it’s open to them on whatever streaming service they’re using, and it feels free, they’re more likely to watch it then.”

Claire O’Neil | Digital Media Editor

“Flamin’ Hot”, the snack origin story biopic, is set to release in theaters this summer.

-Grace

Arnold

People should have enough decency to know that a proposal should be a special moment separate from an entire concert

The 8th Annual ArtHealthy Festival

Photos by Marissa Marcolini

Digital Media Editor

CREATE Inc., in partnership with Georgia College, sponsored the 8th annual ArtHealthy Festival last Saturday on GC’s Front Campus. This popular community event attracted thousands of people with activities like the Kid Zone, aerobic workouts, healthy food, ziplines, and human foosball helping people of all ages celebrate health and fitness. Fulfilling CREATE’s vision to “Provide Innovative Responses to Quality-of-Life Barriers,” ArtHealthy seeks to address the epidemic of obesity through the arts, education and recreation. Close to 200 vendors were in attendance.

Some of these conversations entailed gruesome depictions and threats towards Heard’s life. In one conversation with Paul Bettany, Depp was recorded making explicit comments about murdering Heard and sexually assaulting her corpse. This was one of many conversations of this nature brought to light as evidence against Depp. Yet, the public continued to show undying love and support to Depp, with masses claiming that the actor was one of the kindest,

most loving people in Hollywood and that he deserved better. The internet became filled with videos of Depp displaying kind behavior in interviews or being caught smiling on camera, all as a means of justifying that he is a good man.

It is unsettling to look back at the way fans were so eager to ignore the suspicious and violent evidence brought against Depp. This brings up the interesting conversation surrounding why people are so quick to not only become extremely invested in celebrity drama but also to defend and support these celebrities without really knowing

them at all. In the Everyday Health article

“Why We Care So Much About Celebrity Gossip, According to Psychology” by Christine Byrne, the conversation unfolds as to the psychology behind intense interest in celebrity gossip and the effect this attachment can have on some people’s social lives.

“Just because we’ve never met these celebrities doesn’t mean we don’t have relationships with them,” Byrne said. “But if these relationships are dominating your life — for example, if you’re so invested in a certain celebrity or celebrity relationship that you don’t

build real social relationships with people around you — then that’s a bad thing. Gossiping about these celebrities can be a similarly low-stakes way to feel connected since the information you’re sharing doesn’t pose a risk to you or a member of your social circle.”

The article goes on to explain that the relationships people form with public figures are called parasocial bonds. Essentially, this is another way of saying an imaginary relationship, where a person mentally creates an image about someone they have never met. It is this attachment or bond that sometimes leads to

the false feeling of knowing the character of a celebrity without knowing them personally.

Depp is an actor who has been in a countless number of iconic films, so it is not surprising that people have created these bonds with him. It was difficult to believe that an actor who portrayed so many beloved characters was also capable of saying and doing the things that were presented as evidence against him.

It leaves one to wonder how often the public mistakes the fictional mental image of a celebrity they have created for the true nature of their character.

These untrue percep-

tions can be extremely toxic to the slack that we give to these celebrities.

Depp is not the first, nor will he be the last, of these celebrities whose actions have been swept under the rug due to the public’s affection for them. This is not to say that Heard was actually innocent in this trial, and Depp was guilty. Instead, it seems apparent that both parties held large amounts of guilt for the actions committed against one another, and the public needs to be more careful with the trust they place in a celebrity’s character.

The evolution of ChatGPT and AI intelligence

A new asset journalists can use to their advantage

Hannah Adams Asst. Opinion Editor

The use of AI technology has been on an incline since the earliest successful invention in 1951. More recent advancements of these processes have led some to feel uneasy that they will lose their value in the workplace, as an AI system can now effectively do their job. With the introduction of ChatGPT, the necessity and range of the communications industry is being examined. Some have begun to wonder how much longer the communications industry will have a need for physical writers when they can be replaced by artificial intelligence.

ChatGPT functions as a software system that can generate an entire essay or just a simple paragraph based on a short prompt. This is completed in a matter of minutes and works on virtually any prompt provided. While there are those that choose to use this new program as a tool in their belt, there are also skeptics that worry about the authenticity of an artificially generated piece. Further than that, some are even worried about a complete AI takeover. In

AI Takeover?” Connor Friedersdorf relays the responses to an OpenGDP-generated question: “How do you think AI will change the way we live and work in the next decade?” A reader by the name of Ed responded with the four reasons he believes hu-

(4) it will tell them which of us to silence!” Ed said.

“The bots’ need for subterfuge is obvious, if we get onto them. We might pull the plug in time to block their takeover.”

While this is a more extreme reaction to the question asked, it does prompt the question as to

would be overruled by a system that could generate articles in a matter of seconds. That fear does still exist, as it has become apparent that AI technology is not going to slow down any time soon. But, over time, I have learned that the system can also be used as

gram is not going anywhere. So, like it or not, writers can either learn how to use the system as an asset or spend their days worried that they are about to be replaced.

The International Center for Journalists article “The Benefits and Pitfalls of ChatGPT for

ists use it as a tool while recognizing its limitations,” Hochstein said. “Although the model can help journalists write faster when they are on a deadline, inspire them when they are having trouble being creative, and serve as an extra step to ensure their work is well-written and stylized, it should always be used with a human by its side.

For journalists worrying that ChatGPT’s writing will be passed off as journalism, Burrell notes that its writing lacks a level of journalistic quality and creativity — an editor can usually tell the difference. Humans will continue to be much more inventive and creative, and able to produce really unusual ways of saying things.”

O’Neill | Art Director w

mans should fear the rise of artificial intelligence.

“(1) Our human responses will give the bots too much information about how we think; (2) it will give the bots ideas on how to take control;

(3) the bots will be able to identify if we are onto them about their plans to take control; and finally,

whether these advancements could truly lead to a version of AI takeover.

As a journalist, there was an initial concern for the security of my career path when learning about the functions of ChatGPT. It was easy to feel the immediate trepidation that the need for physical, human writers

a helpful tool when feeling a block in my writing capabilities. While I still firmly believe that human writers are important and crucial in the journalism industry, I can also see how this program can — and will be — unbelievably helpful in creative flow. The harsh reality is, this pro-

Journalists” by Marina Cemaj Hochstein relays some of the advice given by Jenna Burell, director of research at Data & Society during the most recent ICFJ Pamela Howard Forum on Global Crisis Reporting webinar.

“In the form ChatGPT exists today, Burrell recommended that journal-

When feeling fearful of impending AI takeover, it is important not to diminish the value of humanity and human interaction. The human brain is unique and particular to every single person in existence, and it would be impossible for a robot to ever be capable of duplicating that. So long as the human race does not lose sight of the value of humanity, AI will continue to act as an aid to reach the finished product rather than being the final product itself.

Claire

Disagreement, civility and respect

It’s certainly no secret that we live in very partisan and polarizing times. But the reasons for such polarization border on the ridiculous. Indeed, citizens often cannot reasonably and respectfully disagree on matters of public importance, such as abortion, immigration, or education. Additionally, the media, whether it be CNN, Fox News, or MSNBC, has devolved into little more than a partisan enterprise that vilifies anyone with whom it disagrees, and that eschews true intellectual debate (and common sense). What’s more, the rhetoric of our politicians, both Republican and Democrat, has become so divisive, simplistic, and, quite frankly, dishonest, that any attempt to engage in reasonable discourse is futile. And the United States Supreme Court has contributed to the problem; the meaning of the Constitution seems to depend more on the composition of the Court rather than a reasonable interpretation of its text. In essence, the credibility of many public figures who once inspired trust has vanished as they have unapologetically exposed their personal and political biases.

These factors, among others, have compromised citizens’ confidence in our institutions, in the political and electoral process, and in the ability to disagree on issues of law and policy while maintaining civility and respect. And such factors, not Donald Trump or Joe Biden, is the true threat to a viable and sustainable democracy.

Why is this happening? Below are a few reasons – and suggestions to restore a minimal level of maturity and common sense to public discourse.

1. The prevalence of groupthink

Groupthink is one of the biggest impediments to a meaningful exchange of truly diverse perspectives. In academia, for example, particularly at law schools, the faculty are overwhelmingly liberal. This is not to say that the views of these professors – or liberals generally – lack merit. It is to say, however, that when you surround yourself with and continually hire people who mostly think like you, opposing perspectives seem so foreign and ‘wrong’ that it precludes meaningful discourse and discourages people from offering diverse viewpoints. Anyone who is a law professor that admires Justice Antonin Scalia –and originalism – will certainly relate. And anyone who has been on the receiving end of students trying to shout you down because you are offering a

perspective with which they disagree will likewise relate

2. A lack of humility – and the failure to admit that you might be wrong

Not everything is about you.

If you’re so self-absorbed that you cannot see past yourself and empathize with others, you cannot form true human connections, make an impact on others’ lives, or make meaningful im-

it doesn’t automatically mean that they have no respect for a woman’s bodily autonomy or liberty. If someone is pro-choice, it doesn’t mean that they sanction the killing of human life. It just means that they have different perspectives, which are informed by their personal experiences, including family upbringing and the overcoming of adversity. If someone voted for Donald Trump, it does not mean that

thick skin while simultaneously treating others with kindness and empathy.

5. The inability to listen and the unwillingness to learn

So many people just cannot shut up.

These folks often cringe or come quite close to a nervous breakdown when they confront opinions, facts, or evidence that undermine their subjective policy predilections or expose their personal biases. The inability to listen, however, only ensures the impossibility of engaging in respectful and meaningful discourse. Having listening skills is critical to building successful professional and personal relationships, and to creating an environment of mutual respect.

So, start listening more. You might learn something.

provements in your own life.

Sadly, inflated egos and narcissistic personalities are prevalent in society, and such people – and personalities – are incredibly toxic. These people almost always think that they are ‘right’ on every issue. They ignore inconvenient facts. They cherry-pick data and evidence to suit their narratives. They hurl insults at those with whom they disagree. Put simply, they cannot fathom the possibility that maybe, just maybe, their views are inaccurate, incomplete, or incorrect. When a person thinks like that, reasonable discourse is impossible. And the truth is that no one is necessarily right about everything – or anything. It takes humility to listen more and talk less, and to realize that we all have much to learn about life and the law.

3. Immaturity and weak mindsets

It’s amazing how many adults behave like children.

People have different experiences. They come from different backgrounds. They were raised in different environments. They have often suffered unique traumas and disadvantages. These and other experiences shape a person’s values and worldview which, while invariably different from others, are no less worthy of respect. In other words, not everyone thinks like you. And if you had grown up in their shoes, you probably wouldn’t think the way you do now.

So, grow up. The fact that others have different opinions does not make them wrong. It does not make them bad people. It does not make them immoral or invidious. It just makes them different. And difference is the essence of diversity.

For example, if someone is pro-life,

the person is racist or unintelligent. It just means that they are different from you and those differences resulted substantially from, among other things, the environment in which they evolved. As stated above, if you grew up in their shoes, your opinions and worldview might be far different from the ones you have now.

If you take offense to or discriminate against those who have different opinions, then it is you who is the enemy of diversity.

4. Hypersensitivity

Life is difficult. It is unfair. It is unjust. People can be terribly critical and judgmental, and they are often the ones who espouse the very virtues (e.g., tolerance and acceptance) that they lack. But not every criticism is undeserved, and not every experience of unfairness or injustice is unbearable.

Successful people have strong mindsets. They have a positive thought

6. Vilifying people personally because you disagree with them politically

It’s shocking how people resort frequently to personal attacks to demean and degrade those with whom they disagree. And it’s alarming how many people embrace simplistic narratives and dichotomies such as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ or ‘right’ or ‘wrong.’ Reality is far more complex and often resides in a gray area where no one can claim a monopoly on truth. If you have even the semblance of self-awareness, a modicum of maturity, and an ounce of humility, you know that attacking someone personally based on differences in opinion reflects insensitivity and intellectual dishonesty.

For example, people who supported Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination are not necessarily vile sexists. People who supported Donald Trump are not necessarily ignorant racists. People who support Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are not necessarily socialists. Likewise, people who support affirmative action do not necessarily believe in ‘reverse discrimination,’ and people who oppose affirmative action are not necessarily racist or privileged. They are just people who think differently than you. They are no better – and no worse.

process. They are mentally tough. They know how to respond to adversity. They realize that your choices, not your circumstances, determine your destiny. They don’t make excuses. They focus on what they can control, and they do not get distracted by external ‘noise.’ In short, they have

In the end, our similarities and shared values far outweigh our differences, and the failure to embrace those similarities and respect those differences is corrosive to any society that values liberty and equality.

So, the next time you’re in a faculty meeting, a board meeting, a debate at a bar, or a discussion in a classroom, be open to new perspectives. Choose to truly embrace diversity.

Adam Lamparello, J.D.

Asst. Professor of Criminal Justice

-Adam Lamparello

If you take offense to or discriminate against those who have different opinions, then it is you who is the enemy of diversity.

-Adam Lamparello

The truth is that no one is necessarily right about everything - or anything. It takes humility to listen more and talk less, and to realize that we all have much to learn about life and the law.