Issue 2 | Volume 101

AP African American course banned in Florida

Kylie Rowe

Contributing Writer

The week before Black History Month, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis rejected an Advanced Placement course that covers African American history. This has

resulted in three Florida high school students to sue DeSantis for declining their right to unbiased education.

DeSantis claims that the course is equivalent to “indoctrination” and that impressionable students should not be subject to the topics in this

course. Some of these topics include queer theory, abolishing prisons and the reparations movement. DeSantis believes all of these topics are political and that they should not be taught in the classroom. However, Fedrick Ingram, president of theFlorida

“WILDCAT” FILM ANNOUNCED

Education Association, told PBS, “These topics are not political in the sense that we are trying to indoctrinate students. We are trying to teach students the truth about American history.”

See DESANTIS | Page 3

Movie depicting Flannery O’Connor’s struggles in writing her first novel begins production.

Paige Blakemore Staff Writer

Milledgeville’s pride and joy is heading to the big screen, as a new Flannery O’Connor biopic is in the works, with directing and production by Ethan Hawke, and daughter Maya Hawke portraying the Georgia writer.

Maya Hawke is best known for her work as Robin Buckley in the Netflix Original “Stranger Things,” as well as blockbuster mov-

ies such as “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood,” and the 2017 BBC mini-series “Little Women.”

According to “Variety”, “Wildcat” will follow O’Connor’s struggles to publish her first novel, “Wise Blood,” amid battling Lupus. When talking to GC professors, students and O’Connor enthusiasts about the upcoming film and its cast, many have high hopes and expectations.

See WILDCAT | Page 8

Claire O’Neill | Art Director

The importance of maintaining femininity

Rebecca Meghani News Editor

The progress of women becoming more included in the boardroom and being seen as equally professional as their male counterparts does not come without its issues. The societal stan-

dards already placed on women become exceedingly more problematic when it comes to being a woman in the workplace.

Women are constantly pushing back barriers to make space for themselves due to the restrictions placed on them

for being a woman. As a woman, we hear about what it means to be a professional and how to act as a leader. The traits used in these examples are what they see as traditional but we see as masculine traits before women were even al-

lowed in the workspace. How can we progress as a society if we are rooting our expectations in a time when men and women were so drastically unequal to each other?

“No emotion in the boardroom.”

“This is a workplace,

not a fashion show.”

“Don’t draw attention to yourself.”

“Just listen and learn from the professionals.”

Women are constantly conforming to the workplace that men have created, and their femininity is being pushed into a

box, like they see feminine traits as dirty words. What is not discussed as often is how femininity can be a strength in the professional world.

See FEMININITY| Page 3

GC baseball begins season against Emmanuel

Jennifer Crider

Arts & Life Editor

The GC baseball season began Feb. 1 with a 4-2 win against Emmanuel College. Before the season started, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association ranked GC’s team as ninth in the Preseason Southeast Region Top Ten. With two of the previ-

ous national champions in this region, some players are grateful for their ranking in such a difficult division. However, others believe they could have done better last season.

“We had a pretty good year last year, but I think we should have won some games that we dropped midweeks and a couple on the weekends,” said Trey Ham, center

and first base fourth year. “I think for what we did last year, it is pretty fair. But, I think this year we have a really good shot to jump some of the teams that are ahead of us.”

Ashton Sturgell, right handed pitcher fifth year, is using this ranking as motivation for the current season.

See BASEBALL | Page 7

TENNIS

Courtesy of GC Athletics

Redshirt senior Ashton Sturgell gets ready to pitch

GREENE’S PLAN TO LABEL ANTIFA AS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION

Controversial political figure Marjorie Taylor Greene announced her plan to list the activist group as a terrorist organization

Lily Pruitt Asst. News Editor

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene serves Georgia’s 14th district. While discussing the recent protest of “Cop City” in Atlanta, on “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” Greene mentioned her plan to create new legislation that would label antifa a “terrorist organization.”

“Well, it is time to do something about antifa,” Greene said. “That is why I am going to introduce legislation to declare antifa domestic terrorists.”

The most recent protest of “Cop City,” resulted in the murder of Manuel Teransix people being arrested. Members of this group shattered car and business windows, vandalized — destroyed a police car by setting it on fire and vandalized several buildings.

The group has now moved to protest in front of a new police training facility that is being built in Atlanta. This

has resulted in Governor Brian Kemp declaring a state of emergency that will last until Feb. 9.

“In isolation, it does not seem like enough to trigger something like a state of emergency, but taken in the totality of circumstances surrounding the protests at the training center, it seems like a heavy-handed response — but I would say that, because of the most recent incident, it is just a nod from the governor’s mansion to say that they have their back,” said GC criminal justice professor Matt Sanchez.

According to the Congressional Research Service, “anti-fascists,” or Antifa, “followers focus on countering the views of people they deem fascist or white supremacist.”

Antifa has created a lot of controversy in the republican party, as Greene insists in the interview that they are the real fascists.

“They are not an-

Editorial Board

Katherine Futch..............

Cale Strickland................

Claire O’Neill...................

Rebecca Meghani..........

Lily Pruitt............................

Hayden Flinn....................

Brennan Schmitz...........

Jennifer Crider.................

William Van de Planque..............................

Abigayle Allen..................

Hannah Adams...............

Anjali Shenoy................

Marissa Marcolina.........

Connor Patronis.............

Robert Trotter...................

William Burke..................

ti-fascists,” Greene said. “They are the fascists.”

More recently, four

would be similar to the 9/11 and Jan. 6 commissions. They want to have the riots across

violence,” Sanchez said.

Sanchez is curious to see if further legislation will be passed in the future.

-Matt Sanchez

House Republicans have introduced legislation that would set up a National Commission to investigate domestic terrorist attacks. These

the U.S. by antifa to be investigated further.

“I understand the need to feel like they have to take a stand against that kind of unprovoked

“I would expect to see some things coming out of Greene’s legislation if she were to get it passed, but it would take some time,” Sanchez said.

Things that would come out of the new legislation would be more surveillance of these groups, which would lead to knowing more about them, what exactly they stand for, who

is leading or funding them and their future acts. This would also include prosecution of members of antifa.

People that live in downtown Atlanta and have had to deal with the aftermath and fear of the violence that occurred at this protest.

“I heard about it, but it did not affect me,” said senior MIS major John Cleveland.

“One of my friends had to wait in traffic for an hour because people were in the streets.”

I would expect to see some things coming out of Greene’s legislation if she were to get it passed, but it would take some time.

Courtesy of MGN

Proud Boys and Antifa clash as Trump supporters protest election result in Washington in 2020.

DESANTIS

Continued from page 1

The “Individual Freedom” measure that Florida also has in place controls the teaching of topics concerning race and is designed under the premise that it will protect students from feeling “ashamed” because of discretions of their ancestors. Many have been referencing this measure for this new case to say it falls under its protection.

The College Board has been accused of changing the criteria of this course because of Florida’s rejection of it, which would result in

criteria changing nationwide. While this has not been proven, DeSantis’s denouncement of the course came just a day after the College Board’s decision to reevaluate the course content.

Matheson Sanchez, a GC professor of Criminal Justice, was asked to comment on these recent events.

“Long-term repercussions would be students graduating from the Florida public school system with an underappreciation of what Black folks and other people of color have gone through in this country and what

they continue to go through,” Sanchez said.

As an Advanced Placement course, the African American course would still be optional for students, which is also a point of controversy.

“I think it is shortsighted and a bit insensitive to believe that certain versions of white history could be more valuable to an average high school student than Black history,” Sanchez said when asked if he thought the course may be beneficial to be taught not just as an AP course, but also worked into basic curriculum.

Florida has started a conversation about how much parents and politicians should have control over the public school system. Giving high school students a different perspective may not make parents happy, but it may help prepare their children for life after moving out of their parents’ house. Sanchez has a fear that “for some students, if they wait until college to start considering other perspectives, it might be too late.”

This country has been having the same conversations about race for years, and it is Sanchez’s

belief that the only way to make those conversations more productive is to start fully educating the people that are going to have them, and a course about African Americans could be a good start to that.

“I think it is defensive in nature and counterproductive to bringing about further change and progress,” Sanchez said.

Many students feel the controversial effects of this. They feel differently because of how people learn.

“Standardized curriculum does not factor in the individuals tak-

ing the course because of the differences and preferences in how one learns, so personally, I am not the biggest fan of one set way of having to learn things,” an anonymous GC student said.

It can be said that students agree with DeSantis because of the fact that he claims there is simply not enough educational background for this course to be taught.

“As an elective course, if there is not enough curriculum to back having it as a course, then I agree with DeSantis,” the anonymous student said.

A close asteroid to Earth makes an appearance

Lily Pruitt

Asst. News Editor

A relatively small asteroid flew extremely close to Earth on Jan. 26, less than a week after it was first discovered.

The asteroid was discovered on Jan. 21 by astronomer Gennadiy Borisov in Crimea. Five days later, the asteroid passed by Earth, getting as close as 3,600 kilometers from the surface of the Earth near the southern tip of Antarctica, making this one of the closest approaches to Earth ever by an asteroid

The average distance between the Earth and the Moon is around 239,000 miles. Geosynchronous satellites typically orbit 22,000 miles above the surface of the Earth.

This means that the rock was well within the orbit of a lot of valuable satellites. Had the asteroid collided with one of these satellites, the damage would have been very costly. Luckily though, 2023 BU managed to pass through the orbit without hitting anything.

The size of the space rock is estimated to be between 11.5 and 28 feet across. While that is fairly sizable, most of the asteroid would burn up while passing through Earth’s atmosphere, with any larger surviving parts becoming meteorites if it had traveled straight to Earth. Because most objects like

to be quite far away from the Earth. When they are far away, they are very dim, making it very difficult for scientists to notice them until they start getting close to Earth.

For space watchers unable to view 2023 BU firsthand, the Virtual Telescope Project broadcast the event on its website

“Asteroids are always breaking apart after some time, and that is what gives us meteor showers,” Domingue said. “We have meteor showers every year when we go through our orbit.”

When asked about what would have happened had the asteroid been of larger size, Domingue had a lot to say.

of a comet breaking up into major pieces, so it is not quite something that would happen, unless the asteroid were to be directed at the Earth.”

A lot of people have been wondering if the asteroid did any damage to Earth’s atmosphere when it passed by. However, it did not impact our atmosphere in any

fears among people about what would happen if another one were to come in the future.

When asked about fears of an asteroid hitting Earth, Domingue had this to say:

“If we were to discover one suddenly, it could be on a collision path with Earth, and in that scenario there is really nothing we can do about it.”

It was fearful for many students to learn about, even though it was not heading directly to Earth.

“I thought that it was a little unsettling, but it was calming to know that it was not coming straight towards Earth,” Brooke Suplee, senior marketing major said.

this do not, the asteroid did not pose any danger.

The asteroid, like many, was a surprise to scientists when first found. Asteroids have very large eccentricities, meaning their orbit gets

and YouTube channel.

Donovan Domingue, an astronomy professor at GC, did not watch the livestream of the event. However, he did have some interesting things to say about the asteroid.

“Asteroids of any size are going to be quite dangerous if they were to intersect with the Earth,” Domingue said. “At the very least, it would affect our oceans. We do not have any great examples

way. It was very distant, about midway between the orbit of Earth and Mars at its closest approach, making it too far away to do any damage to our atmosphere.

The asteroid raised

For those who did not get the chance to see this year’s trip, will have an opportunity to see it in another decade.

“2023 BU orbits the sun every 425 days and will not pass close to our planet again until Dec. 6, 2036,” Brett Tingley said, editor of Space.com.

NASA / JPL-Caltech

Asteroid 2023 BU’s trajectory in red, to fly by Earth.

Banning artificial intelligence in schools

As AI continues to rapidly develop, programs like ChatGPT are approached with caution.

Artificial intelligence, or AI, has been taking the technological world by storm with the advancements that have been made in past years. Most recently, an AI system called ChatGPT from OpenAI, an artificial intelligence research laboratory, allows users to simply type in a short writing prompt, and an AI generator will create an entire story in a few minutes. This development has led to a variation of opinion, with some feeling that this tool allows for too much possibility of malicious use, such as cheating in school systems. Others feel that the creation of this tool will be beneficial to writers, students and professionals, as it will allow them to gather ideas and input that will aid in the flow of their writing. Given the differentiation in opinion over the issue across the board, some universities and workplaces have been inputting rules that prohibit the use of ChatGPT and other AI software.

Open ChatGPT was released in November 2022 and has since been the topic of conversation in universities and businesses. The New York

City Department of Education took the step of blocking the system from all networks and devices within school districts. Public school systems in both Seattle and Los Angeles followed suit soon after.

In an “Insider” article titled, “Here are the schools and colleges that have banned the use of Chat GPT over plagiarism and misinformation

of France’s top universities, Sciences Po, banned the use of ChatGPT and other AI tools last week.

The university said students caught flouting the new rules could be thrown out, per Reuters.”

At GC, the system has yet to be prohibited, and some professors feel that the software is an asset that should remain available to students. GC photography professor, Seth

these suggestions as just a starting point, not a final solution. Using Open AI speeds up the process, but I only recommend it to my advanced students who understand it is a tool and not a substitute for their creativity.”

While Cook stated his interest in and admiration of the AI program, he also emphasized his feelings that ChatGPT should be used

tracted the interest of GC students that study within majors that require large amounts of writing or creative energy. Hannah Conti, a senior art major, shared her experience with the AI program and how she feels it could lead to an outlet for plagiarism.

“In the right context, it can be used as a tool, but I do think people might take advantage of that,”

communications major, shares his feelings about those speculations.

“If we are given a tool that takes some of the workload off of what we do most, writing, then it leads us to think more about the actual message we want to send,” Forney said. “I do not see Chat GPT taking jobs.

If anything, understanding and utilizing it will become important, just like Adobe or Microsoft. AI art and storytelling are definitely going to muddle the creative market for a while, even harm some people’s artistic pursuits, but at the end of the day, stories and art people create will be valued higher.”

fears,” by Beatrice Nolan, the Los Angeles School District justified their ban on the system due to concerns about protecting “academic honesty.”

The article also further investigated the issue of plagiarism through OpenAI within universities.

“The technology has also unnerved some universities around the world,” Nolan said. “Professors have said that students are already trying to pass off AI-generated content as their own. One

Cook, shared his feelings on the potential possibilities that come with utilizing ChatGPT, and the ways that he implements the software into his personal creative process.

“As a visual artist, I find Open AI as a helpful resource for starting my projects,” Cook said. “When I am struggling with finding inspiration, Open AI gives me a place to start in finding project suggestions or assists me in planning a project schedule. I view

as a stepping stone rather than a final destination.

“I view Open AI with caution, as it is easy to rely on too much. In visual art, it can be useful as a tool for generating ideas, like making a mind map or seeking advice from friends. However, it should not be relied upon as the sole source of inspiration. I would only see it that way if it meant aiding a student in laying out their project foundation.”

ChatGPT has also at-

Conti said. “It can be beneficial for brainstorming or looking for a different angle or word choice. I do see a high probability of people using it for plagiarizing. I can see how that can jeopardize jobs in multiple ways.”

Another concern that has been expressed with the creation of this system is the risk that it may begin to take job opportunities away from those in the communication industry. Davis Forney, a senior mass

Everyone must choose for themselves their feelings on the lucrative possibilities of ChatGPT and the advancements of AI. While some professional establishments may decide to utilize the system within their work, others may choose to keep their writing done purely through the method of the human hand. Advancements will continue to be made as years progress, as technology shows no signs of slowing down in progression.

Claire O’Neill | Art Director

Hannah Adams Asst. Opinion Editor

Major Spotlight: Finance

Kate Verity

Contributing Writer

GC may be one of Georgia’s smaller universities, but it is growing and changing every year to accommodate the interests of its students. In fall 2022, GC added a new major to the J. Whitney Bunting College of Business and Technology: finance.

Lauren Moskowitz is a senior at GC who is a double major in finance and economics, two fields that go handin-hand. As an underclassman, she had many interests in finance but she loved GC too much to transfer to a university that offered degrees in finance specifically. Even before studying economics and business, however, her interest was in science. She says this is not uncommon for people on her career path, because both require one to have an analytical mind.

“Funnily enough, before I started here, I was going to be a chemistry major,” Moskowitz said. “It is really crazy,but a lot of economics and finance people started out in the science fields because they like the more analytical research side of it. They just like the business part.”

Moskowitz was able to find the right major

after dabbling in a few departments, mostly by identifying what she knew she did not want to spend her life doing.

Only some students come into college knowing exactly what they want to do. Sometimes, students have only a general idea of where their interests lay and then they have to try several majors and class subjects before discovering where they truly find the most overlap between their interests and their skill sets. From this overlap, one can begin to form a career path.

“I switched my major to management before I really got started as a chemistry major, but I did not really know what

“I was actually recruited by the accounting major but I just didn’t want to sit at a desk all day and number crunch and do taxes,” Moskowtiz said. “Then I was taking one of my economics classes and I was like, ‘They do not have finance as a major, but I love this school, and I do not want to transfer.’ You need economics in finance, so let me study economics.”

I wanted to do,” Moskowitz said. “I wanted to be in the business world and I knew it was where I would fit in, but I didn’t want to start my own company.”

The type of work that was involved in management did not strike interest in Moskowitz.

Studying what she is passionate about has helped Moskowitz to become an exceptional individual. She is the president of the Finance Club, was the Vice President of Finance in her sorority Kappa Delta and is a member of the honor societies for economics (Omicron Delta Epsilon) and accounting, finance and management information systems (Beta Alpha Psi). She was also a part of a recruiting board to find and hire finance professor Dr. Xiaomeng Lu. Furthermore, she was one of 12 students

in the country to receive Charles Schwab’s Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) Talent Advantage (RIATA) Student Scholarship. She will also be presenting research at a conference this month and has received scholarships from GC and Kappa Delta. Moskowitz spent last summer completing an internship with Goldman Sachs, one of the world’s leading investment firms. She has also received a job offer from this company and plans to go on to work at their Buckhead firm after graduating.

“I will be working in executive financial management,” Moskowitz said. “I hope to work there for a few years and then go back to school and get my master’s in, hopeful-

ly, financial engineering and go into the options derivative market.”

Finance has typically been a male-dominated field in the past, but Moskowitz says she has not been treated any differently than her male counterparts at Goldman Sachs.

“Over the summer, when I was working at Goldman Sachs, at those big companies, you do think the ‘oh, a woman does not belong here’ sort of thing is the stereotype,” Moskowitz said. “But when I got there, they did not care who you are or what you look like or any of that. If you can do good work, they will love you.”

Moskowitz never felt looked down upon for being a businesswoman at GC, either.

“I can text the guys

in my major and be like, ‘Hey, do y’all want to study for this quiz or test?’ or say, ‘Hey, I am having trouble with this. Can you help me out?’ and it is not like, ‘oh, she’s having trouble because she is a girl.’ They are like, ‘Oh, yeah, and I was struggling with this one. Can you help me?’ It is cool because we get to bounce ideas back and forth.”

Moskowitz’s time studying economics and, more recently, finance at GC has prepared her to work at Goldman Sachs after graduation. This opportunity is not something given out to students who have not worked hard and put immense effort into their studies. Fortunately for Moskowitz, all of her work is beginning to pay off.

Anjali Shenoy | Digital Media Director

-Lauren Moskowitz

I was actually recruited by the accounting major but I just didn’t want to sit at a desk all day and number crunch and do taxes.

GC men’s basketball falls to Columbus State

Bruce Smith Staff Writer

Coming off a tough loss a few days ago, the GC men’s basketball team took on 6-13 Columbus State at home on Saturday, Jan. 28.

The Bobcats came out strong in the first half, leading the Cougars 3229 going into halftime.

Despite the halftime lead, the Bobcats would eventually fall to the Cougars 69-64.

The Bobcats, again, were without their leading scorer, Zyair Greene. This now marks two straight games that the sophomore guard has missed due to medical issues.

The Bobcats found success at the threepoint line, shooting 31.3

percent. Junior guard Brandon Thomas shot the ball well from behind the arc, going 3-5 on the day. His shooting helped spark the second half push chipping away at the Cougars lead.

“My shot felt really good today,” Thomas said. “I know every single game going forward is very important, so I hope to keep shooting the ball as well as I did today.”

The second half started with sophomore guard Brendan Rigsbee hitting a mid-range jumper, giving the Bobcats a five-point lead.

After Rigsbee’s shot, the Bobcats dug themselves into their biggest hole of the game, going down 50-36.

To get out of their

scoring drought, the Bobcats looked to freshman guard Ian Davis, who scored eight of his points in the second half.

“I wish I was more aggressive on offense throughout the entire game,” Davis said. “I found a lot of success in the second half driving the ball and getting to the rim, and if I had done so in the first half, I might have been able to change the outcome.”

The Bobcats struggled from the free throw line, shooting 50 percent for the second straight game.

Despite the poor shooting performance at the free throw line, the Bobcats struggled the most with turning the ball over. The team turned the ball over

a shocking 17 times.

“I felt like our effort was great, especially with us playing shorthanded,” said head coach Ryan Aquino. “When it comes to turnovers and free throws, I know our guys are trying and giving it their best, but I feel like it is a mental thing right now, and it is just a little bit of adversity that our guys need to — and will get through.”

The spotlight of the

team was Brendan Rigsbee scoring 17 points. The sophomore shot 7-13 from the field and went 2-3 from the three-point line.

The Bobcats have a tough stretch of games to finish off the season before tournament play starts in March, where they will have to bring everything together in order to capitalize on the year.

“It is about us reach-

GC women’s basketball comes up short

Emily Henderson Staff Writer

The GC women’s basketball team started basketball’s doubleheader in a close headto-head game against Columbus State University on Saturday, Jan. 28. Although the fight was seen from the Bobcats, their fourth-quarter efforts were not enough to keep the lead, and they lost 84-79.

The defense had a rocky start at the beginning of the first quarter with multiple turnovers and missed rebounds.

From the very start, CSU was strong on defense with full-court pressure.

GC made some adjustments and showed off their shooting abilities. In the first quarter alone, GC made five baskets from the three-point line, which overall helped them end the first up 23-18.

Starting the second quarter, there was a tight back and forth between CSU and GC. Both teams lacked the same energy as they had starting the first quarter.

Although GC was forcing the Cougars to foul, the Bobcats’ lack of re-

bounding allowed CSU to pull away with the lead to end the half 43-36.

At the start of the second half, both teams seemed a little fraz-

ward the end of the third quarter, GC ended the quarter only down 60-61.

Starting the fourth quarter, you could see the importance and

fourth quarter. GC was up 79-76 with one minute remaining.

In the final minute of the game, CSU scored eight points, and the Bob-

sively. We need to take care of some things defensively moving forward, but overall, we played fairly well.”

ing a point we have not reached yet,” Aquino said. “The team has shown it at some points during the year but have not put it all together.”

On Saturday, Feb. 4, the Bobcats traveled east to take on No. 12 Augusta. The Bobcats fell short 86-61 and are currently 7-14 overall. They take on conference foe USC Aiken at home Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m.

playing for each other, play hard, listen to what Coach Jolly says and give our 100 percent in practice every day, we will be good ending the season.”

zled, making bad passes and offensive mistakes.

The Bobcats’ effort was there on the court, but they could not execute.

One factor against the Bobcats was their fouls in the third quarter, since many of them could have been prevented. However, GC kept fighting to close the gap in the score.

With the help of senior Cassie Markle, who made two big threes to-

passion on the coaches and players’ faces.

Both teams made adjustments to try to finish the game strong.

The Bobcats were getting more rebounds and slicing through the Cougars’ defense. GC continued to struggle with their fouls, while CSU started to struggle with their defense.

The score remained close for much of the

cats could not come back.

GC made minor mistakes that led to their defeat against CSU. These minor mistakes may have determined this game, but it helps show what needs to be improved upon moving towards the end of the season.

“I think we played well,” said sophomore guard Ashyia Willis. “Some things we just did not execute offen-

Although the Bobcats lost the game, they have had an impressive season this year compared to the last season. GC women’s basketball has a current overall record of 13-9 with six more games left in the regular season.

“I think we just need to keep fighting,” said junior guard Myra Strickland. “We might not have the best offensive or defensive game, but as long as we keep pushing and

The Bobcats have shown tremendous improvements since last season. They have already beaten their previous record of 8-19. While GC did lose a few players from last season, the number of players gained has helped create a well-rounded team this season.

“I feel like we are pretty balanced with our contributions this season,” said head coach Ross Jolly. “I think, offensively, we have had several different people being our lead scorer or have really good offensive games. Also, on the defensive side, a lot of players are doing a lot of things defensively and on the boards. The contributions that a lot of people are making this season, and not just relying on one or two people, is beneficial.”

Come watch the Bobcats back in action Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 5:30 p.m. as they take on USC Aiken for Honors College Night.

Marissa Marcolina | Digital Media Editor

Redshirt-junior Myra Strickland shoots a three-point shot versus Columbus State on Saturday. Jan. 28.

Marissa Marcolina | Digital Media Editor

Redshirt-freshman Brendan Rigsbee looks to pass versus Columbus State on Saturday Jan. 28.

BASEBALL

Continued from page 1

“I would be lying if I said we were surprised by our ranking,” Sturgell said. “We lost a lot of dudes from our starting lineup, so I do not think anyone is really expecting much out of us, so I would not say I am surprised. But, it is definitely fuel, for sure.”

The team is confident in their abilities, as they have been working diligently and shifting their goals to ensure an increase in their ranking.

“Our main focus this

GC

Sean

season is to come out and make a statement early on,” said Brandon Bellflower, first base and outfield fourth year. “I feel like in years past, we have kind of started out a little bit slower than I have liked.”

Although this is the official beginning of the season, baseball season for the team is all year round, with the players training months in advance.

“In the fall, we would work out three days a week, and once we stopped baseball activi-

women’s

King

Contributing Writer

The GC women’s tennis team take to the courts this coming season with hope and expectation to bring the calvary of last season’s success with them.

The Bobcats went 15-7 overall in the 20212022 season, with a 4-3 record in the conference.

Senior captain Emma Fleming went 3-2 in doubles and broke even, with 1-1 in singles, recording four wins and three losses overall.

“I think we can do even better than last year. Everyone has another year under their belts, an-

ties, we worked out two days a week,” Sturgell said. “In season, it is gonna be two total-body days a week. But, a lot of explosive body movement, just ‘cause that translates more to in-game stuff.”

This intensive work is not easy, and many players are experiencing what Matthew Chester, outfield graduate student, referred to as “the injury bug.”

“I was out for most of the fall. I had knee surgery over the summer, so I was out for most of the fall,” Chester said.

“I was not 100 percent. I had to work back in rehab and over the fall and all winter break to get back to normal, but now I am back to pretty much 100 percent.”

Outside of team training, some players utilize other tools to get themselves ready. Parker Kauffman, center fourth year, makes working on his flexibility a top priority in preparation for his position as catcher.

“Going to yoga has been one of the biggest things,” Kauffman said. “In the fall, I think we

made kind of a joke out of it at first. We would go every chance we could get, but we kind of fell in love with it. Me and Chester go every week.”

Physical preparation is clearly important; however, healthy lifestyle habits are equally as imperative in making sure their performance is at the best of their abilities.

“I have tried to develop better eating habits in the past year or so, but over break, I tried to change the way I throw,” Sturgell said. “As far as how often and how much

intent, just to try to get my arm healthy and get it ready for the season.”

Though there have been some hardships this year with injuries and valuable players graduating, one thing the team all agreed on is that they felt prepared and ready to take on this new season.

“I feel we are as ready as we are gonna be,” said Bellflower. “I think everyone is excited. I think the ultimate goal this year is to come out with our hair on fire and play Georgia College baseball.”

tennis starts season with high hopes

other year of experience”

Fleming said.“Each year of experience [we] have under [our] belt, we can push that much more.”

Her teammates agreed that just be-

better, and I want to do better than last year,” said sophomore Chiara ‘High Socks’ Santoro. “Last year was pretty good, I would say, but I think we can do even more.”

“First year, I was nervous all the time. I did not really know what to do, specifically in doubles,” Santoro said. “I got more experience now, and I think it is going a lot better.”

Tennis stands out as one of the toughest mental games, and most players become significantly more comfortable and successful the more years they play.

cause they did really well last season does not mean they are anywhere close to the peak of possibility for success.

“I feel like we can do

Courtesy of GC Athletics

Santoro finished last season 4-2 in singles and 4-2 in doubles, finishing the season 8-4, improving from her freshman season.

First look at GC softball

Christian Castillo

Contributing

Writer

With opening day of the 2023 season days away, GC softball is eager to get back out on the field. Last season, GC Softball had an underwhelming year, with records of 12-32 in the regular season, 4-20 in Peach Belt Conference play.

With a strong group returning, and a new wave of players, the Bobcats are equipped with an improved team, more experience and undetermined expectations.

After last year’s performance, the first aspect of the team in question is mindset. The Bobcats have a competitive mindset entering the season, starting at the top with the team’s head coach, Jamie Grodecki.

“As a staff we put a lot of time into this recruiting class, and we believe that, with the addition of these new faces and our returners in place, we can have a very successful season,” Grodecki said.

“We have been pushing them hard, and I believe it will give them the confidence to get it done when it matters most.

We have great leaders, and the ladies seem to work well together.”

During the offseason, Grodecki reloaded as best as possible, putting lots of work recruiting players out of high school and the transfer portal.

“We made an effort to bring in a couple girls out of junior college as well as our incoming freshman,” Grodecki said. “We have brought

players that will add both depth in all positions and experience from successful programs.”

After last season, the Bobcats have nowhere to go but up from here. If last year was anything, it was a learning year.

“We are on a mission to put our softball program back at the top of our conference and back in the hunt for postseason play, where we have been, historically,” Grodecki said. “This group has the ability and talent to get us back on track.”

Everything sounds good from the top. Now what matters is that the players are ready to win some games. One thing is for certain: The team has bought into Grodecki’s attitudes of being ready to win

Being out on the court with just yourself or one partner brings a lot of self-pressure and nerves, especially to new team members, like freshmen. However, one freshman would actually disagree.

and bringing GC back.

One key player returning for the Bobcats is redshirt-senior infielder Katelyn Hobbs. Hobbs was a huge contributor for the team a year ago and has the most experience of any player on the team.

“[I want to] make the most of my last year and get better while not taking anything for granted,” Hobbs said. “I want to make every moment count with my teammates. We started a new thing called ‘be the palm,’ and we will have an inflatable palm tree in the dugout. It is a reminder to roll with the punches. We will bend like a palm tree instead of breaking.”

With many players returning from a season ago, the players

“Honestly, I do not really feel any pressure, maybe I should have,” said freshman Ansley Morrison, the younger sister of junior player Ashton Morrison. “Also, having my sister on the team, I already felt like a part of the team before I got here. With the season about to start, I am trying not to freak out too much. I am just trying to chill.”

Morrison went 2-1 in singles last semester, going into her first spring season with a winning record already.

The GC women’s tennis team is looking to keep climbing to the

are extremely familiar with one another.

“Our biggest strength is definitely our chemistry,” Hobbs said. “We are very close as a team, and it shows on the field. We are also a versatile team, so no matter what girls are in we can play.”

Team chemistry and squad depth will be key factors to a good season. The crucial depth will be supplied by younger and incoming players, such as freshman Emily Hobbs, who is the younger sister of fifth-year player Katelyn Hobbs.

“I am so excited to begin my college career,” Hobbs said. “I can not wait to play at the next level. I feel like I fit extremely well into this team, which was beyond welcoming.”

peak of success this coming season. They were happy with their performance last season, but they know they can, and want, to do better. Last season, the Bobcats finished fourth in the PBC (Peach Belt Conference), right behind the University of North Georgia Nighthawks. The Bobcats open their season at home on Saturday, Feb. 4 against Emmanuel College of the Conference Carolinas. Emmanuel College placed fourth overall in their conference, finishing with an 8-3 record in conference, but finished 10-15 overall.

The Bobcats are going to benefit from younger players aspiring to contribute and compete.

“I hope to contribute on both offense and defense,” Hobbs said. “I want to make plays and get on base to score some runs. I want to earn a spot on the team and work hard each and every day for the team’s success.”

This season could be a major bounce-back for the Bobcats, who are coming off a disappointing campaign last year. On all levels of the team, the attitude is clear. Leave last year in the past. It is a new group, a new year, and they are ready to compete and win. GC will look for a strong start against Fort Valley State on Feb. 5 for their home opener.

WILDCAT

Continued from page 1

Jeremy Cudd, assistant professor of performance, expressed his optimism for Hawke’s directing through his previous work on the

2018 film “Blaze.” The film depicted a Southern gothic atmosphere with a struggling artist at the center of it, similar to what is expected in the O’Connor biopic.

“He has writer sen-

sitivity,” said Cudd. “He is a novelist too, so he knows the struggle of a writer. Engaging in that increases intimacy with other people who do those things.”

Former Andalusia employee, sophomore English major and self-proclaimed O’Connor fanatic Charlotte Aexel, who is originally from Wisconsin, chose to attend GC largely due to the Milledgeville writer.

Aexel shared that the interpreted meaning behind the film’s title is based on O’Connor’s master’s thesis which shares the same name. The thesis focuses on a character who is dealing with the realities of his nearing death, much like O’Connor, who struggled

with her illness for much of her adult life until she passed away at only 39.

“The movie could be really, really good or really, really bad,” said Aexel. “Either way, it is going to be a movie that literature enjoyers will appreciate.”

Aexel made sure to emphasize her hopes that the film will garner attention with a popular, young actress at the forefront and shed light on the mental repercussions of a terminal illness. Additionally, she wishes to see LGBTQ representation since some of O’Connor’s closest friends identified as bisexual.

Tanner Harris, a first-year English major, expressed his excitement for the film

through his own parallels to O’Connor’s life as a writer and personal connection to Lupus.

“There is hardly any representation for the literary realm or Lupus in film,” said Harris. “It is a story that needs to be told.”

While referencing popular works such as “Everything That Rises Must Converge” and “A Good Man Is Hard To Find,” Harris noted the - profound yet often overlooked - merit that O’Connor’s writings held.

“Her work was controversial and extremely progressive for its time,” Harris said. “This film is necessary for what it is trying to accomplish.”

Production on the film broke ground at the

Sleep deprivation plaguing college students

Brayden Miller Staff Writer

College students might not realize it until they have to wake up for an 8 a.m. class, but getting lots of sleep is very important for your body’s health. Inadequate sleep will not only make someone feel drowsy and generally miserable, but it can also make their metabolism, immune system and memory retention less effective.

Unfortunately, there are many kinds of distractions and complications that might keep a college student from

having a healthy sleep schedule. From the crushing weight of an especially heavy workload to the - almost obligatory - participation in “going out” culture, it can seem like a very tall order to work a reasonable bedtime into the average college student’s schedule. Or maybe they can’t get off their phones.

As described by the Journal of Biophotonics, using a phone or a computer before going to bed can interfere with the body’s production of melatonin, a hormone used for inducing sleep.

Supposedly, this is because of the blue light wavelengths present in the screens. The blue lights, which are similar to that of daylight, confuse your body’s day and night cycle. To get the best quality sleep, it is a good idea not to use that type of device within an hour of laying down for the night.

However, that is not always feasible for a college student, especially if there are a test or major assignment due the next day.

The struggle to keep up with assignments is

another cause for many college student’s late nights. If a student cannot find the time to study throughout the course of the week, they might find

beginning of January in Louisville, Kentucky.

It is unclear when the movie is expected to be released or if any filming is set to take place at National Park Andalusia or in Milledgeville.

If done correctly, the film could easily bring much business and attention to Milledgeville with its star-studded cast. Regardless of the movie’s success, it will, undoubtedly, be a triumph for locals and fans of O’Connor.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to introduce a new generation of filmgoers to the genius of Flannery O’Connor,” said director Ethan Hawke.

themselves pulling a desperate cramming session the night before a test.

For instance, freshman Alyssa Chargualaf has been known to cram as a last resort.

“If I have other stuff in my schedule and I did not have time to study ahead, then I would cram, but if I had that time, then I would not cram,” Chargualaf said. “I would space it out.”

Many studies by the American Psychological Association support that cramming style studying is far less effective for memory retention than

shorter studying sessions spaced out over multiple days. The APA also warns that lack of sleep diminishes concentration and the ability to recall learned information, so pulling an all-nighter might be counterproductive, even if you have burned through all your other studying time hanging out with friends.

The urge can be strong to reward oneself after a long, hard week of classes. What better way to do that than by going out with some of your closest friends on the weekend?

Anjali Shenoy | Digital Media Editor

Devoting so little time to sleep, students struggle to keep up with school work throughout the year.

Anjaoli Shenoy | Digital Media Editor

“Wildcat” is based on O’Connor’s journey in publishing her first novel, “Wise Blood”, in 1952.

Cryptozoo? more like crypto-boo.

People losing hundreds of thousands of dollars from Logan Pauls newest scam

Hannah Adams Asst. Opinion Editor

Logan Paul, a popular YouTuber and vlogger, has been associated with a fair share of controversies throughout his career. Perhaps the most well-known of these is when Paul recorded a corpse in Japan that was presumably that of a suicide victim. Most recently, the social media influencer got into a scandal regarding an NFT project called CryptoZoo.

This project started as an outlet of cryptocurrency that Paul described as “a really fun game that makes you money.”

Paul made many claims about the development of this project, stating that he had spent $1 million evolving it. After a few months of promoting the project through his podcast, “IMPAULSIVE,” Paul randomly seemed to abandon the idea, neglecting to speak on it

through his platforms.

The sudden change drew the attention of both investors and of cryptocurrency scam investigator Stephen Findeisen.

Initially, the purpose of the CryptoZoo game was to allow players to act as zookeepers. Within the game, users would have the opportunity to buy and sell NFTs in the form of exotic animals.

In BBC article “YouTube star Logan Paul apologizes for CryptoZoo project failure,” by Joe Tidy the dynamics of the game are further explained.

“In a now-deleted description, it was described as “an autonomous ecosystem that allows ZooKeepers to buy, sell, and trade exotic animals and hybrids.

CryptoZoo incorporates cryptocurrency and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) into a simple, fun game with familiar mechanics. The project

sold images of cartoon eggs as NFTs, with the promise that collectors would be able to hatch them into randomly chosen animal images. Collectors would then be able to ‘breed’ their animal images to create new species and win coins in a linked cryptocurrency called $ZOO. In a since-removed project roadmap, many games were promised in 2022 that would incorporate the animal NFT images, but no playable features were delivered.”

NFTs are tokens that store information, typically on the Ethereum blockchain, and are often used for crypto trading by art collectors. NTFs are unique form of cryptocurrency because they are a digital signature that makes equality among them impossible. No NFT is the same, which was the ultimate purpose of the formation of CryptoZoo.

With CryptoZoo, Paul’s NFT consisted of exotic animal eggs that could be bought, sold or traded to evolve animals or create hybrids. Each NFT egg that was bought would hatch into a unique species that no other investor had. This would prompt other investors to express interest in buying or trading their NFT eggs for those of another user.

The idea was wellliked by investors and began to pick up attention through Paul’s social media advertising. One investor went on record to say that they had spent as much as $45,000 on CryptoZoo prior to Paul’s evasive behavior. Given the large sums of money that some users had committed to the project, there was backlash quickly when the project began to look like a scam. It was not until YouTuber Coffeezilla spoke out on the issue

that Paul finally came forward with a statement.

Findeisen, also known by his YouTube persona Coffeezilla, released a three-part YouTube series that investigated CryptoZoo and Paul’s involvement. Within this series, Findeisen claimed that Paul’s game was a scam to investors and that Paul had gone silent on the issue to avoid having to take accountability. Initially, following the release of Findeisen’s video, Paul threatened a lawsuit against him. Not long after, Paul dropped the charges and released a statement on Twitter.

“Hey, all, just wanted to update you,” Paul said. “I deleted my initial response to Coffee’s series. It was rash and misaligned with the true issue at hand, so I called him today and apologized… the war is not with Coffee. In fact, I’m grateful; he brought this to light. I will be taking

accountability, apologizing, and coming forward with a plan in the near future. Thank you all for believing in this project & sticking with me. I know it’s been bumpy, but your support is everything to me and I will make this right.”

It is unclear how Paul plans to refund and repair the issues that have been inflicted on investors. Paul has yet to follow through on his claims that he will find a solution, but he did extend an invite to Findeisen to be a guest on his podcast and discuss the issue. Paul also claims that he fell for the scam of false professionals to assert that the failure of CryptoZoo was not completely his fault. Whether or not this is true will fall to the victims of this scam to decide.

Claire O’Neill | Arts Director

“Til death do us part”: the familicide phenomena

How do we make sure women feel safe around men?

Catherine Wall Staff Writer

True crime in the last decades or so has come to occupy an important place in the everyday lives of people in the United States. Whether it is consuming it as a pastime or simply seeing it in the news, one cannot deny how allured we are by true crime.

People find it salacious, scandalous and

the nation is that of family annihilators, a person who decides to murder their entire family.

Many of these cases have usually involved the husband or father, and they tend to white, middle-class men. Last month, Utah man, Michael Haight, shot his wife, five children and his mother-in-law because his wife wanted a divorce, and he did not.

It leaves people won

ways the one to murder their wife, children or other relations? The idea that men could be driven to commit such horrible acts against their loved ones is hard to understand.

According to Dr. Stephanie Leit, a psychologist in West Hartford, Connecticut, said these men “are trying to fix a problem, and the really horrible solution they have come up with

ings of John List’s family, as he had filed for bankruptcy and lost his job. He claimed that killing them spared them a hard fall from grace and the wealth they had known, and that they were better off in heaven.

The third category involves men who simply wish to be untethered from their families that they can no longer tolerate, whether it be divorce, an affair or losing

it his wife’s $2.8 million inheritance,which he would not have received if they were to divorce.

For the question of why men are the usual suspects, it could have something to do with society itself, as men are raised to not show their emotions so as to not appear weak. Additionally, they must be the man of the house and take care of their family.

But when a divorce,

“I like to walk with my keys tight in my hand,” Holme said. “I also have an app on my phone. If I press it, it calls, like, three emergency numbers or sends a text, or I will walk with 911 on speed dial.”

Rose Wagner, senior mass communication major, also takes precautions to ensure her safety from men.

“If I am on public

Cale’s cinema corner: “Infinity Pool” review

Cale Strickland Managing Editor

In January 2020, Brandon Cronenberg shocked audiences at the Sundance Film Festival with his sophomore feature film, “Possessor.” He delivered a genre-bending mashup, merging the high-concept sci-fi popularized through the works of Christopher Nolan and the cringe-inducing body horror mastered by Cronenberg’s father, the great David Cronenberg.

During the pandemic, Cronenberg’s breakout project became one of the first cult classics of the 2020s, as a new, unedited version of the film, “Possessor: Uncut,” debuted on streaming in December 2020, doubling down on the gruesome gore contained in the film’s R-rated cut.

Fast-forward to 2023, and Cronenberg is back at the film festival which jump-started his filmmaking career debuting “Infinity Pool,” a follow-up feature bigger, broader — and gnarlier — than its predecessor.

Just in case the theatrical cut is not enough, Cronenerg has teased the future release of an NC-17 cut of the film.

His latest film follows struggling novelist James Foster, played by Alexander Skarsgård, as he embarks on a luxurious resort vacation in the fictional nation of Latoka with his wife, Em Foster, played by Cleopatra Coleman. He has come

to the island in search of inspiration, as he is suffering from a long-winded bout of writer’s block.

It has been six years since the publication of his one and only novel. He and Em’s lifestyles, including the vacation intended to save his writing career, are being bankrolled by Em’s father, who owns a large publishing house.

When James runs into superfan Gabi Bauer, played by Mia Goth, on the beach in-between rounds of margaritas and performances from local bands, he can not believe someone recognizes him, let alone enjoys his work. He is, seemingly, instantly relieved of his yearslong melancholy, and Gabi’s flattery is enough to convince him to join her and her husband, Alban Bauer, played by Jalil Lespert, for dinner.

The following morning, the pair of couples meet up for a daytrip.

After a close friend of Gabi and Alban lends the group his car, the resort’s regulars take their new friends to a caveside beach for a picnic. As afternoon turns to evening, Alban finds himself drunk and asks James to drive them home. As he maneuvers the winding roads covering Latoka’s forest-filled cliffs, the car’s headlights begin to malfunction, dimming and brightening at random. James, panicking, looks to his passengers for help, but each has drifted off to sleep in an alcohol-induced stu-

por. After split seconds of driving in complete darkness, the car’s headlights return, highlighting a man crossing the road. Unable to steer clear of the coming crash, James hits a local at full speed, sending him onto the route’s shoulder and the tourists into shock.

Once the victim is declared dead, Gabi and Alban insist that the couples flee the scene rather than call the authorities, as the country’s justice system is corrupt and built on the concept of “an eye for an eye.” Regardless of the group’s attempt to evade the consequences of the crime, Latokan officials detain James the following morning. After interrogating James, the officers inform him that, in order to avenge his father’s death, the victim’s eldest son is to execute James. However, for a high price, James can undergo a duplication process and have a double be executed in his place. Yet, there is a catch. He must bear witness to his double, who looks identical to him and shares all of his memories, being executed. James, of course, agrees. After he is dressed in a medical gown and placed in a vat of what appears to be human blood, James experiences a series of vivid hallucinations before falling unconscious. The following morning, Em informs James of the duplication process’s success as she helps him out of bed and into the execution room.

As the 13-year-old boy repeatedly stabs James’s defenseless double in the stomach, Em shields herself from the gruesome violence unfolding in front of her. James, on the other hand, appears emotionless.

Cronenberg frames James’s face in a closeup shot, closing the film’s first act as the protagonist’s expression shifts from indifference to a slow, maniacal grin.

James, no longer bound by the rules of morality, begins to question his own desires and follows Gabi on a psychedelic journey into the darkest depths of humanity.

Cronenberg’s film is filled to the brim with ideas regarding the connections between tourism, the gentrification of underdeveloped countries and the erasure of said countries’ cultures. Throughout the film, locals’ faces are

never shown, although tourists can remember the people of Latoka by purchasing disfigured, macabre masks worn by the resort’s employees. For undisclosed reasons, the resort’s guests are not allowed to leave the compound, and a series of drone shots reveals droves of abandoned, rusted cars littering the area’s roads. In an effort of financial self-sustenance, the state has rewritten its rules of justice to bend to the depraved will of its patrons. Latoka’s lifeblood is just that: blood.

Yet, the true terror of Cronenberg’s latest work lies not in the heinous acts James, Gabi and the other tourists engage in throughout the film’s second half, but the ease with which James finds himself slipping into the underground world of consequenceless crime. Although it is reassuring to distance our-

selves, common people, from Gabi, Alban and the rest of the film’s rich entourage, pointing out the privilege that allows these people to operate does not discard the ever-present impulse for darkness which infects each frame of Cronenberg’s two-hour nightmare. James is an outsider to the world of fame and fortune. He married into wealth. He comes from humble beginnings, but when no one is watching, when there is nothing to lose, he is complacent in the face of sadism. Just as an infinity pool’s sense of boundless, edgeless immersion is nothing more than an optical illusion, James’s newfound admiration for the primal nature of hedonism and violence is nothing more than a coping mechanism blinding him from his parasitic connection to the land and people of Latoka.

A Conversation Sparked: FairTax Act

Abigayle Allen Opinion Editor

In early January 2023, U.S. Rep. Earl “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) proposed a national sales tax on the use or consumption of taxable property and services. This radical bill would not only work to abolish the IRS, but it would also replace any existing “federal taxes with a flat, nationwide 30% sales tax” (Smith 2023). While this bill does not have much chance of passing, it is a start in sparking a discussion regarding our current tax code. In terms of the fiscal challenges the U.S. is on track to face over the coming years, a discussion regarding tax reform was guaranteed to surface. With that being said, what is a fair tax rate and what does that mean for our economy? The bill itself outlines a 23 percent tax rate on both taxable property and services, combined with federal taxes, raising the tax rate closer to 30 percent. This rise in tax rate is set to take place in 2025 under the administration of each state’s treasury. The tax revenues would be distributed over “5 different categories: the old-age and survivors insurance trust fund, the general revenue, the

hospital insurance trust fund, the federal supplementary medical insurance trust fund, and the disability insurance trust fund” (Kaufman 2023). Depending on guidelines set for poverty levels and family size, U.S. citizens will receive a monthly tax rebate – a Family Consumption Allowance. To combat the tax code challenges the US will face in the coming decade, Democrats and Republicans should come to realize that incorporating a flat tax may come as an easier burden than what meets the eye.The least painful option in terms of a smaller burden placed on working families and our economy as a whole.

“The center for a Responsible Federal Budget projects that the annual budget deficit could expand as much as 10% of gross domestic product by 2023” (Smith 2023).

In that case, interest payment alone would account for half the deficit, assuming the Federal Reserve Board is consistent in keeping interest rates high, combating inflation. In order to close the gap through spending cuts alone, an across-theboard reduction of 25 percent would be necessary. It is likely, however, that Social Security and defense would not suffer

US debt ceiling

having to pay it back.

any major reductions, leaving cuts to rise to 50 percent. This 50 percent would then be applied to Medicare, Medicaid and other necessary programs. The prospect of refining the deficit without increases in revenue is challenging to complete without curbing economic growth. Since World War II, the Obama administration found that “increasing taxes by 1% of GDP would lead to a drop of 2% to 3% in economic output” (Smith 2023). In shrinking the deficit, the $31 trillion debt load the U.S. faces becomes more severe because interest payment will be raised as a percentage of gross domestic product. It is

common knowledge by any economist that flat consumption rates are better for our economy than the system we have in place because this advantage grows as tax rates rise. The FairTax Act proves unrealistic because in enacting the flat consumption tax, the entirety of tax collection is placed on retailers. As tax rates rise, selling goods and services will be a thing of the past. To combat this issue, many countries have switched to a value-added tax, or VAT. Similar to the sales tax, the VAT targets consumption rather than income. The average VAT rate in the European Union is about 21 percent, and it is cal-

culated based on the tax itself. Considering that the VAT combines both payroll and income taxes on top of itself, while the FairTax act replaces the income and payroll taxes, the FairTax act seems like a deal. The FairTax act was passed in place of the VAT because the VAT can be associated with high-tax countries in western Europe. This would have caused unforeseen backlash among our constituents. While these two taxes are inherently different, they would both hold the same narrative -- to help raise revenue without exacerbating job growth and investment.

The difference, however, is that while the VAT

was passed to combat higher spending in European countries, the FairTax Act’s supporters are looking to terminate the IRS. Regardless, a flat tax rate on consumption is the most efficient way to raise revenue while preserving economic growth. Despite which side, Republican or Democratic, a person chooses to stand behind, our tax crisis is a conversation better had now than later. It is no secret that our deficit is here to stay, and spending cuts are imperative to balance the budget. In the acceptance of increasing revenues and demanding an efficient tax, maybe we can get ahead of a crisis before it strikes.

For years, the government has relied on borrowed money. This is the result of raising, spending and cutting taxes. This leaves many Americans in perpetual debt because they continuously have to get loans for things such as health insurance, for those who do not have it, childcare, college and retirement.

Overall, there are many issues within our government at the time, but the biggest is our country’s debt. The government relentlessly covers up their debt by borrowing money, but there is a downside to this rather than just

Borrowing money costs just as much money.

“From 1972 to 2021, the government, on average, spent about 20.8 percent of gross domestic product while collecting about 17.3 percent of G.D.P in revenue,” said Binyamin Appelbaum, “New York Times” editor.

A more pressing issue under this subject is the debt ceiling that Congress imposes. This is a statutory limit on federal borrowing so that borrowing can be reduced, potentially saving our country from being in complete debt. Unfortunately, the government hit that limit last month.

This means that the overall amount of spending

that is approved by Congress will now require that the government borrow, in excess, the exact amount of money.

Some argue that we are in this position not because our country spends too much money, but because the government does not collect an adequate amount of taxes. The real problem here is that we are simply giving money away. Government authorities could have different and cheaper options for fuel, coal and other natural resources. Some argue that our country has given too much money to Ukraine in their war. All of these excuses are not far from the truth. They all contribute to why our coun-

try is at our debt ceiling.

This fight over money is simply one that can be contained. The far-left side is attacking the farright side and vice versa.

The Biden administration argued that they will not be paying Congress to do their job, just as the Obama administration did, but in 2011, that left our economy in recession, so the controversy is if this will happen again because of the administration’s failed efforts.

The Republicans want to cut the amount of cents of every dollar that go to mandatory programs, or cut the programs completely, which is causing much controversy with the Democrats.

There should not be

arguments about what to cut or how to spend government money when our country is in peril.

Democrats and Republicans alike all can agree that we do not want large spending cuts, so it leaves open the possibility that both sides come together to find a spending and cutting plan that benefits the majority of Americans in the country, whether or not they like it, and stick to that plan. It is imperative to find a solution that benefits the majority of America before our country goes back into a recession.

Democrats and Republicans can hash out their spending and cutting issues at a later date

when we are no longer at the debt ceiling.

The more likely possibility that will eventually be the solution is that citizens’ taxes are raised. While this is not ideal, especially now, with prices of major things such as gas, food and electricity, this will most likely be the best solution that benefits everyone and fixes our economy.

The U.S. needs to stop borrowing money and find a real solution to our money problems. Otherwise, these next few years will be very appalling and difficult for many Americans to live the way they do now.

Lily Pruitt

Asst News Editor

A message for my fellow twentysomethings

Abigayle Allen Opinion Editor

If you are anything like me, most conversation starters, whether it be with family, friends or co-workers, tend to sound a little something like “So, what is next on your list?” or “Have you found a job for after graduation?” or “Why do you not have a plan in place?” Our society ,as a whole, puts extreme pressure on our generation to have everything figured out, to be financially stable and to be the example for the generations behind us. The truth of the matter is you are not supposed to have everything figured out. This conclusion I have found as a senior in college has not been easy to land at. I have struggled, and I am not afraid, at this point in my life, to admit that. Regardless of my struggle, I have persevered, and I would like to share some things that I have learned through this time of struggle and confusion.

1) Tomorrow is

FEMININITY

Continued from page 1

A workplace benefits from individuals bringing their own strengths to the table, and it should not be just masculine traits, like being assertive and direct, that should be viewed as the best, but also feminine traits, like intuition, collaboration and even empathy. Emotion is looked down upon professionally with the expectation of being a shark and the “every man for themselves” aspect. A woman and her traits should not be restricted in the workplace just because they are seen as less valuable.

A woman is most powerful when she is in the state that she is without suppression. I should not need to stand here and discuss feminine traits and how they are beneficial in the workplace in order for them to be respected. Power comes from tapping into your strengths. The prospect of new ideas and methods being brought in

something you have not touched yet. There have been so many days that I have felt I have wasted. Whether I wanted to catch up on sleep or just have a fun time with my friends, I have always felt guilty for time I could have spent more productively. Being a young twentysomething means that we are now in the realm of adulthood. Each of us are navigating how to live responsibly with our finances, our time and creating agendas for our journeys into the real world. These are not simple tasks and they hold major precedence over our still-developing minds. There are going to be days that your mind and body need a break. No one person is immune to bad days, even if they may look like they are carrying their weight well. In accepting that bad days are bound to happen, you are able to move forward without feeling guilty of the consequences. You have not touched tomorrow

through feminine traits can open up a range of opportunities that may have otherwise not been discovered because of the focus on maintaining a man’s workplace.

yet. The sun will set and rise again. Grab tomorrow by its harness and keep pushing forward.

2) Experience pays.

If you are anything like me, a broke college kid, you have probably taken on some sort of part-time job. Juggling a job, school and social life is no small feat as a college student. Sometimes, when I take a step back, I feel the time I have spent working does not further me with my desired career. This mindset is something I have worked to reform since taking on my first parttime job when I was in high school. Experience of any kind is what will help further you in your life. Whether that experience is an unpaid internship, a job that you took to help make ends meet or something you stumbled upon randomly, that experience helps in growing character and integrity as a person. I know as for me, my communication skills have flourished since becoming a server when I got

are still undervalued in the workplace because of how non-beneficially they are viewed.

An example of this is empathy. The idea of keeping emotions out of

to college. I also know that my job writing for this newspaper has challenged me and helped me grow my voice as a writer. I can move forward knowing that while this may be a pit stop on the way to my finish line, I would not change these years of growth, knowledge and patience for the world. Good things take time. Be patient.

3) If you can be nothing else, be kind. Growing up in a progressive society means that our generation has undergone significant changes. We grew up during the boom of social media and the spread of information. Communication has shifted from something done in person to something that can happen hidden behind a phone screen. Because of the lack of personability, society has forgotten, not completely or as a whole, how to treat people. We are now thrown into a world where people are canceled for their mistakes rather than taught

sitivity that helps one tune into those around you to see how you can best be a leader to them.

When you give up your femininity, you are also giving up your pow-

why they were a mistake to begin with. As well as, a world that has no mercy for people deemed “less than or different” -that is selfish to its own aspirations and concerns rather than the concerns as a whole. This anger and lack of sensitivity, as for myself, has really damaged my view of people and their intentions. It is impossible to please everyone, and you are not immune to making mistakes or offending someone within your lifetime. What you can do is treat those around you the way you would like to be treated. Speak with a kind heart, and kindness is sure to follow you. I could go on and on explaining the things

sues with your co-workers, you are also giving up the parts of you that makeup who you are and the power that you hold.

Creating your own reality is an important

Courtesy of Art Director | Claire O’Neill

I have learned during my 21 years spent on this Earth, but we may be here for a while. At the end of the day, I do not have everything figured out. What I do know, and what I hope you are able to get from this article, is that you are ok. You will be ok. Be kind to yourself. Be patient with yourself. Know that every day can be a fresh start. Hold yourself with the utmost integrity. Above all, we, as twentysomethings, are going to flourish into a beautiful generation when it is our time to call the shots. It is our responsibility now to heal our minds and hearts in preparation for that day. I believe in you, and I will be cheering you on.

opportunity that can stem from it. Self-realization in the professional world, where people are able to use their own individual skills, should not just be restricted to skills that come out of masculine traits. We can easily find a balance between feminine and masculine traits in the workplace. If a different perspective is always appreciated, why can’t that perspective and those ideas come from a feminine perspective?

Even with the idea of feminine and masculine traits progressing towards not just associating with their respective genders and having more fluidity between them, the feminine traits

the boardroom is outdated. It is OK to have emotions included in your work because emotion is not a bad thing. Emotion does not just mean getting emotional. It can be having sen-

er. You are accepting the position given by a man and conforming to the shape they want you in. While it is easy for this to do so, in order for easy integration in the workplace and fewer is-

idea to maintain as we continue to push back on these barriers of sexism in the workplace. We need to start normalizing femininity in the workplace as a strength because there is so much

So, maintain who you are as a woman, because the best results come from being your authentic self instead of squeezing yourself into this box that men have created for us. Our traits do not equate to how professional we are, and it should not have the power to define it.

As our friend Sarah Jessica Parker says, “Trying to be a man is a waste of a woman.”

Courtesy of Clair O’Neill | Art Director

The case against the First Amendment

Adam Lamparello, J.D. Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution protects the right to freedom of speech, which is considered essential to liberty and an informed citizenry. Indeed, the original purpose of the First Amendment was to create a “marketplace of ideas” in which diverse opinions on matters of public concern, however unpopular, distasteful, or offensive, were countenanced in theory and protected in fact. And the United States Supreme Court’s First Amendment jurisprudence reflects steadfast adherence to these principles, holding in numerous cases that a robust and expansive right to free speech is critical to ensuring liberty, autonomy, and a society where diverse viewpoints inform citizens and ensure a properly functioning democracy.

But there should be a limit to the speech that the First Amendment tolerates. Some types of expression are so vile, so valueless, and so vituperative that nether the Constitution nor the courts should afford them protection.

Think about it:

• Should people be permitted to hurl racist slurs at minorities? No.

• Should they be allowed to stand outside the funeral of a deceased gay soldier who died in the Iraq War with signs that say, “God Hates F**s?” and “Thank God for 9/11?” No.

• Should a newspaper have the freedom to publish a satirical depiction of a famous evangelical minister having sex with his mother in an outhouse? No.

• Should people be allowed to publish videos of women, in six-inch heels, torturing and killing kittens by driving those heels through their eyes (referred to as crush videos)? No.

• Should wealthy individuals be permitted to donate millions to political candidates knowing that such donations will give them unfair influence in the political process? No.

• Should Nazi groups and the KKK be allowed to march on Main Street spewing antisemitism and racism? No.

• Should people be allowed to wear t-shirts with a symbol of a Nazi swastika? No.

• Should pro-life groups be permitted to march with signs depicting dismembered fetuses? No. Such speech should be banned everywhere and in any

circumstance for two reasons.

First, speech such as that mentioned above has no value. It contributes nothing whatsoever to public discourse on matters of public, social, and economic policy. Put simply, it contributes nothing to the “marketplace of ideas,” an informed citizenry, or an efficacious democracy. And neither the text nor the original purpose of the First Amendment support allowing individuals to, among other things, utter racist slurs, demean, degrade, and denigrate others, or traumatize vulnerable and marginalized groups.

Second, such speech causes tangible and often irreparable harm. Make no mistake: speech can and does traumatize individuals, often causing severe emotional distress. For example, how would you feel if, as a minority, someone hurled a racist slur at you? How would you feel, as a person of Jewish faith whose great-grandparents died in the Holocaust, if you had to tolerate people marching with Nazi swastikas? How would you feel if, as a homosexual, someone called you a homophobic slur?

To ask the question is to know the answer. Such speech serves no public purpose whatsoever and bears no nexus to the First Amendment’s original purpose, the interest in preserving liberty, or the need to protect democracy. It should be banned.

This is not to say, of course, that offensive, distasteful, and unpopular speech should be restricted. Indeed, many forms of protected speech may cause emotional distress, but nonetheless contribute to reasoned discourse on matters of public concern. It is to say, however, that there is a limit. And that limit occurs when speech has no value whatsoever, and is intended to – and does –traumatize others. Put differently, the right to free speech doesn’t foreclose the notion that speech must be responsible or, at the very least, have minimal value in contributing to public discourse and the marketplace of ideas.

Now, some may argue that limiting any types of speech will have deleterious consequences, namely, that it will empower the government to continually ban various types of speech with

which it disagrees, and which has been historically protected. This slippery slope argument is without merit. First, the Supreme Court has already recognized limits on free speech, such as in Miller v. California, when it held that obscene speech that appeals to sexual interests receives no First Amendment protection, and in Brandenburg v. Ohio, where the Court held that words intended to incite imminent violence lacked First Amendment protection. Second, the solution to this problem is obvious: enact a statute that delineates with specificity the precise words or expressions that are prohibited. In so doing, the law will be clear and the limits on speech – which admittedly should be narrow – will be unambiguous. Others may argue that the standards used to determine which speech should be limited is invariably subjective and will thus lead to arbitrary and unconstitutional restrictions on speech. But this argument misses the constitutional mark. Many, if not most, constitutional provisions require subjective value judgments, such as whether a punishment is cruel and unusual under the Eighth Amendment, whether a search is unreasonable under the Fourth Amendment, and whether counsel is ineffective under the Sixth Amendment. Moreover, banning the type of speech mentioned above – and specifying in a statute precisely what speech is prohibited (e.g., specific racist slurs, Nazi symbols) – is hardly subjective. Any reasonable person with a conscience would agree that this speech has no value and inflicts severe injury on its targets.

Despite this principled –and practical – approach, the Supreme Court is exceedingly reticent to support any limits on speech other than sexual obscenity and fighting words. In Hustler v. Falwell, for example, the Court held that the First Amendment protected a depiction of the Reverend Jerry Falwell having sex with his mother in an outhouse.

In Snyder v. Phelps, the Court held that the First Amendment protected members of the Westboro Baptist Church who held signs stating “God Hates F**s” and “Thank God for 9/11” out-

side the funeral of a deceased military veteran. In Citizens United v. FEC and McCutcheon v. FEC, the Court held that money constituted speech under the First Amendment and, in so doing, invalidated limits on contributions to political candidates, which all but ensured that money would continue to corrupt the electoral, political, and democratic process. And in U.S. v. Stevens, the Court affirmed a Third Circuit decision holding that the First Amendment protected depictions of animal cruelty, including dog fighting videos and crush videos, where a woman wearing sixinch heels digs those heels into the head of a kitten, torturing and ultimately killing the kitten. These decisions were wrong. Dead wrong.

The notions of allowing individuals to express offensive, distasteful, and unpopular speech and enacting reasonable limits on valueless speech that causes severe emotional harm are not mutually exclusive. It’s one thing, for example, to say that homosexuality is a sin. It’s quite another to call someone a homophobic slur. It’s one thing to say that abortion is immoral. It’s quite another to shove pictures of dismembered fetuses in the faces of women trying to access abortion services. In each example, the former should be protected, and the latter should not. The distinction is predicated on value and injury.

Ultimately, citizens must consider the type of society in which they want to live. A society that values liberty, autonomy, and democracy need not tolerate valueless speech that contributes nothing to public discourse, and that marginalizes others, causes others to commit suicide, or humiliates others in a manner that causes lasting harm.

If you disagree, let’s see how you feel when, if you are gay, another person shoves a sign in your face that says, “God Hates F**s” or, if you are Jewish, when a person shoves a sign in your face that says, “The Holocaust Never Happened.”

You know exactly how you’d feel. That is the point – and the problem. And it’s a problem that needs to be solved – now.