The Reveille 1-21-21

E s t. 18 87

Vo lum e 129 · N o. 7

T hu r s d ay, Ja nu a r y 21, 2 021

‘A wound we have to heal from’

PHOTO COURTESY OF ASSOCIATED PRESS

LSU students reflect on the Jan. 6 U.S. capitol riots.

NEWS

p ag e 3

Student Government rolls out new initiatives for the spring semester, including a new committee on sexual violence.

ENTERTAINMENT

p ag e 5

Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘Drivers License’ is top of the Billboard charts and taking over TikTok.

SPORTS

Read on

page 2

p ag e 9

The 2019 LSU offense remains the best ever, despite controversy with the 2020 Alabama squad.

OPINION

p ag e 11

“Last week’s events stripped bare the anger and mistrust directed at our government and our media.”

L SU Re ve i l le.co m @l s u r e ve i l le

page 2 PHOTO COURTESY OF ASSOCIATED PRESS

LSU students across the political spectrum condemn Capitol riots

BY CAROLINE SAVOIE @carolinesavo Mass communication senior Matthew Cross walked into his living room Jan. 6 when he heard his mother say, “Have you seen the news?”

Mass communication senior Jacob Phillips opened the door of his apartment on the same day, surprised to see the television in his living room tuned into a news station instead of ESPN. Political science senior Nate Wiggins said his phone kept pinging with news alerts about a protest at the Capitol, but he thought nothing of it until his mother called him and told him to turn on the news.

Mass communication senior Mia LeJeune watched live footage of the House and Senate counting electoral college votes to confirm Joe Biden as the 46th president.

Moments later, she saw Trump flags parade through the same statuary hall. She said she and her friends joked that Trump supporters would try to seize the Capitol in the days leading up to Biden’s inauguration.

“It was just a joke,” LeJeune said, “but it became very surreal when I saw the live feed shut off and heard that Mike Pence and Nancy Pelosi were sent to a secret location. I thought of my friends and colleagues who work in the Capitol, whose lives might be in danger because of these people.”

Wiggins said that what he saw shocked him.

“I saw people violently storming the Capitol as soon as I turned on the news,” Wiggins said. “I saw men dressed in fur and horns, a man putting his feet up on Nancy Pelosi’s desk and a woman covered in blood being wheeled out of the Capitol building on a stretcher. It was graphic and it was jarring. I just wondered how this could happen here, in this country.”

Supporters of Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol Jan. 6 in a violent protest of the peaceful transfer of presidential power.

After fighting with Capitol police, the rioters forced their way into the Capitol building. Senators were evacuated, and other lawmakers sheltered in their offices.

Some local businesses are under fire after photos circulated on social media of owners attending the rally that preceded the attack on the Capitol. Donald Rouse Sr.,

co-owner of Rouses Supermarket, and Cinda Vanmerrienboar, wife of Red Zeppelin owner Ray Vanmerrienboar, both posted pictures of themselves at the protest on social media. Both business owners said on social media that though they were at the protest, they did not participate in the violence.

Collis B. Temple Jr., a member of the LSU Board of Supervisors and former basketball player at the University, said Friday that LSU should explore severing its relationship with Rouses in response to Rouse’s attendance at the protests, according to The Advocate.

“What Rouses says reflects on LSU,” Temple said. “What [Donald] Rouse posted on Facebook reflects on LSU.” About a hundred rioters have been arrested since Jan. 6, including two from Louisiana. According to the New York Times, five people died as a result of the riots.

As a person with conservative political views, Cross felt like people on both sides of the political spectrum were waiting for conservatives to rally in support behind the rioters. He said he couldn’t understand that expectation because he doesn’t feel like the rioters represent conservative views, the Republican party or his beliefs.

“I’m tired of the stereotypes,” Cross said. “People like stereotypes because they like to tell stories about themselves and others, about who is winning and who is losing, but stereotypes create division.”

He said one of the first tweets he saw regarding the riots read, “Where are the Republicans that were calling for law and order now?”

“I’m right here,” Cross said.

“And I think the [rioters] should go to federal prison because they committed a federal crime.

There’s no reason for people to put all conservatives in this box.”

Phillips said he saw a sea of red shirts and hats as he watched the news with his roommates. He said that the image was almost humorous at first, but when his roommate told him that protestors got into both chambers of the Capitol, his mood turned grim. He went to Twitter and saw images of people in Viking costumes waving Confederate flags in the halls of the Capitol building.

“They were standing where the

Speaker of the House or the President of the Senate would stand, and it felt like a piece of the significance of that place had been lost,” Phillips said. “Those rooms should be occupied by people who have certain authorities and privileges granted to them by U.S. citizens, and they were defiled.”

Wiggins followed news updates for several hours, and he drew contrasts between police presence at the BLM protests and police presence at the election protest.

“There was a huge difference,” Wiggins said. “We’ve seen so much footage of peaceful protestors suffering violence at the hands of police during BLM protests, and that presented a stark contrast to the police taking selfies and making conversation with Trump supporters in the Capitol.”

Wiggins said it’s tragic and frustrating that lives were lost at the Capitol that day. He said he feels like it was the result of the deep political divide in the country, but he doesn’t see this event as a representation of the Republican party. As a member of the College Democrats at LSU, Wiggins said that his fellow club members might not agree with his moderate view of the other party.

“Republicans aren’t a big, bad ‘other’ that we can’t associate with,” Wiggins said. “Ninety percent of the members of both parties are good, decent people who have a different belief system than us.”

LeJeune said that as a person involved in politics, she looks up to presidents in admiration, so she can understand why people who idolize Trump were enamored by his rhetoric regarding the security of the election.

“He convinced them that democracy was at stake,” LeJeune said. “He gave them a worthy cause to fight for in their minds, and I’m not surprised that they took action. I do know that I’ll remember that day forever.”

Cross said that he doesn’t think the country will heal from this tragedy in the near future.

“It just feels like another domino that has fallen in the last year,” Cross said. “Our ability to have civil discourse in this country is almost absent, and that’s what scares me. Party lines shouldn’t dictate whether or not people can speak to each other, and that’s a wound we have to heal from.”

NEWS BRIEF: JOE BIDEN INAUGURATED AS 46TH PRESIDENT Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States on Wednesday, pledging to unite the country that has recently been plagued by “domestic terrorism” and “white supremacy” in his inauguration speech.

Biden was sworn in outside of the U.S. Capitol where about 25,000 National Guard troops were stationed.

Vice President Kamala Harris

became the first female vice president in U.S. history, as well as the first Black American to hold that office.

Gov. John Bel Edwards attended the inauguration and agreed with the President that the country must be united if solutions to national issues are to be found.

“Today I was proud to represent Louisiana at the Inauguration of (the) President of the

United States and (the) Vice President of the United States. I hope all Louisianians will heed his call to unite with our whole souls as we work together to address the many issues facing our country,” Edwards said. “Although we face significant challenges as a nation, there is no task too big for us to tackle if we put aside our differences and work together.”

Former President Donald

BY NICK FREWIN @itsnickfrewin

Trump did not attend his successor’s inauguration, instead opting to leave D.C. Wednesday morning and travel to his estate in Mar-aLago in Florida. Trump delivered a farewell speech to supporters at Joint Base Andrews before departing, wishing the new administration “great luck and great success,” albeit not mentioning either President Biden or Vice President Harris by name.

B-16 Hodges Hall Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, La. 70803

NEWSROOM (225) 578-4811

Editor in Chief BAILEY CHAUVIN Managing Editor LARA NICHOLSON Digital Editor BROCK SANDERS News Editor KATHERINE MANUEL Deputy News Editor NICK FREWIN Sports Editor NATASHA MALONE Deputy Sports Editor REED DARCEY Entertainment Editor ENJANAE’ TAYLOR Opinion Editor GRACE PULLIAM Production Editor JENNIE DELATTE Multimedia Editor ABBY KIBLER

ADVERTISING (225) 578-6090

Layout /Ad Design SARAH FRANCIONI Layout/Ad Design EMILY POOLE Layout/Ad Design SAMIRA AWAD

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS The Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure its readers the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards. This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes that may have been printed in The Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 578-4811 or email editor@lsureveille.com.

ABOUT THE REVEILLE The Reveille is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication.

A single issue of The Reveille is free from multiple sites on campus and about 25 sites off campus. To obtain additional copies, please visit the Office of Student Media in B-39 Hodges Hall or email studentmedia@ lsu.edu. The Reveille is published biweekly during the fall, spring and summer semesters, except during holidays and final exams. The Reveille is funded through LSU students’ payments of the Student Media fee.

NEWS

page 3

LOOKING FORWARD LSU SG plans for spring semester, new initiatives

BY CAROLINE SAVOIE @carolinesavo As students trickle back onto campus for the start of a new semester, all branches of Student Government are meeting to discuss upcoming events, initiatives and preparations for the spring SG election.

The newly-elected SG Senate leadership worked with SG President Stone Cox over winter break to brainstorm the issues they want to tackle in the spring semester, like inclusivity and SG awareness.

Cox said his first order of business was to craft a piece of legislation in response to allegations that the University mishandled sexual assault reports.

He authored an executive order that goes into effect Jan. 20 to establish a temporary, nine-person committee on sexual violence prevention.

“Clearly, sexual violence on LSU’s campus is an issue that needs to be addressed,” Cox said.

“Due to the scope and importance of this problem, the Speaker and I believe that it warrants its own committee.”

Senate Speaker Marina Cole said that her goal this semester is to make the relationship between the executive branch and the Senate “less tense” than last semester. She and Speaker pro

COMMUNITY

Dead Poet creates new dress code, age restrictions

BY AMBER BUETTNER @ Amber_Buettner

ate step that she and Cox feel strongly about. She said that the

A bar formerly associated with Tiger Land now has a new look, age requirement and dress code.

Dead Poet, located at 623 E Boyd St., was acquired by new management and now has an age requirement of 23, along with a cocktail dress requirement.

Former Dead Poet Associate Manager Justin Burnett said he saw a need for a more elevated nightlife experience in the Baton Rouge area. While it has been hard to change how people view the bar, Burnett said the new look is drawing in a crowd.

“People feel that this particular area just needed a place for grad students or people that just graduated, that may still want to party and socialize in the Tiger Land area, that doesn’t necessarily feel like they are in Tiger Land,” Burnett said.

The bar is now furnished with LED lit tables and leather seats. Where there used to be a dance floor, there are now tables

see LSU SG , page 4

see DEAD POET, page 4

THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES

Student Body President Stone Cox and Vice President Hannah Barrios were inaugurated Friday, Sept. 25 2020. tempore Alex Basse maintained communication with the executive branch over winter break, which gave them the opportunity

to work on forming the sexual violence committee.

Cole said the formation of this committee is an appropri-

GREEK LIFE

How sorority members are staying involved amid a pandemic

BY ANNE MARIE WHERRITT @amwherritt Sororities down the row are creating new protocols so Greek Life members can still have experiences at their houses, with friends and in the Greek Life community amid COVID-19 protective measures.

Before the pandemic, sororities held large events like semis, formals and exchanges with other fraternities, but these activities no longer exist for sororities due to the pandemic. When the 2020 fall semester started, sororities made it a priority to create plans so students in Greek Life could still visit their houses, host small events and even live in the sorority house.

Delta Zeta’s academic chair Grace Kellar, lives in the Delta Zeta house. She said the movein process was quiet, and two people were allowed to move in at a time with their parents.

They had to sign in, wear a mask

and get their temperature taken before walking into the house.

“Wearing a mask in my home can get annoying,” Kellar said.

“However, I understand I have to if I want to have the privilege of living in the house.”

Kellar said she misses weekly chapter meetings and getting to see everyone’s faces. She said living in the house has fun moments and it is like they are all quarantined together. They have dinners together with no more than four people at a dining table.

“The bond with my sorority sisters is still there even though there are rules,” Kellar said. “I still get to eat, study and live next door to all of my friends.”

Delta Gamma is also hosting small events for their members amid COVID-19. They have “Fun Fridays” every other week with time slots so every member has a chance to be involved. They COURTESY OF LAUREN HAEFELE

see SORORITIES , page 4

Members of Delta Zeta participate in social activities while taking measures against COVID-19.

Thursday, January 21, 2021

page 4 LSU SG, from page 3 committee will be comprised of executive branch members, Senate members and a delegate from Tigers Against Sexual Assault.

“After the USA Today article, we’ve been going back and forth trying to figure out solutions,” Cole said. “We have temporary committees for smaller issues, so this step feels warranted. We need to make things better for sexual assault survivors as soon as possible, so hopefully the committee only lasts one semester.”

The first Senate meeting was Wednesday, Jan. 20.

Cox said that the executive branch usually handles programming and event planning, but since COVID-19 guidelines restrict annual events like Groovin’ and Geaux Run, the branch is in a position to put forth more initiatives.

“SG isn’t strapped for cash,” Cox said. “We’re looking to spend money in more lasting places, so my plan is to have joint Senate and [executive branch] meetings to come up with large SG project ideas.”

Some of those large project ideas include creating a space on campus dedicated to members of

NPHC sororities and fraternities, developing a student worker bill of rights and establishing a fiveyear plan to upgrade Tiger Cards with increased capabilities.

SG Director of Student Entertainment Dallin Broussard said that an alternative to Groovin’ is in the works and should take place in March or April. His department collaborated with several student organizations to continue the drive-in movie series started in Fall 2020.

The first showing is Friday, Jan. 22 and will feature “The Greatest Showman.”

SG Director of Programming Maggie Landry said that Geaux Run was canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions, but her department is looking into alternative events that follow the state’s guidelines. Her department is also putting out a podcast-style series called TigerCast to raise money for the student emergency support fund.

SG Director of Non-Traditional Students Caroline Poche is hosting an event with the International Cultural Center called “Rep Your Flag” in which students can wave their countries’ flags and learn about other cultures. The program will be held Jan. 22.

In order to raise awareness of

SG affairs, members of different departments will set up pop-up displays on campus every Monday to give out information on upcoming events and how students can get involved. “Meet SG Monday” will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and displays will change location each week.

Members of the Academic Affairs Committee plan to continue conversations with administration to reform University policies regarding ProctorU, a test-proctoring service that students pay out of pocket to use based on their professor’s requirements.

“We’re trying to negotiate with professors to use cheaper proctoring options instead of requiring students to pay upwards of $15 for each test they take,” Cole said.

SG’s spring election offers an opportunity for students to elect a new president and vice president, members of College Council and half of the members of Senate.

The new commissioner of SG elections will set the date for the spring election once he’s confirmed into office, but the executive branch is planning to hold their last meeting and begin the transition of power the week of April 14.

THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES

LSU Student Government office operates during normal hours in the LSU Student Union on Sept. 4, 2018.

SORORITIES, from page 3

SAVANNA ORGERON/ The Reveille

Dead Poet sits on Jan. 13 at 623 E Boyd Dr. New management hopes to offer the Baton Rouge community a more sophisticated venue for socializing.

DEAD POET, from page 3 and stools.

While the furnishings have changed, the murals created by local artist Ellen Ogden are still there. The new management also added a food menu to accompany the full bar. Each table has a QR code to scan for a food and drink menu.

“We got inspiration from Chicago, Atlanta and Miami and felt like there was a void in Baton Rouge that we could fill,” Burnett said.

The new VIP section is currently used for people who come in with large groups. If the floor is full, large groups can pay a fee to sit in VIP to ensure the bar is staying socially distanced. In the future, the VIP section will be able to be reserved and used for bottle service.

Dead Poet holds events

such as Bottomless Wine Wednesday and Bottomless Mimosa Sunday. Both events have recently changed to having a 21 and up age requirement to accommodate for a younger crowd in Baton Rouge. In the future, Burwnett said they hope to be able to expand their calendar of events even further.

“We want to do live music, we want to do Latin nights, we want to do spoken word poetry nights,” Burnett said. “We want to do all types of events that are more eclectic and diverse socially, but we are just handcuffed as it stands due to COVID.” Dead Poet follows COVID-19 safety guidelines such as having all servers wear masks as well as patrons until they are seated. They also have their tables spread out to help with social distancing and offer customers hand sanitizer.

previously have tie-dyed masks, held king cake parties and even hosted a coffee truck.

“Delta Gamma has been making it a priority to make sure everyone is doing okay during this hard time,” Anderson said. “The little events still make it feel like I am in a sorority and I still get to see all my friends.”

Delta Gamma also hosts study nights and allows their members to have dinners at the house. They pick up their food and are allowed to eat outside.

Pi Beta Phi is also hosting similar small events for theirmembers, including wellness days. They had a hot yoga event with a few of the members at Orangetheory, a local fitness center.

Pi Beta Phi implemented the same lunch protocols adopted by other sororities with a spaced out dining room. They cannot rearrange chairs in the dining room and they have to eat in small groups of people.

COURTESY OF EMMA ANDERSON

Sophomore Emma Anderson partipates in a sorotiy event amid COVID-19.

ENTERTAINMENT

REV R ANKS

page 5

MOVIE

WONDER WOMAN 1984

HBO

“Wonder Woman 1984” is a bloated, if not ambitious, misfire from Warner Brothers’ DC Extended Universe franchise. Littered with incoherent plot holes, it’s a movie sequel that tries to be six different movies that unfortunately reads as painstakingly average and messy despite how visually dazzling and well-acted it is.

Conner McLaughlin @connor_mcla ALBUM

DANGEROUS: THE DOUBLE ALBUM Morgan Wallen

“865” is the classic drunk dial song. I’ve jokingly nicknamed it the redneck “Jenny 867-5309,” but honestly, it was one of my favorites on the album. There’s just something about phone numbers that make great singalong material. In the first week of its release it has already garnered 240 million streams, the most out of any country album.

Ava Borskey @iamavab NETFLIX SERIES

BRIDGERTON

Netflix

The scene is set inside a competitive marriage market during 19th century England which, of course, seeps with scandal. The story moves from shy glances in the ballroom to steamy sex scenes in the stairway. A single kiss could destroy the reputation of an entire family and Lady Whistledown, played by Julie Andrews, the town’s gossip girl, shows no mercy with her creative writing skills.

Katie Dixon @Katiedixon0910 NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

EXCUSE ME, I LOVE YOU Ariana Grande

“Ariana Grande: Excuse Me, I Love You” is the closest thing I’ll experience to a Ariana Grande concert until who knows when.

Even though I am an avid music fan, I have only been to one real concert my whole life.

2020 and 2021 ruined my chance to add to my concert passport. The documentary was something positive we need right now.

Ariel Baise @arielbiancaa Read the full reviews online at lsunow.com/entertainment

‘Drivers License’ has me emotional and invested in Disney drama again

BY OLIVIA DEFFES @liv_deffes I will admit, I am one to drive around Baton Rouge screaming to sad songs even when I don’t have anything going on in my life to relate to them. Whether I’m doing my emo drives solo or with my roommates, the song selection is key. Olivia Rodrigo has made that song selection a whole lot easier with her new single “Drivers License,” and I’m not sure I’ll ever find a better song to belt out to during car rides.

If Rodrigo isn’t on your radar as being one of the most talented up-and-coming young artists of today’s music scene, I highly suggest you look her up. She rose to fame in 2019 as Nini SalazarRoberts in the Disney+ original “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.” Rodrigo wrote her own song for her character called “All I Want” which gained popularity on TikTok, but this song did not do nearly as well as “Drivers License” has been doing ever since its release.

Rodrigo teased her new single on her social media accounts, one of them being TikTok. In true TikTok fashion, the snippet of the unreleased song went viral, which played a vital role in hyping up the song before its full release.

I can’t scroll through my TikTok For You Page without hearing the song on almost every other video. Ever since this song came out, I have heard it literally everywhere, but trust me, I’m not mad about it at all. It seems like everyone loves this song since it came out. “Drivers License” is dominating the charts on Spotify and Apple Music with

millions of streams and has debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

This song could not have come at a better time, in my opinion. During this pandemic, it has been hard for artists to come out with new content and music for their fans. Sure, there has been new music in the trying times of today, but I don’t think I’ve seen a song like this in a while. Not only is it beautifully written and orchestrated, it has also had unprecedented success, especially since it’s by a lesser known artist.

Another reason this song is gaining popularity and making headlines is because of the fanspeculated rumors surrounding the song’s inspiration. Rodrigo has been romantically linked to her Disney co-star, Joshua Bassett. Though their offscreen relationship was never confirmed by either star, fans noticed some similarities between the lyrics and real-life events involving Rodrigo and Bassett.

The main theory surrounding the song is that Rodrigo wrote it after her relationship with Bassett didn’t work out. Fans also think that another Disney star, Sabrina Carpenter, may be the one who Bassett moved on with since Rodrigo refers to a past lover moving on with “that blonde girl.”

It seems like almost everyone is speculating about this unconfirmed drama between three young Disney actors, but that doesn’t surprise me. We’ve seen this happen before with other Disney stars writing big hits about their failed relationships. If the rumors are true, Rodrigo isn’t the first one to do it. Miley Cyrus has done it. Demi

Lovato has done it. Selena Gomez has done it, too. Whether the theories are true or not, these fan-made rumors have made adults invest in this unconfirmed storyline that has definitely helped the song’s streaming numbers.

Though these rumors are speculated, Bassett conveniently released his own song shortly after “Drivers License” rose in popularity. His song is called “Lie Lie Lie” and is more upbeat, though it does seem to call out someone who apparently is spreading lies about Bassett. These two songs were teased and released around the same time, so I don’t think this is a case where Bassett is making a response to Rodrigo’s song. Bassett even took to his Instagram story to congratulate Rodrigo on “Drivers License,” so it is unclear if the rumors are true, but I will say I find them a little believable.

Whether you’ve heard this song on TikTok, got invested into the fan-made drama or simply listened to it on the radio, you can’t deny that “Drivers License” may be the hottest song right now. The huge success of a song from a lesser-known artist like Rodrigo seems a little unparalleled. I don’t think this is a case of a one-hit-wonder either. Rodrigo has proven herself as a professional artist and songwriter despite her age.

This song is pretty much flawless and gives me all the feels that I didn’t even know I was feeling. If you don’t think this song is amazing, try blaring it with the windows down on a night drive and let me know if your mind has changed Anyway, stream “Drivers License” by Olivia Rodrigo.

Thursday, January 21, 2021

Thursday, January 21, 2021

page 6

THIS WEEK IN SPORTS LSU men’s tennis defeated Alcorn State 7-0 on Jan. 17 in the LSU Tennis complex.

LSU men’s basketball fell to Alabama 75-105 on Jan. 20 in the Pete Maravich Assembly center.

LSU women’s basketball defeated Texas A&M 65-61 on Jan. 14 in the Pete Maravich Assembly center.

page 7

EMILY SCHEXNAYDER

LSU women’s basketball senior guard Jailin Cherry (1) blocks a Texas A&M player on Jan. 14.

LSU men’s basketball defeated South Carolina 85-80 on Jan. 16 in the Pete Maravich Assembly center.

EMILY SCHEXNAYDER

LSU women’s basketball sophomore guard Tiara Young (2) dribbles the ball on Jan. 14.

EMILY SCHEXNAYDER

A Landmark security guard holds up a “Mask Up” sign at the women’s basketball game on Jan. 14.

ABBY KIBLER

LSU men’s tennis freshman Tom Pisane gets ready to serve the ball on Jan. 17.

CHYREN MCGUIRE

ABBY KIBLER

The LSU men’s tennis team huddles up Jan. 17 before its game against Alcorn State.

LSU men’s basketball junior forward Josh Leblanc Sr. (11) watches the court on Jan. 19,

ABBY KIBLER

LSU men’s basketball junior guard Javonte Smart (1) gets tripped by an opposing player on Jan. 16.

ABBY KIBLER

LSU men’s tennis redshirt-sophomore Boris Kozlov smiles after winning the first set in doubles on Jan. 17.

ABBY KIBLER

LSU men’s tennis senior Rafael Wagner throws up the ball to serve on Jan. 17.

ABBY KIBLER

LSU men’s basketball sophomore forward Trendon Watford (2) makes a jump shot on Jan. 16.

Classifieds

Thursday, January 21, 2021

page 8

Now twice a week. To place your ad, visit www.lsureveille.com/classifieds and click Submit an Ad

Costs: $0.34 per word per day. Minimum $3.75 per day. Personals free for students

Help Wanted Red Zeppelin Pizza now Taking Applications for Pizza Makers.

Apply at RZP 225-302-7153

Let Your Business Bloom

YOUR business!

WALK TO LSU!! LARGE 1 BR APT! $TUDENT $PECIAL!!

LARGE 1 BR APT!! WALK TO LSU! ON SITE MANAGER, POOL, LAUNDRY ROOM. $650 / MTH 225 266-8666

Boil Up

Some Interest!

Place a Classified today!

LSUReveille.com

Place a classified at LSUReveille.com

Place

your

classified

{

{

Place a classified at LSUReveille.com

REEL IN SOME

business!

LSUReveille.com

coolest ads in Baton rouge !

THE Daily Commuter Puzzle

splash with

LsuReveille.com!

The

FOR RELEASE JANUARY 21, 2021

For Rent

make a

place a classified at

Place a Classified

Deadline: 12 p.m., three school days prior to the print publication date

place a classified at

LsuReveille.com!

ACROSS 1 Motel room staples 4 Logger’s leftover 9 Close 13 Aromatherapy scents 15 Smarter 16 Leo XIII or Pius X 17 Vegan’s no-no 18 Dunne or Ryan 19 Many a golf club 20 __ to the plate; did what was needed 22 Fly off the handle 23 Film critic Rex 24 Chicken __ king 26 Bits of parsley 29 Remiss; negligent 34 Hartman & Donahue 35 Wise men 36 __ down; make a note of 37 “All You Need Is __”; Beatles song 38 Irving Berlin’s “Blue __” 39 Lima’s nation 40 __ nutshell; briefly 41 Destroys 42 Walked the floor 43 Broadcast 45 Cream puff or cannoli 46 Suffix for organ or duel 47 Velvety ground covering 48 Snail’s cousin 51 South American nation 56 Per person 57 Facial hair 58 Egghead 60 Uplifting melody 61 At __; free to roam 62 Bridge or mahjongg 63 Call it __; quit & go home 64 Hot coal fragment 65 Bread variety

by Jacqueline E. Mathews

1/21/21

Created by Jacqueline E. Mathews

DOWN 1 Jones or Hanks 2 Competes 3 Mini blinds piece 4 Steals 5 Exhausted 6 Secondhand 7 Waiter’s handout 8 Gets ready 9 Corkscrew’s shape 10 Jewish wedding dance 11 “__ the Roof”; James Taylor song 12 Canvas shelter 14 Free from germs 21 Coatrack protrusions 25 Guitarist Paul 26 Divide 27 Means of communication 28 Opponent 29 Actor Michael __ 30 Gets older 31 Kick out 32 More achy 33 Prepare for an exam

Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved

©2021 Tribune Content Agency, LLC All Rights Reserved.

35 Enjoys a winter sport 38 Fitting 39 Going by 41 Winnebagos, for short 42 One of three tenses 44 Four score 45 Contemplate

1/21/21

47 Come together 48 Actress Ward 49 __ eyes on; beheld 50 So. Calif. univ.

52 Enlarge a hole 53 Attire 54 Close to 55 Military body 59 Shameful mark

SPORTS OFFENSIVE DEBATE

Column: 2019 LSU offense reigns over 2020 Alabama offense and it is not even close NATASHA MALONE

@malone_natasha

It has been just over a week since one of the craziest, most unprecedented college football seasons came to a close. After hundreds of cancellations and postponements, Alabama has reclaimed its spot on the throne of

college football after slaughtering Ohio State in the National Championship.

The end to another dominant season in Tuscaloosa has led many to the question: Was the 2020 Alabama Crimson Tide offense the best that college football has seen?

This comes just one year after people thought the 2019 LSU airraid offense was the highest caliber offense to ever take the field

at the collegiate level.

Each team capped off its season by hoisting the trophy, but the two respected Southeastern Conference programs went down different paths to get there.

Each path placed its own set of challenges and both conquered each and every one of them, giving the pair of programs a viable argument for being better than the other.

As if playing in the SEC is not

already trying enough, the Crimson Tide were on the receiving end of having to play a gauntlet, conference-only schedule, one thing that the 2019 LSU Tigers did not have to endure.

Alabama impressively breezed through its conference-only schedule, posting a perfect 11-0 record. But the way that they did it made it that much more

see OFFENSE, page 10

LSU

QB: Joe Burrow

AP Player of the Year Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Davey O’Brien Award Heisman Trophy

RB: Clyde Edwards-Helaire Doak Walker Award Runner-Up

WR: Ja’Marr Chase

QB: Mac Jones

Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Davey O’Brien Award

RB: Najee Harris Doak Walker Award

WR: DeVonta Smith

Biletnikoff Award

AP Player of the Year Heisman Tropy Paul Hornung Award

Offensive Line

Offensive Line

Season Accolades

Season Accolades

Joe Moore Award

15-0 2019 National Champions 7 Top-10 victories (+20 margin of victory) Avg points/game: 48.5

Joe Moore Award

ALABAMA

SEASON AWARDS/ACCOMPLISHMENTS

13-0 2020 National Champions 4 Top-10 victories (+17 margin of victory) Avg points/game: 48.5

page 9 OPINION

Column: Brees’ Legacy Set MICHAEL SANCHEZ

@MikeSanchez525

The New Orleans Saints suffered a 30-20 loss in the divisional round of the playoffs against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This loss extended the Saints playoff woes to four disappointing seasons in a row, coming up short of the Super Bowl. Even though New Orleans’ being booted out of the playoffs by a divisional rival opponent is headlining enough on its own, the story of the game is that Drew Brees could have potentially played his final game in the NFL. The Saints strutted into the Superdome thinking they would have a cake walk into the NFC Championship matched up against a team they steam-rolled twice this season already. Little did they know that the Buccaneers came into the contest looking to make a statement.

New Orleans failed to capitalize on two punts on the first two drives by Tampa Bay. Punt returner Deonte Harris set the Saints up within the 35-yard line of Buccaneers territory on two of the Saints’ opening drives.

New Orleans only managed to come away with two field goals after the end zone was in spitting distance. Four black and gold turnovers later had New

see BREES, page 10 MEN’S BASKETBALL

Alabama dominates LSU, sets SEC single-game threes record

BY ANTHONY MOCKLIN @anthony_mocklin LSU basketball closed out its three-game homestand with a forgettable 105-75 loss against No. 18 Alabama. The Crimson Tide remain the only Southeastern Conference team to be undefeated in conference play (7-0).

The Tigers (10-3, 5-2 SEC) suffered their first home loss of the season and sit at second place in the SEC. Alabama started out red hot, knocking down 10 of its first 11 shot attempts, including eight of its first nine three-pointers. LSU found itself down 27-6 very quickly, and the Crimson Tide coasted to a 60-32 halftime lead.

Alabama could not miss on it way to set the SEC record for threepointers made in a game with 23.

LSU Head Coach Will Wade said

he takes full responsibility for the team’s perimeter defense and lack of preparation.

“We’ve got to get it fixed because we were beaten every way tonight,” Wade said. “I give Alabama a ton of credit. They were more ready than us, they were more excited than us and they played a lot better than we did.”

Freshman guard Cameron Thomas led the team in scoring despite a poor shooting performance (6-17) in the loss. His 21 points marked his tenth 20-point game of the season. Thomas leads the SEC in scoring with a 22 point per game average.

Despite his performance, Thomas said the team’s defensive breakdowns dug the Tigers into a huge hole.

“They shot great tonight,”

see BASKETBALL, page 10

BRETT DUKE / Associated Press

LSU guard Ja’Vonte Smart (1) loses the ball during the second half of the team’s NCAA college basketball game against Alabama in Baton Rouge, La., on Jan. 19.

page 10 BASKETBALL, from page 9 Thomas said. “I mean, we tried everything. They were just making threes. We’ve got to go back and work on our defense. We definitely didn’t put our best foot forward.

We’ve got to get back to work.”

Thomas, the 23rd-ranked recruit in the 2020 class according to ESPN and 247Sports, has not disappointed. He has put himself firmly in the conversation for this season’s National Player of the Year, and his NBA Draft stock has skyrocketed. Thomas certainly has the potential to be a lottery selection should he declare this offseason.

LSU will hit the road on Saturday and look to bounce back against a struggling Kentucky team. Wade said he will do a better job of getting the team ready and help them lock in for the rest of the season.

“Once again, it was an allsystems breakdown, starting and ending with me,” Wade said.

“We’ve got to pick ourselves up off the mat and not let this game beat us twice and find a way to go to

OFFENSE, from page 9 impressive. Amidst a worldwide pandemic - amid COVID-19 and against arguably the best conference in college football - the Crimson Tide put up over 40 points in each of its conference games, averaging just a tick under 50 points per game at 49.7. But to be fair, Alabama did this during a pandemic, so who is to say that each team was at full strength at the time of their meeting.

Much like the Tide, LSU had a perfect season of its own as the Tigers joined the 2018 Clemson Tigers as just the second team to march to a 15-0 record. Although Alabama battled through an allconference schedule, it still did not live up to the amount of talent that LSU faced.

Of the 15 teams that LSU played, seven of those were ranked in the Associated Press Top-10 Poll at the time of their meeting. While some of those teams dropped off after, they were considered among college football’s elite at the time. With this, LSU became the first team to beat seven Top-10 teams in Texas, Florida, Auburn, Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma and Clemson. Not only did the Tigers come out victorious, but they did it in blowout fashion, defeating each foe by an average of 20 points. Looking at the season from a whole, the Tigers’ 48.4 points per game, totaling 728, set an NCAA record for most points scored in a singleseason. In addition, the Tigers became the only team to defeat the entire AP Preseason Top-4, three coming in the final games.

Picking apart the teams, the easiest place to start out is with the pair of Heisman Trophy winners who flew on the radar before rising to fame, former LSU quarterback Joe Burrow and Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith.

Burrow came to LSU looking for a fresh start after failing to see the playing field at Ohio State. In his first year sporting the purple

Thursday, January 21, 2021 Lexington and certainly play better on Saturday night.”

CHYREN MCGUIRE / The Reveille

LSU men’s basketball junior guard Javonte Smart (1) dribbles the ball while Alabama sophomore guard Jaden Shackelford (5) blocks Jan. 19, during LSU’s 75-105 loss to Alabama at the Pete Maravich Assembley Center. and gold, Burrow led the Tigers to a 10-3 record. It was not until his second season where he started gaining national recognition.

In its season opener against Texas, Burrow put up an astounding 471 yards and four touchdowns.

Little did anyone know, that was just the beginning for Burrow.

The success continued to roll as the graduate transfer ended up breaking numerous records, including the single-season FBS touchdown passing record with 60 and all-time passer rating with 202. In addition, Burrow claimed the SEC single-season passing yards record with 5,671, placing him third in college football history.

Alabama took a crushing blow in the beginning of the season as future first-round draft pick wide receiver Jaylen Waddle suffered a season-ending injury, leaving the Tide without arguably the most coveted receiver in college football. With this, Smith became Mac Jones’ go-to man, where he ultimately became the first wide receiver to hoist the Heisman Trophy since Desmond Howard in 1991. Smith racked up 1,641 yards on 105 receptions, averaging 15.6 yards per catch and adding 20 touchdowns.

Lethal offenses aren’t just made up of an individual player, and these two teams exemplify that as they put out high end talent across the board.

For LSU, Burrow was complemented in the backfield by running back Clyde EdwardsHealaire. The Baton Rouge native was often overlooked his entire life because of his size, but then-Passing Game Coordinator Joe Brady found a special way to incorporate Edwards-Helaire’s talent into the new offense. Edwards-Helaire’s play out of the backfield added another weapon to the LSU offense. Drawing comparisons to New Orleans Saints’ Alvin Kamara, Edwards-Helaire shined through the tackles and in the flat. At 5-foot-7, 207 pounds,

BREES, from page 9 Orleans glaring up at the scoreboard at yet another early round playoff exit.

Now the question that has yet to be answered: is that the final game that the illustrious Brees will want to be remembered for?

As much as the football world would love to see Brees take one more shot at glory, the unfortunate truth is that his body can no longer take the damage. Brees built his career off being one of the most durable quarterbacks to ever pick up a football. The last two seasons he was forced to sit out multiple games due to injury.

The Saints have been grooming Taysom Hill for years, and they signed Jameis Winston for a reason. One of these two guys will take over the reins going into next season.

As for Brees, he gave the city of New Orleans more than it could ever ask for, and he will go down in the history books as a legend. For a player of his Edwards-Helaire swifted his way down the field, exemplifying his elusiveness and ability to break tackles. The now-Kansas City back put together one of the best seasons by a running back in LSU history with 1,414 yards rushing and 453 receiving yards on 55 receptions.

For Alabama, it had a star back of its own in Najee Harris. Unlike Edwards-Helaire, the spotlight was nothing new to Harris as he was the No. 1 ranked running back prospect in the 2017 recruiting cycle, with good reason. The 6-foot-2 Alabama native carried a similar role as Edwards-Helaire did for LSU. Harris’ 1,466 yards on the ground, 425 catches and 30 total touchdowns were good enough to land him fifth in the Heisman voting.

Although neither of LSU’s wideouts won the Heisman, both had extraordinary, break out seasons. The pair of superstars Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson

caliber, one game will not put a damper on the record-breaking career he has achieved. Retire-

ment or not, Brees will always have a special place in the heart of the Who Dat Nation.

BUTCH DILL / Associated Press

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) passes in the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans in New Orleans, Sept.

9, 2019.

- became one of, if not the best wide receiver duos in LSU history.

Chase and Jefferson became just the second wide receiver duo in LSU history and the fourth in SEC history to have 1,000 yards receiving in the same season, according to LSUsports.net.

Both Jefferson and Chase were finalists for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation’s top wide receiver, but it was Chase who ultimately won the coveted award.

Post-season awards are often overshadowed by on-the-field success, but these two programs swept its College Football Awards, placing winners in almost every category up for grabs.

The 2019 LSU Tigers continued to shatter records after the conclusion of the 2020 NFL Draft, when they saw five Tigers selected in the first round and 14 overall.

The handful of first-round picks fell just one shy of tying the 2004 Miami Hurricanes for the most first rounders. Through a trio of

rounds, LSU had 10 players selected, which tied Ohio State for the most picks in three rounds.

While we are still awaiting the 2021 NFL Draft, only time will tell the fate of Alabama’s success in regard to the draft, but the team is likely to see similar success.

The two schools share similar qualities, talent and success across the board, but one thing gives LSU the edge over Alabama: the quality of competition that it faced and the amount of success that it saw in those games. And frankly, the success, combined with the talent that it faced, may never be matched.

Respect is given where respect is earned, and both of these squads earned that.

There’s no debate that these squads are a pair of the highest powered offenses in the history of college football, but when it comes down to it, the Tigers reign over the Tide. And that is non-debatable.

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

LSU football players raise their helmets Sept. 26, 2020 before LSU’s 44-34 loss against Mississippi State in Tiger Stadium.

OPINION Big tech FROM THE CRO’S NEST ELIZABETH CROCHET

@elizabethcro_

From a young age, I can always remember begging my parents for the new, hot social media app. First I wanted Facebook, then Instagram, then eventually Snapchat and most recently Twitter. It would take a lot of convincing, and I never understood why. My parents always repeated the same mantra: “Social media can be a dangerous thing.”

I never really believed them until now. Granted, their reasons then were not the same as in the present day, but the sentiment definitely rings true.

As I’m sure you all know by now, President Trump has been permanently banned from Twitter.

If you aren’t a fan of the president, you are probably rejoicing over this, but let me stop you for a second and tell you why this is a disaster.

page 11

IP H S R O S CEN Let me start by saying that the acts that took place in the U.S. Capitol a few weeks ago were beyond atrocious. They were unAmerican, and anyone involved should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law — as should all who riot or act in violence.

However, we cannot let that horrific event define what freedom of speech means in this country.

One of the things that makes the United States so different and special is that our Constitution protects freedom of speech.

In fact, the Constitution protects all speech: the good, the bad and the very, very ugly (unless, of course, it falls into one of the strictly prohibited categories).

Therefore, Twitter should stop its targeted silencing. Hiding behind the label of a private company and the liability protection of Section 230 is inexcusable. If, all of a sudden, we want to care about the rights of private companies, why not allow all the small businesses that have been shut down by the government to

should scare every American open back up?

Do not fall for that nonsense.

What Twitter is actually doing is censoring or banning any speech it does not like. Right now, that includes almost everything that comes out of a conservative’s mouth.

Twitter censored The New York Post’s story on Hunter Biden, saying it contained “hacked materials,” but not the New York Times story on President Trump’s private tax returns, which were leaked without his consent.

Sen. Mitch McConnell and his staff posted videos on Twitter of protestors outside of his home calling for violence. These videos were taken down by moderators. Instead, “Massacre Mitch” was allowed to trend on the site.

In August, President Trump’s younger brother died. You’ll never guess what Twitter allowed to trend.

It was #WrongTrump.

Just last week, the Students for Trump Twitter account was suspended until after Joe Biden’s

inauguration. When this was challenged, Twitter unlocked the account, claiming it had been an “error.” It seems ironic that these errors only happen to one side of the political aisle.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei once posted a calling for Israel to be “removed and eradicated.” That post remains on Twitter to this day, yet the President of the United States has been permanently banned for supposedly “inciting violence.”

There are many more examples, but hopefully you get the point. Maybe you think this is all fine because people on the right side of the political spectrum are crazy and do not deserve a platform.

I’ll tell you right now: they start with the “far right,” and then there is going to be a new scapegoat. Just last week, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey said that “... this is going to be much bigger than just one account. It is going to go on much longer than just this day.”

The line of acceptable speech will continue to move until we are all silenced. This should scare every single American. Some like to refer to President Trump as a dictator, but I have news for you: dictators do not get silenced.

They do the silencing.

If big tech can do this to the President of the United States — whether it be George Bush, Donald Trump or Joe Biden — imagine what it can do to us.

An ACLU representative said it well in a statement about the ban: “...the unchecked power should concern everyone.” It is not just Twitter. It is Facebook, Google, Amazon and many more. The monopolies of free speech need to end.

This is not what we stand for in America and it is definitely not what our Constitution embodies.

How much longer until you’re the one being silenced? Will it be too late?

Elizabeth Crochet is a 19-yearold political communication sophomore from New Orleans.

On-campus housing currently not worth it, needs improvement EMILY ON CAMPUS EMILY DAVISON @ichigoemily The benefits of on-campus housing have been relentlessly shoved down every student’s throat by University Res Life, and I’ll admit that I fell for it too.

Campus apartments are advertised as convenient and practical for every college student’s needs.

The prospect of being within walking distance from classes and other useful facilities was enough to draw me in as a soon-to-be sophomore, so I signed a lease with East Campus Apartments.

However, this was before last March, when the world was flipped completely upside down.

With classes moving primarily online and group events rarely taking place due to public health concerns, I was a little disappointed at the time that I wouldn’t be reaping the full benefits of living on campus. Still, I figured I would at least have a makeshift learning space to share with like-minded students.

“Nothing could possibly go

wrong!” I repeated to myself last August as I packed up my belongings and headed for new horizons.

My dorm would be a place to call my own, at least temporarily.

I think we were all looking for an opportunity to be optimistic about something after such a weird and lonely summer.

My naïve outlook switched in an instant as my new roommates and I found a patch of black mold that had taken over one corner of our kitchen ceiling. We put in a work order immediately, but the mold was only taken care of with bleach and never looked into again.

Since moving in this past August, we’ve had to put in several work orders for various issues with the apartment, including multiple reports of roaches and chronically broken appliances.

By the end of last semester, I had lost faith in the apartments.

Every day came with a slew of strange disruptions to daily life — but nothing that I hadn’t already (mostly) gotten used to.

My opinion of ECA reached an all-time low upon moving back for the spring semester, when everyone’s “fresh start” back at school

was met with an extremely worrying amount of mysterious black sediment in the hot water supply.

Every building in the complex ran grey-black water that night, and we were advised to flush out the lines until it ran clear. This took nearly two hours.

Since the black water fiasco, the first week and a half of school has been plagued with other plumbing-related issues: construction noises, cold showers and all. On top of every other problem we’ve run into since last fall, I’ve been seriously thinking lately: why are these apartments so expensive for what little they offer?

The typical four-bedroom, twobathroom apartment in ECA runs residents about $3,980 a semester — or around $995 a month — to live on campus with inadequate parking, roach infestations, mold outbreaks, obnoxious construction noise and a questionable water supply.

It really doesn’t add up, considering that most nearby offcampus apartments are in better condition and don’t cost residents nearly $8,000 per academic year.

The price of on-campus housing

is far too steep for the quality of life offered, and I really think the University should be allocating the money it gets from rent payments to improving the buildings themselves.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for what we have now. But for the endless promises of a truly convenient, blissful college experience on campus, there’s a lot of

Bailey Chauvin Lara Nicholson Katherine Manuel Nick Frewin Grace Pulliam

Editor in Chief Managing Editor News Editor Deputy News Editor Opinion Editor

Emily Davison is a 19-year-old anthropology sophomore from Denham Springs.

THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES

Ione, Pike and Steele Burden Hall on Aug. 20, 2015, in LSU’s East Campus Apartment Complex.

Editorial Policies and Procedures EDITORIAL BOARD

room for improvement. I think I speak for a lot of residents when I say that the “convenience” of campus living is not all it’s cracked up to be, especially while we’re spending most of our time inside our apartments.

The Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to opinion@lsureveille.com or delivered to B-39 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must provide a contact phone number for verification purposes, which will not be printed. The Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.

Quote of the Week “I can die a happy man never having been president of the United States of America.

But it doesn’t mean I won’t run.”

Joe Biden

President Nov. 20 1942 — present

page 12

Thursday, January 21, 2021

Letter to the Editor: D.C. riot reveals distrust of media, importance of journalism

BY LEN APCAR LSU Mass Communication Professor Len Apcar gave the following remarks to his students at the Manship School of Mass Communication on Jan. 11, the first day of classes, nearly one week after rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

It is impossible to begin a semester of journalism classes without commenting on the tumultuous recent events. I am sure the poignancy of this moment and the violent anger, much of it directed at the media, is not lost on your bright, young minds.

I know it raises questions that go to the very core of our national idea, as well as the work we train you to do at LSU and journalism schools around the country.

The media in all its layers of glory plays a fundamental role in democracy. It was a role so central to the minds of the Founding Fathers that they allowed a free press the sweeping power and protection of the First Amendment. People who mean to be their own governors, as James Madison so eloquently wrote, “must arm themselves with the power that knowledge gives.”

Knowledge and democracy ignited a revolutionary idea then; an idea that seems under threat now.

The events of Jan. 6 stripped bare the anger and mistrust di-

rected at our government and our media. The raging mob on Capitol Hill will tell you that it has no use for what we teach, no trust in reporting, no faith in attempts to be accurate and fair.

They might also say you are wasting your time; there is no career left for you. The industry will not be there as long as you need it to make a living. Just like coal miners or textile workers they knew.

You’d be better off doing some-

thing people really need like becoming a programmer, a welder or learning to cook for a living. Those jobs have endless futures.

They are wrong. The media, like communication itself, will endure.

They also argue that by the very fact that you are in class today you are privileged, part of an elite, whether you are at a great public institution like LSU or a reporter for a prestigious media company

COURTESY OF AP

Demonstrators break TV equipment outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 in Washington, D.C.

like CNN, the Washington Post or Fox News.

They resent elites because they believe journalism gets it wrong or glorifies what they are not; the Hollywood stars or the Silicon Valley wizards or athletes making fortunes in the flash of a pro draft. They do not see themselves portrayed in print, the web or on television.

They are wrong but they have a point.

In their world, they know people struggling to hold on. They see jobs and wages shrinking and they don’t see that in mainstream media reports, though, of course, it is there more than they know.

They don’t like what they hear from some leaders of our country and abhor policy ideas that don’t seem to address their fears. And their fears are deep, fears that lead to sleepless nightsr, worse, violence or drug abuse.

There is no excusing ransacking the Capitol or any such violence.

But among the raging leaders bashing windows and doors, there were the lost and disaffected who are just plain hurt. Media has failed to understand their bottomless fear of hopelessness, this movement, as President Trump called it. To journalists, the story has felt remote — even though it has been with us years. In the past decade, it welled up in regions far from media

capitals.

Last week it was remote no longer. It broke into the rotunda of the Capitol.

Now the media must refocus and try again to understand, explain and portray. It needs to understand how it happened and why.

There will be appropriate investigations about security breaches and intelligence failures. Journalists also need to redouble efforts to understand the roots and passions behind the protest.

At the Manship School, we begin a semester of learning how to talk to people of any station in life and tell their stories; how to find people who illuminate the dreams and heartbreak in everyone’s lives.

How to give voice to those who feel they have no voice.

We hear often that democracy itself is threatened. If so, a free press is equally threatened. So, let us rededicate ourselves to the essential principles of journalism — learning not only what happened and why, but what it means.

Let’s not kid ourselves. These journalism skills and the problems we shall address we will not master in a matter of months. But it is vital that we try.

Professor Apcar was a senior editor and reporter at The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal for more than 35 years.

HIRING a newTIGER Be part of an

award winning Design Team

GET paid and

BUILD your resume

To apply, visit www.lsureveille.com/application or contact admanager@lsu.edu