The Reveille 11-16-20

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According to a 2019 study by the Louisiana Department of Education, just 2,419 (5%) of 47,300 public school teachers were Black men.

5%

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“Black male students benefit immensely from having an educator that looks liks them.”

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NEWS

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History experts reflect on the renaming of LSU Library and the removal of Confederate symbols in Louisiana.

ENTERTAINMENT

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Wonderground provides wondrous venue for Baton Rouge to enjoy entertainment and support local creators.

SPORTS

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Father and son duo Chuck and Trey Winstead’s tight-knit relationship extends far beyond the golf course.

OPINION

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“When studying outdoors, I have been fruitlessly drafted into Bible studies more than anyone else on campus.”

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

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Lack of Black male teachers in Baton Rouge, LA can negatively affect Black male students

BY EZEKIEL ROBINSON @babazeke Anthony Felder walked into his freshman year at LSU with aspirations of becoming a pediatric physical therapist. But during that year, Felder had an epiphany.

“I realized the only reason I wanted to be a pediatric physical therapist was because I wanted to teach kids how to use their limbs again,” Felder said.

The opportunity to learn how to become an educator came later during his freshman year.

“I was struggling in an entrylevel chemistry class, and I said that I would never take another chemistry class,” Felder said. “I switched my major to mathematics once I found out about LSU’s concentration rule.”

The chance to become an educator for the youth has a deeper meaning and motivation to Felder, though.

“I want to be an advocate for youth, especially youth of color,” Felder said. “I think it is important that not only every voice is heard, but also every opinion is considered. I think that education plays an enormous role in the development of that voice.”

Felder, a Black student at the University, believes his success is important to inspiring more Black male youths to become educators.

“It is very important for young Black men to have an accessible role model,” Felder said. “It can’t just be people they see on television and read about in books, but someone who they can learn from through continued conversations and interactions.”

Felder, now a junior, has only had two teachers and professors in his lifetime be Black men.

Felder’s case is extremely common throughout the United States.

Black men represent less than 2% of the entire teacher workforce, according to a study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics.

The numbers are more alarming in Louisiana.

The state had 47,300 public school teachers in 2018, according to a study by the Louisiana Department of Education. The study also found that of that 47,300 public school teachers, 2,419 were Black men.

That’s about 5% of the teacher population in a state that has the second-highest Black population percentage — 32%, according to LSU Dean of the College of Human Sciences and Education Roland Mitchell.

The numbers drop even more in Baton Rouge. Despite the city population being majority Black, less than 1% of teachers in Baton Rouge are Black men, according to the Schott Foundation for Public Education.

The origins of this issue have many factors. The most common is the lack of retention for Black

male students, which then leads to the lack of Black men as teachers.

There are educators and students who believe having a Black male teacher is highly important for the success of Black men in general.

“Black male students benefit immensely from having an educator that looks like them,” Felder said. “I think commonality can be the first step of an effective personal relationship inside the classroom; relationships that have been proven to assist in educational performance.”

LSU professor of sociology and African and African American studies Lori Martin is a promoter of diversifying the education field with more Black men.

“Students, faculty, staff and administrators at LSU would benefit from more Black male educators who understand the

including Black male teachers who were not hired at integrated schools,” Martin said. “Some even left the profession altogether.”

Martin views education as a branch in a tree of problems Black men face.

“Black men are relatively disadvantaged throughout the labor market,” Martin said. “They also have greater challenges in schools.

The academy and K-12 schools tend to reproduce themselves in the hiring and promotion process.”

Race is a strong factor in Martin’s eyes.

“Black men are not always seen as a ‘good fit’ for positions in the academy or narrowly defined roles in elementary and secondary education,” Martin said.

The classroom environment is a challenge for Felder.

“I think the most difficult challenge I have faced in my experience thus far is just relat-

The value of being a part of a rich community of Black folks in and outside of college settings provides a deep reservoir of support and resources to move past these rare and unfortunate instances.

ROLAND MITCHELL

Dean of the College of Human Sciences and Education at LSU

African American experience within the context of a broader ongoing liberation struggle,” Martin said.

To Martin, an increase in Black male educators would help groom Black male students from a variety of backgrounds.

“Black male educators often wed their academic training with their observations and experiences at the intersections of their race, gender, class, religion, and sexuality in ways that provide an important and critical lens for understanding American society,” Martin said.

Martin has a potential solution for the issue.

“Targeted recruitment of Black male students majoring in education is possible and should be a priority,” Martin said. “It should start well before the college admissions process.

There must also be a focus on retention.”

However, Martin and Felder understand there are challenges that stand in the way.

“The integration of schools led to the closure of Black schools and a loss of Black educators,

ing to the white students,” Felder said.

LSU had a student body population slightly under 32,000 students during the fall 2019 semester, according to LSU’s budget and planning division. About 21,000 of those students are white, making up about 66% of the school’s student population.

Many Black students at predominantly white institutions, including LSU, find the abundance of white students to be discomforting, leading to a struggle in retention.

A study from College Student Affairs Leadership found five main components that lead to a struggle to retain Black students at predominantly white institutions: institutional historical legacy of inclusion or exclusion, compositional diversity, psychological climate, behavioral climate and structural diversity.

The composition of the classroom both in terms of the students and the educators’ matter. The lack of diversity in a classroom can give Black students, especially Black

male students, an increased presence.

“I am very much aware that being a Black man makes me hyper-visible in a space where historically there have been very few Black men,” Mitchell said.

Being an educator in as high of a position such as the dean of the College of Human Sciences and Education makes Mitchell believe he is in a great spot to motivate future generations of Black male students.

“The value of being a part of a rich community of Black folks in and outside of college settings provides a deep reservoir of support and resources to move past these rare and unfortunate instances,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell also values his time as a program leader in the Higher Education Administration program.

“I did not do anything specifically geared toward recruiting Black men any differently than I would have for recruitment in general,” Mitchell said. “The key to recruitment is having faculty who are open to building meaningful pedagogical relationships with students.”

Once that occurs, and your students arrive on the national stage in key positions, they share with other students the positive interactions that they had under your tutelage,” Mitchell said.

The Louisiana Department of Education has acknowledged the lack of Black-male educators.

“It is important to have a teaching workforce that mirrors the diversity of students,” Sydni Dunn, the spokeswoman for the Louisiana Department of Education, said “The Louisiana Department of Education takes this seriously and has engaged in a number of activities to ensure this is possible.”

Dunn said there are some initiatives the state Department of Education is planning to improve diversity among Louisiana educator.

“Louisiana launched the ‘Be a Teacher LA’ campaign to recruit new teachers into the field and to elevate the profession,” Dunn said. “Louisiana adopted a new ‘Jump Start’ pre-educator training pathway to equip high-school students — college and career bound — with the knowledge and skills needed to find success upon graduation in the education profession.”

Louisiana Department of Education officials attended a national consortium in March 2018 that focused on how to diversify the education workforce and support future and current educators in effectively teaching students of different cultural backgrounds.

Dunn emphasized the importance that diversifying the students and teaching workforce holds.

“This is true in Louisiana and across the nation,” Dunn said.

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A HEALTHY DEBATE weren’t up to do, is something we certainly need to eliminate. I think the University really needs to sit down and assume this is what the community is doing and figure out what our standards are for naming buildings.”

History senior and President of the LSU Society of Student Historians, Beau Clark, said he believes that buildings representing “figures who elicit feelings of exclusion” should be renamed.

“It is my personal belief that LSU should involve the entire student body in the discussion of renaming buildings on LSU’s campus, and potential names should be selected by a merit-based process regarding the individual’s significant contributions to LSU’s academic endeavors, campus development and student life,” Clark said.

Clark said that although he agrees with the renaming of LSU

see DEBATE, page 4

see LIVE ZOOM, page 4

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

Troy H. Middleton Library sits on June 17 on LSU’s campus.

The yellow brick wall above the doors of LSU Library has been blank since June, when the Board of Supervisors approved to the removal of the name Troy H. Middleton.

The renaming of the LSU Library fueled many students to advocate for the renaming of 14 additional LSU buildings, many of which are named after Confederate leaders.

The removal of Confederate monuments, memorials and symbols has been an ongoing controversy not only on LSU’s campus, but throughout the United States.

LSU history professor Gaines Foster, who has written multiple books and lectures on Southern history, said that “the most important thing” for the United States to do is come to terms with why the Civil War was fought.

“The problem is there’s still

not a consensus in America,” Foster said. “Either that the war is about slavery, if you look at polling data on that it’s about 55:45 with more people saying slavery, though. If you ask the question another way, states’ rights wins.

American society has never come to terms with the meaning of a Civil War.” Foster said the Confederate flag is an “interesting case” due to differences in demographics and public perception of the flag compared to 1861 or 1865.

“Obviously, the South, with its history of the Confederacy, still has some emotional ties and family ties to some past into the Confederacy that makes Confederate symbols evocative for some white Southerners,” Foster said. “But if you look at the polling data on support for the flag, you’ll find that it’s no longer purely regional.”

Foster discussed the distinction between honoring the sacri-

fice and honoring “the Southern cause” of Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. “I think one of the most complex issues for any society is how do you deal with acknowledging the sacrifice of individuals without embracing the cause,” Foster said. “That’s the tricky part about the Confederate monuments. You can respect to a certain extent the sacrifice. Does that mean you have to embrace the cause?”

Foster said that building name changes are “equally tricky” as taking down Confederate monuments. Foster used the examples of high schools named in the 1950s and 1960s “as part of a reaction against the Civil Rights movement.”

“You need to ask yourself questions about why they were named and who they’re named after on an individual basis,” Foster said. “I think a general celebration of the Confederacy, which is what some of those names

BY MADELYN CUTRONE @madelyncutrone University administration is advising professors who plan to teach online for the spring semester to use synchronous classes rather than the “at your own pace” style classes that many have implemented during the fall semester.

The Division of Strategic Communications announced in an Oct. 23 email that the spring semester would run similarly to the fall semester.

“Classes will be a combination of in-person classes, online classes and a hybrid of both,” the email read. “Residential Life and Dining procedures will look largely the same, but we hope to ease some restrictions on events and student gatherings to provide a more traditional student experience wherever possible.”

Vice Provost of Academic Affairs Matthew Lee said that in light of this, his department has been “encouraging faculty for the spring who are teaching remotely to do everything they can to [make those classes] synchronous.”

Lee said the main frustration he’s heard from students regard-

LSU history experts weigh in on the removal of Confederate symbols

BY POET WOLFE @PoetWolfe

LSU encourages live Zoom classes for spring semester

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

SG disability department fights for inclusion on campus

BY CAROLINE SAVOIE @carolinesavo When psychology junior Josh Price learned a committee at the University passed an initiative to implement Braille signage in a number of buildings in LSU’s Quad, he had one question: “Finally?”

Price is one of the few blind students enrolled at LSU, and he faces accessibility issues on campus every day. To Price, Student Government’s Braille initiative is a big step toward inclusion, but he said the fact that it just passed in September shows how little the university has done thus far to make LSU accessible to visually impaired students.

“I find myself relying on Student Government because I’ve seen them more concerned over disabled students than LSU administration is,” Price said.

Director of Disability Services

for SG and political science and philosophy junior Kaitlyn McCaskill said her department is working to implement initiatives that directly improve the lives of students with disabilities.

Her assistant director and mass communication senior Lillie Thompson said the department reaches out to students via surveys to figure out which parts of campus need improvement.

She said the Campus Access Site Team (CAST) works closely with the department to get ideas about how to make campus more accessible.

Thompson said she uses her position to make functional, practical changes around campus to support students with disabilities and integrate them more in student life. She said the department has shifted its view toward problems that face students with disabilities on a day-to-day basis.

“People can be very kind to-

ward people with disabilities, but few people focus on giving them the experience they deserve on campus,” Thompson said. “That’s what we’re really trying to do.

We’re the facilitators between students with disabilities and administration in terms of making LSU more livable, as it should be.”

McCaskill said her department’s focus is multifaceted, with programs in the works to support communities on campus like hard-of-hearing students, visually impaired students and students with cognitive disabilities.

Thompson said an American Sign Language interpreter recently gave the department a demonstration on commonly-used phrases, the alphabet in ASL and the importance of communicating with hard-of-hearing peers.

“It was a fantastic example of the little things every student can learn to make hard-of-hearing students feel more included in

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Braille is used to label rooms in Hodges Hall on Oct. 2, 2019. our community,” Thompson said.

In September, CAST approved the department’s Braille plating program to make older buildings

on campus more accessible. Price said that as of November, without

see DISABILITY, page 4

Monday, November 16, 2020

page 4 DEBATE, from page 3 buildings, people should be cautious of “falling into the trap of presentism.” Clark also said the best solution is to “find a middle ground” between respecting University students’ opinions and not perceiving historical figures strictly through our modern perspective.

Clark does not believe the removal of Confederate symbols is an erasure of history but said “the role the Confederacy played in US or Louisiana history” should not be forgotten.

“The Confederates were in open rebellion against our Union and should not be venerated for fighting against our country,” Clark said. “Removing these figures and symbols does not erase the harm caused by the message they represent, but it would make a statement that LSU is commit-

ted to creating an inclusive community.”

Scott Madere, president of LSU History Graduate Association and a fourth year Ph.D. student who researches modern European history, said he’s “not particularly worried” about the removal of Confederate symbols being an erasure of history.

“As long as there are past events to examine and people who are passionate about interpreting the past, we will always have fresh, differing viewpoints on history,” Madere said. “I’ve personally studied the writings of dead people for thousands of years and those whose viewpoints and opinions were roundly persecuted in their time. If their viewpoints weren’t erased by age or lack of interest, neither will anyone else’s in the future.

Madere said communities have a right to decide what their

EMILY SCHEXNAYDER / The Reveille

Desks sit in a classroom in the Huey P. Long Field House on February 5.

LIVE ZOOM, from page 3 ing this semester is the sense that they’re “out there on their own” with asynchronous classes.

“We’re trying to get that message out to faculty,” Lee said. “My anticipation is that proportionally it’s going to be better than this semester.”

Political science junior Katie Gonzales said that out of her three synchronous and three asynchronous classes this semester, she prefers the live Zoom calls because they’re most similar to normal in-person classes.

“It’s definitely easier in-person because [professors] point directly to the board and say ‘you need to learn this; and that’s not happening anymore,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales also said she would appreciate the University implementing a set of guidelines for professors so there’s consistency in how they conduct online classes.

“Some of them are doing really well with their Zoom lectures, and some of them aren’t,” Gonzales said. “I think if we have to do this again, they need to set specific guidelines for teachers.”

Business sophomore Jordan Harrison said it’s harder for her to pay attention on live Zoom calls and at times it can be inconvenient.

“I enjoy having a set time, but I also hate that if I need to go get my car fixed or something that I have to miss one of my classes,” Harrison said. “Being live on Zoom, it’s really easy to get distracted.”

Harrison also said that when classes are asynchronous it can be difficult to keep up with coursework, and there hasn’t been enough communication from her professors about due dates and homework.

“I’m ultra-organized. I have a desk planner and a normal planner and a white board I write stuff on, but even with those, some of my teachers now think it’s okay to just change dates of assignments and not let anyone know. If we were in person they wouldn’t do that because the class would uproar,” Harrison said. “I’ve definitely found not that I can’t keep track, but that the teachers make it difficult to keep track.”

African and African American studies sophomore Kaya Lewis said half of her classes are asynchronous and half are synchronous. Overall, she prefers the “at your own pace” style.

“I feel like certain discussions or classes don’t have the same affect over Zoom,” Lewis said.

“That’s the main thing I regret about staying home.”

Lewis decided to move back home to South Dakota this semester for financial and safety reasons instead of staying in Baton Rouge. Even if she had stayed in Louisiana, however, it’s likely all of her classes would still be online.

“It would be easier if professors had a uniform system,” Lewis said. “When you’re trying to get on Zoom and your class starts in two minutes and you have to remember if the link is on Moodle or an email, and every homework is on a different website, it’s difficult.”

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

Troy H. Middleton Library sits June 17 on LSU’s campus. collective values are and the ways they should be expressed.

“If a community decides together that modifications to their physical environment like building names are necessary to reflect their values, then they should have that right to change names,”

Madere said.

Foster said it is important for there to be “a healthy debate” on whether or not to rename LSU buildings or take down Confederate monuments.

“I think every community needs to deal with this as well,”

Foster said. “I mean, my hope would be that a debate over the monument becomes an occasion, or the debate over the name of the building. The changes itself may not be as important as the fact that we have the debate that helps us understand our history.”

DISABILITY, from page 3

Thompson said that she and the rest of the department make an effort to educate themselves on what aspects of campus life are like for people with disabilities.

“We really make an effort to educate ourselves and make ourselves more cognizant of the is-

sues disabled communities face on campus,” Thompson said. “We have really wanted to be a wellrounded council because we don’t know everything, but we want to be the best equipped that we can be to serve the most students on campus.”

the buildings in the Quad have signage denoting their names.

He said that if he doesn’t have a student escorting him to class, there’s no way for him to know which building he’s about to enter. He said he thinks this initiative should be the first of many of its kind.

In addition to putting up new signage, Price said the University needs to correct problems with current Braille plating in campus buildings.

“There’s a men’s bathroom in Coates Hall that reads ‘Men,’ but in Braille it says ‘Women,’” Price said. “That mess should be fixed as soon as possible.”

The department is also pushing for push-to-open buttons on buildings and a text-to-speak feature on the LSU Dining website that would help visually impaired students.

Thompson said the department is trying to reschedule a Disability Walk on campus that was canceled due to a hurricane.

The department will invite disabled students to walk around campus with members of the department and administration to point out accessibility issues that the University can mitigate.

McCaskill said she and her department are working to implement a program at LSU that would offer students with cognitive disabilities alternative higher education options. The program would give students an opportunity to attend LSU for two years to receive a certificate in the major of their choice.

“We believe that this program would encourage students who wouldn’t attend four-year universities to continue their education,” McCaskill said. “I love all of our initiatives, but this one I am especially ready to bring to administration.”

McCaskill said she is set to meet with SG President Stone Cox in the upcoming weeks to discuss how SG can work with University administration to gain some traction on the idea.

There are no students with disabilities in the department, but

ELIZABETH SULLIVAN / The Reveille

LSU students sit six feet apart on Sept. 4 in the LSU Library.

THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES

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

ENTERTAINMENT

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A WONDROUS DAY AT

WONDERGROUND

BY GIDEON FORTUNE | @asapfortunate

Cindy Wonderful is nothing short of her name. Before becoming the owner of Baton Rouge art house Chez Fab, Wonderful toured Europe as half of the electro-hip-hop group Scream Club and even started her own record label. This past weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting the Chez Fab midtown property named Wonderground, that was home to a community garden fundraiser event with all sorts of vendors and live entertainment.

Upon arrival, I was greeted by a group partnering with Wonderful to build a community garden at Wonderground.

Swampfly is a group devoted to making a greener Louisiana by creating public green spaces in areas around Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Lafayette. It does plenty of landscaping work, including building pollinator beds and edible gardens and incorporating native species beneficial to Louisiana’s environment into their landscapes. On Saturday, Nov. 7, Swampfly arrived at Wondergound to sell plants that go toward funding the community garden at the location. The garden, along with the community pantry and fridge, will make Wonderground a sustainable venue.

As I wandered around the venue, I found a variety of art vendors such as senior printmaking student Kelly LeBlanc and ceramics post-baccalaureate Zoe Valdina. Valdina is from New York but was determined to come to LSU for its prestigious ceramics program. These two students are members of the tight-knit Baton Rouge art community. Everyone seemed to know all the other people at the venue. From local Black comic extraordinaire Blerdish to street photographer and film developer Bruce Williams, Wonderground proved to be a diverse and inclusive spot.

Inside of the building on the Wonderground grounds was unfinished but aesthetically pleasing. The walls were covered with spray paint similar to, but not as majestic as the large Wonderground mural on the side of the building. Near the door was a bathroom with a bio-gas toilet in the works. Outside was a water container set up with the help of Arthur Hebert who was also hosting a wood crafting workshop.

These different components are there for the sole purpose of helping Wonderground be an offgrid, fully sustainable facility.

After a brief intermission, I

returned to see events occuring which partained to Wonderful’s standing with the music community in Baton Rouge. She is known in the area for her 96.9 FM DJ show “Baton Rouge Locals Only.” At 7 p.m. on Thursdays, Wonderful gives shine to local artists regardless of their status.

Many artists receive their first bit of airtime on the radio show.

This platform has garnered plenty of respect within the music community.

A previous feature on “Locals Only,” a band named Hyckoriii was performing an inviting set up. The performance centered around spirituality and was dependent on audience interaction.

Using its stage time, the band hosted a fellowship with plenty of other acts and a group of moderators which included Wonderful.

After each set, audience members were asked to give feedback or share questions they had pertaining to the performances. The band put forth a performance with rap, R&B and folk elements that was unlike anything I had ever seen.

The band’s music was just as unprecedented as its engagement with the audience. Much of the audience was skeptical regarding

the format. After all, it is not often that audience members are called up at random to share what they have going on in their lives. This conscious up-front effort of building community proved more successful as the night progressed.

Even those not engaged directly became invested.

Baton Rouge weather influenced the end of the night as the acts were forced inside. While some left, the event transitioned well into the building. The atmosphere contained the same energy but was suddenly cozier than it was before. Everyone was forced a bit closer in as the next act came on. A band named The Fellas delivered a hype performance that livened up the crowd to formally end the night.

A few young rappers who had never seen a stage prior to this night shuffled up to the stage as the crowd size dwindled to a few stragglers. They were cheered on by all who remained and left with smiles and more confidence than when they came. This moment seemed to be the theme of the night and of Wonderground itself — tight knit communities centered around creativity at a venue acquired for the sole reason of bringing people together.

COURTESY OF ASHLEY CAMP AND SWAMPFLY

MUSIC

TikTok puts Fleetwood Mac on charts after over 40 year hiatus

BY OLIVIA DEFFES @liv_deffes

TikTok is the social media app taking the world by storm. Like a new generation Vine, TikTok is popular among the younger generation for its short videos on various topics. From dancing videos to cooking videos to videos with no real subject, TikTok is dominating all other apps out there.

The app has been known to give popularity to new music and blooming artists. One main feature of the app is short song clips that can be used as a background sound for videos. Almost all the songs that can be found on music streaming services can be found as a sound on TikTok. Almost every song you hear on a pop radio station was made popular on TikTok. Though it has been responsible for making radio hits, TikTok’s music feature has also brought popularity back to songs that are decades older than the app’s users.

One recent example of this was Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” recharting after a viral TikTok was made using a clip of the song.

Nathan Apodaca, known on TikTok as “420doggface208,” made a TikTok of himself riding a skateboard to work. While riding, he can be seen drinking Ocean Spray cranberry juice out of a jug while “Dreams” played in the background.

What may have seemed like a pointless video now has over 11 million likes on the app. Captioned “Morning vibe,” the TikTok became viral overnight. It has been shared in the app over 600,000 times and has even gone viral on other social media apps like Twitter.

Fleetwood Mac’s song “Dreams” was originally released in 1977 but has been dominating the charts once again because of this viral video. Fleetwood Mac members Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood and Lindsey Buckingham followed the trend of the original

video by drinking cranberry juice and vibing to their song.

The TikTok didn’t only give popularity to the old song, it also gave fame to the user and made Ocean Spray cranberry juice fly off supermarket shelves. Apodaca now has 5.7 million followers on the social media app and has gained fame almost overnight from his good vibes video. Apodaca’s viral video was even the inspiration for many Halloween costumes this year. One minute he was making a TikTok documenting his ride to work, and the next minute he was the next TikTok star.

Fleetwood Mac isn’t the only band whose songs are getting newfound fame from TikTok. John Lennon’s “Beautiful Boy” has been trending lately among girls making cute videos about their boyfriends with the song backing the TikTok. Another notable song that recharted after going viral on TikTok

is Melanie Martinez’s “Playdate.”

This song was from Martinez’s debut album, but it never really broke out on the charts until it became a featured sound on the app.

TikTok has made an unprecedented impact on today’s pop culture. Almost all things trending among America’s youth probably originated on this app. From dances to influencers to songs, almost anything can become famous from being featured on someone’s “For You Page.” Although Generation Z has been called out for “discovering” things that were popular in other genera- tions, I think we need to acknowl-

edge that this app has the power to bridge the gap between generations.

TikTok is an app where the new can become the next trend and the old can be new once again. It has become a hitmaker machine when it comes to music, and it’s responsible for making new songs popular and making classic songs receive a new life among a generation who might be unfamiliar with them.

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Monday, November 16, 2020

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Monday, November 16, 2020

REV R ANKS

MUSIC

Nine YouTube channels that have the best music for studying by everyday people, leading to some amazing tracks. Lo-fi is so popular that Will Smith has lo-fi tracks on his channel, and someone even made an 8-hour lo-fi compilation of a Bernie Sander’s filibuster. If you can think it, there is most likely a lo-fi playlist

A

Win t

A

Au Q

Roo m

s

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Just as the name suggests, Autumn Cozy is all about seasonal ambience. The channel has playlists such as “autumn ambience,” “spring ambience” and “Halloween ambience.”

ir

acle Fore

W hale A

Falling more into the ambience/ASMR side of YouTube, Winter Whale ASMR will take you from a “Small Bookstore on a Beautiful Island” to a bamboo forest.

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M PR usic

ALBUM

Sam Smith

I would recommend this album to any and everyone. Pour a glass of wine while cooking dinner and give it listen. Getting dressed in the morning? Press play. Either way, you won’t be disappointed, and you’ll want to listen again and again.

Jordanne A. Davis @jordanneashley MOVIE

BRING IT ON I recommend Quiet Quest to those who want a longer video accompanied by softer music. Most of Quiet Quest’s music is classical or straight ambient. Instead of a cute mascot or a person studying along, this channel gives you beautiful scenery.

For anyone interested in Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones, this channel has you covered.

You can sit in your assigned Hogwarts house or in Cersei’s Chamber. Most of this channel’s ambience is relaxing and perfect for concentrating.

Have you ever wanted to write an essay in a Mythical Creature Sanctuary? If so, Miracle Forest has you covered. This channel has almost any fantasy, sci-fi or mundane setting you can listen to. Its older videos include library sessions and studying at Hogwarts.

Famous for its public broadcast radio, NPR Music also has a music YouTube channel where musicians perform in its office. Almost any musician you can think of has been on Tiny Desk Concert.

I recommend this channel to everyone because most of the performances are laid back and immaculate.

Beacon Pictures

Like any other movie or show in the 2000s, there’s going to be some cringey moments where you‘re glad that you didn’t live during that time. Overall, “Bring It On” still stands, and it’s one of the best teen movies ever made. The acting wasn’t bad, and the overall plot was good. It may be mindless entertainment, but there’s a lesson in there to be learned.

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COURTESY OF ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

LOVE GOES

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A mix between a lifestyle channel and a study music channel, Audrie Storme offers a diverse set of content. Her videos often feature her studying or working alongside viewers.

This channel has both good aesthetics and music. FearDog Music has some of the cutest thumbnails and titles, such as “butterfly hug ~ lofi hip-hop mix” with a cat playing with a butterfly. Most of its videos run for one hour packed with lo-fi hip hop beats.

ut

er

R SM

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ambience channels also have videos recreating the ambience of a library, café or bookstore, some of the places we can’t frequent because of the pandemic.

Here are some of the best YouTube channels for music to listen to while studying:

dog Mu ar

m

One of the most popular lo-fi channels on YouTube, Chillhop Music has plenty of videos to listen to. Each season it releases a brand new “Chillhop Essentials” that are usually an hour long.

Join its adorable raccoon mascot and study to its instruments anytime.

dr

Fe

hop Mu

about it.

Over the past few years, ASMR has taken over the internet. Instead of someone whispering in your ears for an hour, you can have the sounds of leaves falling or the sound of an 18th-century boat rocking on the waves. ASMR/

sic

ill

sic

Ch

Online classes have weaseled their way into our lives. With more than enough distractions and fatigue from Zoom classes, it is hard to stay focused. If you’re

like me, music on Spotify will also divert your attention. To ease the distractions, I usually scour YouTube for music so I can tune out the world.

If you have not heard, lo-fi is one of the most popular music genres. Most of the music is made

M

BY ARIEL BAISE @arielbiancaa

page 7

MOVIE

THE OLD GUARD

Netflix

I enjoyed watching the two hour movie with my family. Nothing in the movie was inappropriate, and it was entertaining the entire time.

Being that the film was made in 2020, it included more Black actors, two female leads, a gay couple and a modern soundtrack. All of these pros, along with an original storyline, created a well-respected movie.

Caroline Hebert @sister_carols Read the full reviews online at lsunow.com/entertainment

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ premiere pulls at the heart strings while depicting life in the time of COVID-19

BY JORDANNE A. DAVIS @jordanneashley “Because while it’s good to plan for the worst, you can’t really know how you’ll handle it until you’re smack dab in the middle of it, under the wave, trying not to drown,” said Dr. Meredith Gray as she gazed upon the ocean water.

Starting its 17th season with a two-episode premiere, “Grey’s Anatomy” tackled the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically highlighting not only the heightened issues of quarantining and having to stay away from family, friends and other loved ones, but also the everyday lives of medical professionals.

As usual Grey, played by Ellen Pompeo, was at the heart of treating infected patients. As she lost another patient, her patience was clearly being tested, if not lost, with each one.

Interestingly enough, life does go on during pandemics and everyone has to figure out how to exist while also remaining careful.

Doctors were staying in hotels and away from their families in attempts to not transfer the disease if they had contracted it, resulting in many days away from their loved ones.

Tackling the coronavirus isn’t enough for this show, of course.

It must take on the tricky love triangles, heart aches, pain, death, racism and the whole mask vs. no mask debacle because what would the show be if it didn’t?

I am the ultimate “Grey’s Anatomy” fan, having watched the series since the very first season in 2005, so I can say with complete certainty that this show keeps getting better and better.

While some fans have fallen off throughout the years because their favorite characters have died or left the show, I’ve remained a constant viewer, setting aside my Thursday night to watch with no interruptions and last Thursday night was

no different.

Having followed the cast’s journey with filming this season on social media, I already knew that the COVID-19 pandemic was something that would be included in the show.

While I was excited to see how they would portray this, I wasn’t exactly ready for how I’d feel reliving March and April of this year, let alone depicted through the eyes of those on the front line.

It wasn’t only watching a show that I’ve loved for so long; it truly was reliving those moments. Having had an uncle succumb to this disease, seeing the patients alone, dying quickly with no one by their side, made me weep because it’s a feeling that I know personally.

What I appreciated the most about this premiere is that it got it right. I’m not saying that other shows didn’t, but for me, they had a goal to keep it real and it was accomplished.

“Grey’s Anatomy” has always been a show that gives a realistic characterization of the human condition, and now, we take a look at it while adding a major component of human decency.

In America, human life was politicized, making the wearing of masks a question in the minds of some instead of the requirement that it is.

Growing up in the medical industry, I’ve grown to trust science and the people that have made it their life’s work. Given that, I knew that there was nothing political about this disease. It has no agenda.

Its one goal is the same goal of all diseases: to do its job and move on to the next victim.

In the premiere, there were two fathers that had conflicting views on whether masks were actually a form of protection and if they should be worn or not. As parents, they should have known that, misguided or not, kids follow the example that you set.

When the parents came to inevitable blows over their conflicts of interest, subsequently injuring Dr. Miranda Bailey, played by Chandra Wilson, the scene spoke volumes to me.

It was as if it held a mirror up to America and said, “this is what you look like.” What the show has shown us is how much we’ve lost and how much there is to still recover.

In an unexpected fashion, “Grey’s Anatomy” also delivered something, or someone, that we’ve been waiting to see for quite some time — McDreamy.

At the conclusion of the premiere, Grey is found lying on the pavement unconscious, clearly implying her contraction of the disease. It’s while she is in her unconscious state that she sees her late husband Dr. Derek Shepherd, played by Patrick Dempsey.

Bring on the tears, heart palpitations and butterflies. This was a gift, and I am so thankful for it.

While seeing Grey back in the love game is great, this glimpse of Derek brought all fans back to a time when #mereder was couple goals. Actually, they very much still are because everyone deserves that kind of love. Everyone deserves their person.

As both a journalism and performance student, I can say that as this show progresses, I’m continuously in awe of the talented artists that collaborate to do this work. With that, there is one goal, one fire that continues to burn with each passing season. One day, I plan to secure my own role amongst Seattle’s finest and maybe that day, a fellow Tiger will be writing about me.

Talk about a manifestation, but I digress. This was more than a five-star premiere. It was all of the stars, and I’m eager to see not only what the remainder of this season holds, but what life lessons it will be teaching us along the way.

Classifieds

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

Help Wanted Boys & Girls Club has AmeriCorps positions available for the Spring semester. $3,000 stipend for 300 hours of service, plus $1,289 post service educational award. Afterschool work with kids. www.brclubs.org or call TK at 225.383.3928

Each November through December, we turn our stores into a Winter Wonderland where people come from around the city to stock up on everything they need to deck their halls for the holidays. We have openings in positions such as inside cashiers, stockers, Christmas tree lot assistants and more. Louisiana Nursery has two Baton Rouge locations off Perkins Road and Coursey Boulevard, as well as a location on Highway 42 in Prairieville. We offer good pay and a fun working environment.

Applicants must be a friendly, “people person” with a good attitude and a willingness to work.

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ACROSS 1 Farrow or Hamm 4 Crooked 9 Before long 13 __ away; departed 14 Rise’s partner, in phrase 15 Get a new home 16 Honey factory 17 Grinds to powder 19 __ pedestal; lovingly adored 20 Funny and clever 21 On the ball 22 Jungle hideaways 24 Even score 25 Stay the __; persevere 27 Frankness 30 Deliver an address 31 Stringed instruments 33 Nov. honoree 35 Hired vehicles 36 Gives in 37 Growling animal 38 __ the way; totally 39 Flung 40 Baseball’s Yogi 41 Browned on high heat 43 Stylish 44 Make clothes 45 Fruit-loving ape, for short 46 Domineering 49 Thin piece of leather 51 Asner & Begley 54 Aloof; unfriendly 56 In a __; pouting 57 __ a test; passes easily 58 Area of expertise 59 Fidgety 60 Calendar pg.

61 Sound from a nest 62 Double curve

by Jacqueline E. Mathews

11/16/20

Created by Jacqueline E. Mathews

6 Tartan skirt 7 1 of 7 deadly sins 8 Tiny 9 Grinned 10 Seep out 11 Think __; consider 12 TV’s “Empty __” 13 “There was an old lady __ swallowed a fly…”

18 __ cats and dogs; pours 20 Sensible 23 __ and crafts 24 Touches lightly 25 Sid Caesar’s sidekick Imogene 26 Non-written exams 27 Rowing team 28 Pays more than DOWN was planned 1 Chow __; 29 Brings up, as kids Chinese dish 31 Difficult 2 Priceless 32 “__ Maria” 3 Feasted on 34 Waiter’s item 4 Dream big dreams 36 Use the molars 5 Closes 37 Sun’s ray

Saturday’s Puzzle Solved

©2020 Tribune Content Agency, LLC All Rights Reserved.

39 Small cards 40 Minor glitch 42 Lend a hand to 43 Home in the Alps 45 Wooden box 46 Sheep-shearing sounds 47 In the past 48 Ladder rung

11/16/20

49 Flat-bottomed barge 50 Become fatigued 52 Uses a shovel 53 Pig’s home 55 Again and again, in poetry 56 __-through; transparent

SPORTS Georgia (13) 4-2 Alabama (1) 6-0

PPD

Missouri Arkansas 2-3 3-4

PPD

page 9

Florida (6) 5-1 Texas A&M (5) 5-1

35-63

LSU Tennessee 2-3 2-4

PPD

South Auburn Carolina (23) 2-5 4-2

Ole Miss 3-4

59-42

Kentucky 3-4

38-35 Vanderbilt 0-6

‘MY BEST FRIEND’

Chuck and Trey Winstead relationship rooted in faith, family and golf

BY JOE KEHRLI @joekehrli9 “Shoot!” Chuck Winstead told Trey, his son, on a hunting trip. “If you’re going to shoot this thing, you got to do it fast.”

At the time, Trey Winstead was in the fifth grade and had never had a successful hunting trip. Previously that day, he had been battling hunters’ fatigue, struggling to stay awake. With guidance from his father, they both would celebrate the first of their many achievements.

Chuck and Trey Winstead fully embody what it means when we so often try to describe life in Louisiana. They both are extraordinary people who relish in the spirit of the purple and gold and hold true to the very faculties LSU enshrines.

Chuck Winstead grew up in Ruston, Louisiana, and has since called Baton Rouge home. For him, Baton Rouge has been a safe haven where the complexities and worries of life seem to dissipate in the humidity.

He chose to attend LSU and play for the golf team where he knew the school’s spirit was not lacking and the passion for success would help him secure success. He would be an invaluable asset to the team in his playing

days and would later focus his efforts on becoming a better instructor. Chuck had developed a passion for golf from his grandfather, who taught him how to play.

Similarly, Chuck would in turn do the same for his two sons.

“The last thing I wanted to do is pressure them both into playing because of me,” Chuck said about raising his children while being the golf coach. “I think it’s a testament; one of them plays and the other occasionally hits a few balls. I am equally proud of both of them.”

Chuck and his wife, Jennifer, have found simplicity and peace through the teachings of the church. One of the first things they decided on when they came to Baton Rouge was to get involved in the First Methodist Church, where they are still active participants.

To their pleasure, their sons have followed them down this path.

Trey said it is evident that his results on the golf course or his success in life are irrelevant to define who he is. Trey has spearheaded several Zoom Bible studies throughout quarantine so he and his teammates can continue to live life in faith.

“With the grace we receive, we can forgive and love one another,” Trey said. “I have found that we are called to a bigger purpose

Mississippi State 2-4

PPD

Next week for LSU at Arkansas MEN’S TENNIS

Thomas returns in fall tennis finale

BY HENRY HUBER @HenryHuber_

to the game of golf, especially here in Baton Rouge, but they recognize that their family is the meat of their life.

Coach Winstead has always been around the game of golf, so his family is no stranger to the course. Winstead recalled a time Trey walked from his family home to the golf course in the fifth grade to fine-tune his game.

“I remember seeing Trey come

There are a lot of positives to unpack from last weekend’s tennis invitational in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. LSU men’s tennis had a massive jump in singles wins compared to the previous invitationals, and senior Joey Thomas saw his first competitive action since March.

Through the first two invitationals, most of the positives came from doubles. It’s great the players have had success in doubles this fall, but doubles only account for a fourth of the points needed for a regular season win.

For LSU to be a winning tennis program, it needs singles wins.

Its singles win percentages from the first two invitationals were low to say the least, clocking in at 37% (7/19) and 26% (6/23) respectively, with the first invitational’s percentages being boosted by consolation bracket wins.

The team barely reached doubledigit victories despite playing a total of forty-two matches.

In the third invitational, it

see WINSTEAD, page 10

see TENNIS, page 10

COURTESY OF LSU ATHLETICS

Chuck (right) and Trey Winstead (left), LSU golf’s father-son, coach-player duo, share a love of golf. through Christ, not just being great at golf.”

“Faith and family are everything… absolutely everything,” Chuck and Trey’s answers echoed one another’s.

The golf-crazed duo has the discipline to turn off the golf conversation when they are around their family. When asked if a prior day’s practice or lesson is discussed at home at the family dinner table, the answer was no.

They are both tremendous assets

WOMEN’S SOCCER

LSU soccer beats Alabama 2-0, advances to second round

BY MORGAN ROGERS @morgan_rogers LSU soccer won its first match of the season on Friday night.

They beat Alabama 2-0 in the first round of the SEC tournament at Orange Beach, Alabama.

Thanks to Taylor Dobles, the Tigers scored a goal in each half.

She scored her first goal in the 13th minute after an assist was made by Tinaya Alexander. The second score came in the 88th minute after Courtney Henderson assisted Dobles in another goal.

“They’re looking for a second chance here at the SEC tournament,” Head Coach Sian Hudson said.

After a winless season, LSU came out flying in the first round

of the SEC tournament. LSU recently improved its positioning on the field since the season concluded. The Tigers made 16 shots in total, seven of those being on target. Shannon Cooke nearly made a goal in the first half but shot too far left. Another close chance came in the 49th minute

by Megan Johnson when she shot too wide out.

Alabama showed great effort in the end of the second half but failed against LSU’s defense.

Wasila Diwura-Soale did a great job of orchestrating the midfield tonight. Swift made crucial saves in the 20th and 63rd minutes.

LSU has returned as a completely new team for the SEC tournament as they head to the second round to face Ole Miss on Sunday at 3:30 p.m.

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

LSU soccer redshirt-freshman forward Taylor Dobles (13) chases after the ball Oct. 30, during LSU’s 0-2 loss to Vanderbilt at the LSU Soccer Stadium on W Lakeshore Drive.

page 10 WINSTEAD, from page 9 out the course when he was this high [hand gestured to a height of about 4-foot-2] and have witnessed him develop into an absolutely tremendous man,” a volunteer worker at the University Club said. “He would practice all the time, often being the last person to leave. Now, not much has changed, except for maybe his height.”

The now 5-foot-11 senior has made his mark on LSU and collegiate golf. Although he is not too concerned with his results and instead focuses on how he can get better, Trey started in all three tournaments this fall and has been a crucial leader for the team. Trey also had an explosive individual summer; he was in contention in three major junior tournaments nationally.

Trey has mentioned he does in fact have visions to continue his golfing career as he matures, but for now, he is loving the ability to share these moments with his father and coach.

The coach was jubilant that Trey decided to play for the purple and gold, but to him, Trey is just another player. Conversely, the coach rebutted any claims that there has ever been any form of special treatment toward Trey.

“He has to earn everything he gets, the same as everyone else,” Chuck said. “Trey has proved him-

Monday, November 16, 2020 self in qualifiers and throughout his performances to gain his playing time.” “[Coaching Trey] is the coolest thing. It’s a blessing,” Chuck said.

“He is a tremendous man capable of everything.”

To be a college coach of any sport, one must be fully invested in the betterment of the whole team. This is something Chuck learned during his time playing for the Tigers. Additionally, he has learned this through his life experiences with his family.

“It is awesome to coach for my alma mater, but it pails to what faith and family mean to my life,” Chuck added. “I want my family to know I love them. True love is not fake; it is when I see my boys going through a hard time and I am able to offer advice or challenge them out of love.”

Golf holds a special spot in the Winsteads’ lives. Like for so many others, it is a form of connection to special people in their life, but the way they are able to share in celebration and learn from defeat is unique and essential to understanding their relationship.

Similarly to hunting, golf is an individual sport, in whice a player needs his mental strength to succeed. When playing golf or going through life, it is necessary to have someone to tell you to “shoot”.

“Yes, he is my father; yes, he is my coach,” Trey said. “But ultimately he is my best friend.”

TENNIS, from page 9 managed to do so in nearly half the matches, totaling ten singles wins and a win percentage of 45.5%. Ronald Hohmann, Rafael Wagner, Boris Kozlov and Ben Koch each finished with multiple wins, with Coach Chris Brandi citing their performances as positives from the tournament.

“A couple of guys really started to play well, Hohmann and Wagner I would say especially,” Brandi said. “Ben Koch got a little bit more momentum too.”

Others are still struggling to get things going, and Brandi stated there were a lot of different reasons for this, including loss of confidence and lack of practice during the summer because of COVID-19.

“Certain guys are at different stages for different reasons,” Brandi said. “Some didn’t do a lot over the summer, unfortunately, mainly because some of them didn’t have great opportunities to do a whole lot.”

Overall, he was happy about what his team showed him over the past few weeks, stating the players have done a great job and know what they need to improve during their break from competition. He was also happy because one of his senior leaders, Thomas, was back on the courts.

Thomas has dealt with arm problems throughout most of his

college career and recently had a surgery that delayed his attendance of fall events. Despite barely practicing, Coach Brandi wanted to see him play and placed him in a couple of doubles matches.

He didn’t win, but he exceeded the expectations of his players and coaches and positively impacted the team through his leadership. Brandi acknowledged this, believing that Thomas’ impact doesn’t just come from what he does on the court.

“For not playing at all for a couple months, he did great,” Brandi said. “Just having his leadership around is a reason we per-

formed better.”

The team gained momentum over the fall season. It is not quite at the level where it can beat the Southeastern Conference juggernauts like Florida, Georgia and Texas A&M yet, but it has the ability to give them a challenge.

“This year, I don’t think we’re quite ready to compete at the top of the league,” Brandi said. “But this is where we need to get a little more momentum and show that we can play with those kinds of teams.

“It’s up to us to get it going and show that we can compete with the SEC when it matters most.”

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

LSU men’s tennis freshman Ben Koch tries to break his racket after losing a point Oct. 3, during his and senior Malik Bhatnagar’s 8-4 loss against junior Boris Kozlov and junior Nick Watson in the second match on the second day of the Olivier Borsos Invitational in the LSU Tennis Complex on Gourrier Avenue.

OPINION

page 11

Religious recruiters on campus seen as pushy, ‘intrusive’ SAUCE BOSS CÉCILE CÉCILE GIRARD @_cegi_ Yesterday, in a momentary lapse of judgment, I decided to study in the Memorial Oak Grove behind the Student Union.

Only a few minutes passed before two students approached me about joining their youth ministry, reminding me why I had deemed the otherwise pleasant location off-limits to begin with.

As an avid enthusiast of studying outdoors, I have been fruitlessly drafted into more youth groups and Bible studies than anyone else on campus.

Maybe I invite it by simply existing outside; maybe I have a welcoming face. All I know is that every time — and I mean every time — I sit in that spot behind the Union, someone new wants to talk to me about my sins.

Listen: I appreciate these students’ zeal. I recognize they have every constitutional right to in-

vite me into their ministry. There is nothing ethically or morally wrong with what they are doing — I just find it annoying, intrusive and nerve-wracking.

I believe in following the informal social contract that governs strangers in public places.

I choose to respect the personal space of others, engaging only if the interaction will somehow benefit the other person.

I can tell someone I think their pants are cool — everyone likes knowing they have cool pants — and I can warn them if they’re in immediate danger. Beyond these parameters, I keep to myself.

I wish the campus ministry recruiters would extend the same respect to me and my personal spiritual beliefs.

I know my discomfort stems from my inability to tell people no. A more assertive person may succeed in brushing off these proselytizers with a quick and firm “please leave me alone.” I doubt it, though.

Like those pushy men who harass women in coffee shops in

a misguided attempt at flirting, the college ministry promoters forge mightily forward despite no sign of reciprocation. Try as you might to tell them you’re not interested, that you’re already involved in other groups, that you appreciate the offer, but no thank you — nothing will deter them.

Despite their obnoxious methods — or, more accurately, because of them — the ministry recruitment strategy is effective.

The Refuge, Chi Alpha, Baptist Collegiate Ministry and the Bridge are all immensely popular campus ministry groups, each attracting hundreds to their weekly services and group activities.

Campus ministries do a lot of good in our community. It’s nice to know some students are able to have such genuinely positive interactions and experiences with these organizations. However, I’d really rather just be left alone.

If there’s one positive aspect to living on campus during COVID-19, it’s that I now find myself

THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES

A member of Consuming Fire Fellowship wears a sign while talking with students in Free Speech Alley on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019. approached less often by people looking to convert me. Ironically, I breathe a little easier in public outdoor spaces now that the perpetual threat of ministry recruitment is slightly less imminent.

So, if any recruiters are read-

ing right now — my face is next to this column. Please don’t approach it in public.

Cécile Girard is a 20-year-old psychology junior from Lake Charles.

We need to encourage men to care more about their style EVAN ON EARTH EVAN LEONHARD

@evan_leonhard

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about how contemporary culture seems to be increasingly forgetting, if not actively disregarding, the importance of beauty in our everyday lives.

Earlier in the semester, I explored how the aesthetic integrity of our surroundings, specifically within a campus setting, has serious implications for how we feel and act.

Despite what our American pragmatism tells us, beauty is not simply frivolous amusement. It shapes and moves us in deep and necessary ways. For centuries it was understood to be an ultimate, transcendental value, something that is sought without need for exterior justification.

The utilitarian “form follows function” approach to building our world is not a harmless appeal to practicality and the crisis of everyday beauty is not at all confined to architecture. It seems

that how we dress, especially how men dress, has followed a similar trajectory.

Men are often described as “illiterate” when it comes to aesthetic endeavors like fashion, and, quite frankly, we generally deserve it.

No more proof is needed than a quick glance around campus.

An average school day is obviously no cause for a suit and tie, but there is a uniquely atrocious manner of dress that is exemplified in the college or “frat guy” aesthetic.

Why is this the case? Is there something about masculinity that renders one inherently incapable of appreciating the benefits of dressing well? I’m doubtful.

There seems to be a number of social and cultural factors that make men’s fashion a rather difficult terrain for many to maneuver.

There are a bevy stereotypes surrounding men caring too much about their appearance. Despite the rich tradition and history of men’s fashion, interest in such things are typically labeled as feminine, and therefore, a social taboo.

However, I am not convinced

this is the whole story.

Personally, I love getting dressed in the morning. There is something empowering about the process of putting together an outfit I like and sharing it with the world as I go about my day.

It might come as a surprise to some, but as a man who spends much of my time around other men, I can say fashion is not regarded with total apathy. Many of us do care about how we look, and when asked, most will say they would love to dress well if they could.

If this how so many men feel, what’s stopping them from acting on these feelings?

Frankly, most men are never really taught how to dress. As children and adolescents, our parents simply give us clothes to wear without explanation. The whole thing is purely utilitarian; simply a matter of comfortably covering the body.

This mentality frequently seems to carry on into adulthood.

To this day, I know grown men who still have mothers and romantic partners buy all of their clothes for them.

Why does any of this even matter, though? Isn’t caring about how you look a bit superficial anyway?

It should be noted that my rejection of utilitarianism is not in the least a delve into decadent, aimless aestheticism. Of course, comfort and utility play vital roles in what we choose to wear.

What I’m saying is, as a cul-

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

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.

ture, it is never in our best interest to dismiss the value of everyday encounters with beauty — and that includes our fashion. Limiting that because of perceived gender restrictions is an especially silly reason to do so.

Evan Leonhard is a 20-year-old English and philosophy junior from New Orleans.

cartoon by BRANDON SHEPHERD

Quote of the Week “You may forget, but let me tell you this: someone in some future time will think of us.”

Sappho

Lyric poet c. 630 — 570 B.C.

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Monday, November 16, 2020

If Georgia turned blue, we can too: Dems need to organize WRITING UNDER STATELY OAKS CORY KOCH @kochcory Electoral politics require mobilization, organization and opportunity.

As of Nov. 7, former Vice President Joe Biden is the presidentelect of the United States. Biden’s campaign defied expectations in several traditionally conservative states that ended up going blue.

Georgia was the most surprising among these. Joe Biden, a Democrat. won over 10,000 more votes than Donald Trump in a state that hasn’t gone blue in a presidential race since 1992.

It was also the first Southern state to vote for a Democratic candidate in a presidential election since 1996.

The American South has been defined by conservative politics and the Republican Party for the last 20 years. The only Demo-

cratic candidates to garner widespread support below the Mason-Dixon line have been those who had been governors in those states. Former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton have been exceptions to the Republican rule that’s been in effect since Nixon’s “Southern strategy.”

The coordinated political behavior exhibited throughout history in the South is what makes Georgia’s deviation so important.

The election results in Texas, North Carolina and Georgia are just the beginning of a major transitional period in American politics. Blue cracks are starting to appear on the edges of the Southern wall.

Shifting demographic trends show the South growing in diversity. Hispanic, Black and AsianAmerican communities have been rapidly expanding across several major Southern states.

New community leaders and Democratic candidates have revitalized political networks that have been seemingly dormant for decades.

Yet, despite the blue shift in Georgia, most other Southern s t a t e s still voted

“Trump won Louisiana by a margin of 58.5% to Biden’s 39.8%...”

overwhelmingly in Trump’s favor.

Trump won Louisiana by a margin of 58.5% to Biden’s 39.8%, a difference of about 400,000 votes — a significant margin by all accounts, and one of the highest turnouts in Louisiana election history, with close to 70% of eligible voters casting their ballots overall.

Large-scale political organization and mobilization is what turned the tables in Georgia.

Shifting demographics made the race in Georgia especially close, but with a modified approach, Louisiana could see its very own blue wave soon.

Former State Representative Stacey Abrams was the catalyst and inspiration for Georgia’s increasingly Democratic politics.

Louisiana needs its own Stacey Abrams, but only a few people are equipped for the role.

Gov. John Bel Edwards is primed for that position. However, he has shown an unwillingness to take on the role as the Democratic Party leader in Louisiana. Edwards’ politics are not in line with the national party platform, especially when it comes to the subject of abortion — an issue that has defined his statewide popularity.

Edwards has never shown a propensity toward helping other Democrats establish a large-scale framework. His decision to avoid establishing a statewide political network during his campaign for office was a wasted opportunity and reflective of the Louisiana Democratic organization as a whole.

The state party must reprioritize and organize.

Democrats can win in Louisiana. The most realistic path for progressive politics in Louisiana in the last decade

“The state party must re-prioritize and organize.

Democrats can win Louisiana.”

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards speaks about football and coronavirus on July 14 during the press conference with Vice President Mike Pence and other local officials at Tiger Stadium. has been through concession, organization and opportunistic politics. Bel Edwards and Mary Landrieu both won state elections during the same timeframe the state voted red in a presidential election.

But not much has changed for us. Louisiana’s demographics are not shifting at the same rates as those in key battleground states like Georgia or Texas, meaning Democrats in our state have to play smart politics.

Running honest and respectable candidates with policy proposals their constituents support isn’t always enough — but it’s a good start.

Local organizations are essential to effectively mobilize voting blocs that are otherwise often repressed or underrepresented due to historically low participation rates.

A new generation of com-

munity activists and organizers is being born through the civil unrest that issues like COVID-19, police brutality, the election and the rest of 2020 have brought to the forefront of the public’s mind.

To hopeful Southern progressives: there is a road to a new South that is defined by and celebrated for its diversity, ingenuity and integrated culture. That road will be paved by hands-on work at the community level combined with an effective organization on the state level.

To everyone else: please don’t give up on us. The oppressed and impoverished who are living under political systems not meant to serve them deserve a chance to break out. and progress is only possible through a concerted effort of dedicated individuals.

Cory Koch is a 21-year-old political science senior from Alexandria.

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