The Reveille 7-19-21

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TITLE GRAPHIC BY HANNAH MICHEL

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Title IX office sees increase in reporting after legislature pushes sexual assault bill.

NEWS

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Hill Memorial Library houses the full Troy H. Middleton collection. Never before seen letters give a glimpse into his fight for segregation on the LSU campus.

SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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English sophomore Kelsey Villeret writes poetry about mental health, body image issues, and simple teenage trials and tribulations in new novel.

OPINION

Read on

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While Sen John Kennedy (R-La.) may like to portray himself as an outsider fighting for the little guy, the money that put him in office tells a different story.

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

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REPORTING UP

‘The survivor’s in the driver’s seat’: Title IX reports increase after HB 409

BY MADELYN CUTRONE @madelyncutrone Title IX reporting levels have considerably increased following an overhaul of the university’s Title IX office, notable especially because there are fewer enrolled students during the summer, interim Vice President of the office of Title IX and Civil Rights Jane Cassidy said.

Multiple factors are behind the increase in reports: the 18 recommendations in the Husch Blackwell report, the list of 47 action items sponsored by Cassidy at a Board of Supervisors meeting, and most recently, the legislature.

Three sexual assault-related bills passed through the House and Senate during the first session of 2021, the most notable of which is HB 409, now Act No. 472 after Gov. John Bel Edwards signed it into law. The House Bill zeroed in on LSU’s numerous violations of Title IX law and established strict guidelines that were lacking in previous legislation.

Cassidy said the university has been supportive of the bill since it was in the early stages of development.

“We were very supportive of [this bill] all the way through,” Cassidy said. “Pretty much everything in there we were either already doing, or were doing it at a lower level but needed to up our game a little. I would say what this is going to do is make our process better.”

Rep. Aimee Freeman, one of the 55 sponsors of the bill, said that the bill was drafted after meetings with the Senate Select Committee on Women & Children revealed the dismissive treatment many survivors faced from LSU’s Title IX office.

Freeman and other elected officials visited LSU’s campus and held meetings with student leaders to learn more about how the Title IX process could better accommodate survivors.

The first portion of HB 409 alters the language used to reference forms of sex and gender-based crimes by switching the legal term to “power-based violence.” “‘Power-based violence’ means any form of interpersonal violence intended to control or intimidate another person through the assertion of power over the person,” the bill reads.

The term encompasses the following crimes: domestic violence, family violence, dating violence, sexual assault, rape, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, stalking and forms of voyeurism.

“The forms of violence included under this term are considered “power-based” because they are typically committed and experienced where there is an interpersonal and/or institutional imbalance of power, meaning where there is unequal access

to power,” President and CEO of STAR Racheal Hebert explained.

“By transitioning to use this more inclusive and descriptive term, it allows for greater understanding of the types of violence, as well as the causes of violence, that we see in Title IX cases.”

In terms of reporting, HB 409 establishes non-negotiable standards for when employees must report instances of abuse: always.

“Whether it’s faculty or staff, if you know sexual assault has happened, you have to report it,” Cassidy said.

The only exception is for confidential advisors, which HB 409 also addresses. Confidential advisors are employees who are exempt from reporting requirements. This designation exists to provide a safe space for students to seek help if they wish to avoid the reporting process.

Previously, an unspecified but large number of employees claimed “confidential advisor” status as a means to evade reporting and scapegoat any potential punishments. Now, only a select few individuals will be designated as confidential advisors — roughly one in every department, so 12 to 15 advisors. The individuals will be clearly listed and publicized on LSU’s new Title IX website.

Additionally, all confidential advisors will undergo extensive training on how to properly assist survivors, and they will be fully briefed on the resources they can offer, such as STAR, Lighthouse, the Women’s Center, the Student Health Center and the Title IX of-

fice.

Cassidy stressed that along with HB 409’s guidelines, the office’s procedures now establish that whenever a complaint is brought to the university’s attention, the first step is always ensuring the survivor’s safety and addressing any of their needs.

“The power should lie with the person who’s making the report,” Cassidy said, noting that LSU previously did not live up to that standard. “The survivor’s in the driver’s seat.”

If a faculty or staff member reports a power-based crime, the Title IX office will reach out to the victim to check on them — ask if they need any services, if they are doing well in their classes, if they ever interact with the alleged perpetrator or if they want an investigation to take place either through the Title IX office or LSUPD. HB 409 added another safeguard to Title IX policy by granting civil and criminal immunity to anyone who reports a powerbased crime.

“A person acting in good faith who reports or assists in the investigation of a report of an incident of power-based violence, or who testifies or otherwise participates in a disciplinary process or judicial proceeding arising from a report of such an incident: Shall be immune from civil liability and from criminal liability that might otherwise be incurred or imposed as a result of those actions,” the bill reads.

This is especially important for college campuses, as sexual

assaults often occur in situations where alcohol is present or being consumed by individuals under 21. With HB 409’s new provisions, anyone who reports that they were personally victimized or witnessed power-based violence while drinking or around alcohol cannot be held liable for that misdemeanor.

Cassidy mentioned several reports for incidents that occurred in the spring 2021 semester came in recently, and she hoped it was because survivors who were previously intimidated by the Title IX office now felt safe to come forward.

HB 409 mandated that universities formally establish cooperative agreements, called memorandums of understanding, with local law enforcement agencies in order to track potentially dangerous members of the community. LSU has officially signed an MOU with LSUPD, and a broader agreement with BRPD, the District Attorney’s office, the Sheriff’s office, BRCC, Southern University and all the other major players in the Baton Rouge area. It has not been signed yet, “but it’s very close,” Cassidy said. “I think they’re on their final draft.”

“The silver lining for us being in all this trouble is that President Galligan committed to shoring up this office so that we could do this right,” Cassidy said. “President Tate is 100% committed to doing this right.”

“It’s unfortunate that the legislature had to kick our butt, but I think it was good that they did.”

HB 409 KEY POINTS ...amends and introduces statutes relative to public post-secondary education institutions and sexual-oriented criminal offenses to provide the following requirements: • A clear designation of employee reporting obligations relative to power based violence • A clear reporting process for all responsible employees, including the Title IX Coordinator, the Chancellor, and the system President • Termination of employees who do not comply with reporting requirements • A right for survivors to obtain copies of reports related to her/him/ themself • Clear memorandums of understanding for universities and law enforcement • Uniform campus security policies including a website with an online reporting system • Updated and increased training for employees • An inter-campus policy for student records • Updated requirements for campus climate surveys and resulting reports —Rep. Aimee Freeman

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NEWS INSIDE GRAPHIC MIDDLETON HEAD

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TITLE IX

LSU to conduct national search for Title IX Coordinator

BY MADELYN CUTRONE @madelyncutrone

gation, to join Gamble.

“The great majority are not in sympathy with what is taking place in the area of segregation in the country,” Middleton said in this letter to Gamble.

“However, it is my feeling that most faculty members prefer to stay out of the controversy and let the subject be determined through the courts.”

Middleton and his Board of Supervisors knew no matter what they did, people would not be satisfied. Black students were admitted to LSU only “pursuant of court orders,” they were not freely accepted by the university. Several alumni and

The search for a permanent vice president of the Office of Civil Rights & Title IX has not yet begun, and Jane Cassidy will remain in the role for at least one more academic year.

“I’ll stay as long as they need me,” Cassidy said.

The office is holding interviews to fill the Title IX coordinator position. Vice President of ATIXA Daniel Swinton currently serves as coordinator. Thursday is his last official day, but he will stay on part-time until someone is hired.

Cassidy said the only two individuals they are considering for Title IX coordinator are from outside the institution and have no ties to the university.

“If we had someone on campus who could really do that well, we wouldn’t be in the trouble we’re in,” Cassidy said.

Jennie Stewart, the previous Title IX coordinator, will remain as ADA coordinator and oversee disability claims. A Civil Rights Coordinator will be hired in the near future as well.

Once President Tate is settled in and ready to address the Title IX office, he will initiate a national search to fill Cassidy’s current

see HILL, page 4

see TITLE IX , page 3

Letters in Middleton Collection give glimpse into segregation fight Caden Lim/ The Reveille

The Hill Memorial Library’s reading room.

BY CADEN LIM @cadenlim5 Hill Memorial Library holds the hiddem truth to the entire Middleton controversy including the documents the university used to make their decision to ultimately disassociate with Troy Middleton’s likeness.

University archivist Zach Tompkins said the university used various letters, documents and records to discover where LSU’s administration, including Middleton, stood during the transition to desegregate the university.

“No one has seen these letters,” Tompkins said. “No one has asked for these letters to

see how the university made its decision.”

The period after Brown v.

Board of Education was a very uncertain time for institutions of higher education, especially in the South. Movements to both integrate schools and keep Black students segregated worked tirelessly to achieve their goals.

Harry P. Gamble, an attorney from New Orleans, devoted his efforts to uphold segregation and state’s rights after Brown v.

Board. He founded the American Society for the Presentation of State Government and Racial Integrity in 1955. Gamble tried reaching out to several people throughout the South to join

his cause, including Middleton.

“Certainly I did not put them [colored students] here, nor did I influence the court in its decision,” Middleton said in a letter to Gamble in 1954. “However the case may be, I am in no position to violate the order of a Federal court.”

Gamble was able to rally several supporters from all over the state to join his organization, including former Chairman of the Board of Supervisors J. Stewart Slack and Dean Emeritus Clarence Ives.

Middleton was never one of those people, however. Middleton instead referred five LSU professors and two supervisors, who all supported segre-

POLITICS

Former Gov. Edwards returns to politics in 6th District race

BY QUINT FORGEY @quintforgey Former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards died July 12, 2021.

He was 93. The Reveille initially published this story on Aug. 30, 2014.

Edwin Edwards is the last of a dying breed — a politician unafraid to reveal just how much he loves politics.

The former Louisiana governor and current Democratic congressional candidate for Louisiana’s 6th District spoke eloquently about the drama and grandeurs of governing, at a time when his younger fellow candidates seek to distance themselves as far as possible from the toxic unpopularity of career politicians.

When you ask the now-86year-old politico what he likes to

do for fun, his answer is immediate.

“I run for public office,” Edwards said. “I like politics. I like dealing with people. I like the clash of good minds who have different opinions.”

Edwards, who previously represented the state’s 7th District in the House of Representatives, rose to national prominence after serving four terms as Louisiana’s governor between 1972 and 1996.

The state’s longest-serving executive endeared himself to voters with candid, crude comments on the true nature of state politics.

“I’m an egotist, I’ll confess to that,” Edwards said. “I like to get things done, and you get things done by having power.”

Edwards, who is currently barred from holding any statewide office, openly admits he

would run for governor if he were able, but he said he would not consider a hypothetical presidential campaign.

“I think, unlike our present governor, it’s unrealistic,” Edwards said with a laugh.

Despite his status as one of the country’s most legendary governors, Edwards’ current headquarters near Old Jefferson Highway are stripped of any trappings befitting of his larger-thanlife political persona.

He sat behind a rented desk in the back room of a bare office building, accompanied by his 35-year-old wife and their infant son.

Edwards said he plans on hiring a more extensive staff as needed, even acquiring a cam-

see EDWARDS, page 4

REVEILLE ARCHIVES

Former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards, who died July 12, 2021

Monday, July 19, 2021

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COURTESY LSU ATHLETICS

William Tate IV speaks during the interview process in LSU’s presidential search.

HILL, from page 4 constituents of LSU were angry about Black students being on campus at LSU and wrote Middleton heated letters in their opposition.

Although most of LSU’s governing body opposed integration, Middleton upheld the fact that the school and state value law and order.

“The action of the Board of Supervisors in declining to alter its admissions policy does not constitute an open invitation to Negroes to apply for admission to the University,” Middleton said in a letter to an anti-segregation LSU alumnus working in Stanford in 1956.

“It does mean that the Board, like a majority of the citizens of Louisiana, believes in law and order and that it respects the decisions of our courts. It also means that the Board… should set an example as a responsible, law-abiding body.”

These documents are under the “Consent Decree” collection at Hill Memorial. Consent Decree essentially is the standard the federal government placed to allow for integration.

EDWARDS , from page 3 paign manager to relieve his wife of her current duties.

The politician’s age shows in his description of his potential campaign operation.

“I will have to staff the office

role as vice president. Cassidy explained that while she’s passionate about righting the university’s wrongs in the Title IX office, her background is in academics, not administration, and she wants to step back so that someone more educated can fill the role.

“I’m a music educator,” Cassidy said. “At LSU we deserve to have someone who is leading civil rights and Title IX, who has a background in it, who really knows what the vision here should be. And that’s not me. I’m dedicated and I’m learning a lot,

I’ve got good people that I ask questions. I’m well qualified to get things going, but to have a long term vision of it, we deserve to have someone who’s an expert leading that.”

Cassidy said that in her previous position at the LSU School of Music , she didn’t think much about Title IX because it never came to her attention. But now that it has, she’s realized how much LSU needs to take action.

“Once you start reading about this stuff and learning about it, you realize how important it is that our campus take care of our people,” Cassidy said.

Any school that refused to enroll Black students would lose federal funds. The “Consent Decree” collection is the primary collection the university used in their decision regarding Middleton, according to Tompkins.

“These are other records that Middleton didn’t donate on his deliberation,” Tompkins said. “These are not in the Middleton collection, but in university records.”

Middleton’s writings during this time could be seen as contradictory and confusing.

Although LSU maintained its admission requirements, Middleton seemed to be both for and against admitting Black students.

“All things being equal, I think it would be to the best interest of LSU not to change the requirements at this time,” Middleton said in his statement. “Any such requirement… should be based upon one’s ability to do college and not upon his color.”

LSU as an institution, at the end of the day, reluctantly allowed Black students to enroll. Several students and other

members of the LSU community at the time did oppose segregation. Several editorials and letters were sent to the editor of The Daily Reveille to express their criticisms against LSU’s administration.

Middleton said in another statement to his Board of Supervisors that a local newspaper suggested he censor The Daily Reveille.

“When as a citizen one is forbidden to express views on a controversial subject, even involving legislation, my fighting in two world wars to preserve our democratic way of life, and my 12 Battle Stars, was so much time wasted,” Middleton said.

Middleton did uphold the stance that these are the opinions of students and not the stance of the university as an institution.

There is still much to uncover in the Middleton debate within Hill Memorial’s University archives. These documents are accessible to the public with the Middleton family’s lawsuit still looming. LSU’s illustrious, yet rocky, history can be found in endless collections at Hill Memorial Library.

The university archives at Hill Memorial Library

with secretaries to do the typing and letter-writing and answer the telephone,” Edwards said. “And then I will have people who will be in charge of the sign brigade.”

Edwards’ candidacy in the 6th District race marks the first foray back into politics for the “Cajun

Prince” since he was released from federal prison in 2011, after serving more than eight years on charges of racketeering, extortion and bribery.

Edwards does not shy away from talking about his jail time, instead turning his experiences behind bars into a badge of honor.

The lawyer tells stories of how he “walked the track” with his fellow inmates, writing letters for them, preparing powers of attorney for them, helping them get GEDs and comforting them upon news of a deserting wife or sick child.

“In so doing, I comforted myself,” Edwards said. “It made me feel good about myself because once again I was needed.”

Even today, Edwards maintains he received an unfair sentence.

“It was undeserved,” Edwards said. “But I’ve had a lot of undeserved good luck, so I accepted it philosophically.”

Although many university students only know Edwards as a corrupt politician from their parents’ generation, the candidate said he would make an attempt to rally younger voters to his campaign, even if it’s in vain.

“They’ve been lied to so much and disappointed so much, they just don’t trust politicians or public servants as they should,” Edwards said of younger voters.

“Naturally you folks at your age are disillusioned. I understand that, and I know I have a hard job restoring your faith. But I’m gonna try.”

Edwards described himself as a middle-of-the-road candidate, though the 86-year-old candidate expressed the most tolerant views on gay marriage in the race.

“I would like to give gays and lesbians an opportunity to participate in the full freedoms of our country and to enjoy the benefit of what we now call a marriage,” Edwards said.

Though Edwards said he would not be opposed to the legalization of gay marriage in the state, he recognized it would be difficult to achieve, given Louisiana’s current attitudes on the issue.

If elected to Congress, Edwards plans to address Baton Rouge’s traffic problems on the House Public Works Committee, hoping to spur the construction of elevated roadways in the state.

“You could elevate a roadway over the present interstate, it

THE REVELLE ARCHIVES

Larry King (left) interviews former Governor Edwin Edwards (center) and Leo Honeycutt (right).

CADEN LIM / The Reveille

could be built in record time, and people traveling east and west would use the overhead ramp without disturbing the groundlevel I-10,” Edwards said.

Edwards also said he wants to get moving on the creation of a high-speed transit system between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

“I’m 86 years old. That ain’t gonna help me a damn bit,” Edwards said of the long-term project. “I have the vision to see that it’s gonna be needed and we ought to get on with it now.”

On the subject of health care, the candidate has a muddled history.

Though Edwards criticized Gov. Bobby Jindal for rejecting Medicaid expansion, he said he would not have originally voted in favor of the Affordable Care Act. However, Edwards supports many of the program’s aspects, like the option for young adults to stay on their parents’ plan until age 26, and he said he will not vote in Congress to repeal Obamacare in its entirety.

“By reforming it, you don’t risk losing the good provisions,” Edwards said. “You can address the bad ones.”

SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

REV RANK

Kelsey Villeret tells her story with her debut poetry novel “Efflorescence”

BY ASHLEY LATCHA @ashleylatcha Being in a time of many changes, LSU sophomore Kelsey Villeret decided to share her life story through the lens of poetry with her first published novel “Efflorescence.” The novel contains themes of mental health, body image issues and simple teenage trials and tribulations that are very common among Villeret’s targeted demographic.

“I started writing [Efflorescence] when I was about 15 years old, and it was like my journal for three or four years” Villeret said. “I had poems written in notebooks from my AP American History class, some stuff in my notes app, some stuff on my laptop.”

As a Reserve, Louisiana native, Villeret chose LSU to pursue her degree in English with a concentration in creative writing due to the personal connection she has with her brother being an LSU alumnus.

“Efflorescence,” which is French for “to flower out,” quite literally has the captivating effect of transitioning towards different periods of life that include both the highs and lows. The intimate and personal details that are found are beautifully represented in verses. However, being such a deep memoir into her life, Villeret said the initial idea of publishing the novel to be very nerve wracking.

“It was definitely weird to let [my life story] go,” says Villeret when talking about the emotions she felt having her first novel being officially published. Finding the perfect publishing company to recast her story was actually quite easy, as she mentions Legacy Book Press LLC giving her access to creative control over her novel. Her publishing company also being a “one woman

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‘Last Chance’ worth taking a chance on

BY ASHLEY LATCHA @ ashleylatcha

Courtesy of Kelsey Valleret

LSU English sophomore Kelsey Villeret. show,” as Villeret describes it, was something that she was very interested in as well. “[My publisher] pretty much gave me full creative control. I even got to design my own cover...and at the end of the day I pretty much got what everyone wants.”

Even though the pandemic caused a setback in the release

date, Villeret used that time to put everything together and perfect her work. During the pandemic, Villeret said the work on her novel mainly included compiling and editing.

When asked to give a oneliner of “Efflorescence,” Villeret says quite simply that “it’s a mirror into who I used to be.”

Villeret also mentions that she is also planning on creating the sequel for “Efflorescence” that picks up where the first novel left off, which will focus on college experiences instead of high school. She is also working on short story pieces and a fiction novel that will hopefully be completed by the end of this year.

“Last Chance” is truly a song that highlights the unique flavor of music that Casper Caan is capable of.

As a native of New York, Caan has been experimental with his own sound for years and even released an instrumental track, “How We Are Who We Are,” that was featured in Steven Soderbergh’s film Let Them All Talk.

That being said, I think the highlight of “Last Chance” is found in the production of the song. Caan is responsible for writing, producing and performing his tracks, which is a marvel of its own, but the instrumentals really stand out and give the song the uniqueness that it is known for. The song gives synth, almost futuristic vibes while still staying mellow to accompany the inspirational lyrics that discuss getting up and doing something in life versus being afraid of failure and pressure.

“Last Chance” also features a number of influential collaborators including Arjun Agarwala as the recording engineer, Nick Steinhardt as the designer and visual artist Jonathan Zawada, who has worked with artists such as The Avalanches. The song also includes award winning Kosuke Sugimoto as the music video animator.

Wonderland has named “Last Chance” as a song that is needed to help slow things down and relax while life continues to keep going at full speed, and I couldn’t agree more. The song gives major 2 a.m. solo music session in the bedroom vibes, but the beauty of it is that it could be played at any hour and still be deemed as a great song.

POLITICS

Louisiana’s first fantasy sports betting license approved

BY MELINDA DESLATTE Associated Press BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana gambling regulators Thursday backed the state’s first license for fantasy sports betting, paving the way for DraftKings to launch its operations in the 47 parishes where voters authorized the gaming activity nearly three years ago.

DraftKings said its daily fantasy sports contests will “soon be live” in those parishes after getting the license approval from the Louisiana Gaming Control Board. But the company didn’t provide a specific date it would be up and running

fantasy sports betting in its 44th state.

“As DraftKings continues our nationwide expansion, we welcome Louisiana to the DraftKings family, an area rich with culture, heritage and die-hard fanbases in both professional and college sports,” Matt Kalish, co-founder and president of DraftKings North America, said in a statement after the gambling board’s decision.

In fantasy sports, people create imaginary teams of real-life sports players and score points based on how those players perform in actual games. Websites charge an entry fee and offer payouts to winners.

Boston-based DraftKings is one of

the largest fantasy sports companies.

Voters in nearly three-quarters of Louisiana’s 64 parishes agreed in the November 2018 election to legalize fantasy sports betting.

Lawmakers then set the tax rates and the regulatory process. The Gaming Control Board determines which individual operators get licenses.

DraftKings submitted its licensing request in February, shortly after the gambling board opened the application period. The Louisiana State Police conducted a background investigation and financial review of the company to ensure it complied with state regulations.

The agency said DraftKings estimated it would bring in $15.5 million in net revenue for the current budget year, generating nearly $1.3 million in tax dollars for the state.

Participants in Louisiana’s fantasy sports competitions will have to be at least 21 years old. The games only will be permitted in parishes where voters authorized it, but anybody will be able to log into the online sites if they travel to those parishes.

Voters in 55 parishes also have legalized sports betting on live-action games, but the Gaming Control Board hasn’t yet completed its regulations and application process to start wagering.

THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES

The Louisiana State Capitol

OPINION

page 6

John Kennedy should not be re-elected into the US Senate SULLY’S SCOOP CLAIRE SULLIVAN @sulliclaire In a recent campaign email, Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) wrote that “his top priority is making sure he’s protecting your conservative values from the Socialist Left!”

On June 1, Kennedy announced his bid for re-election to the United States Senate. He will face off in a jungle primary on Nov. 8, 2022 where he must win more than 50% of the vote to keep his seat.

But through his brief time in Washington D.C. as a Republican, and his long career in Baton Rouge as a Democrat, Kennedy has proven he does not represent the best interests of Louisiana residents.

So much of the Kennedy persona is a calculated façade.

Perhaps there is no greater lie than his claim to fight for everyday people, unlike his colleagues who instead, Kennedy says, champion the “Washington elite.”

While the senator may like to portray himself as an outsider fighting for the little guy, the money that put him in office tells a different story. As a representative of the second poorest state in the union, 77.15% of his campaign funds came from large dollar donations and 13.01% came from Political Action Commit-

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards listens to Louisiana Senator John Kennedy speak about coronavirus on July 14, 2020 during the press conference with Vice President Mike Pence and other local officials at Tiger Stadium. tees. Kennedy has taken tens of thousands of dollars from PACs representing law firms, real estate and, most of all, oil and gas.

It’s hard to believe his complaints that the government is run by corrupt elites are genuine when Kennedy himself is a

career politician launched into higher office by high dollar donors and special interest groups.

Kennedy says that Louisiana residents can count on him to stick by his values, but it seems those values change with whatever is politically advantageous.

Though Kennedy’s website claims he “has built a distinguished career as a conservative champion for the people of Louisiana and a dedicated watchdog of taxpayer money,” he first ran for the U.S. Senate in 2004 as a progressive Democrat. Roy

Fletcher, a Republican consultant involved with several of the senator’s campaigns, said Kennedy only ran to the left in 2004 to distinguish himself from a crowded Democratic field.

Fletcher offers this explanation as something that “exonerates” Kennedy from his Democratic past, but it instead confirms something sinister: For the senator, policy positions and priorities are not real convictions, but instead pawns to gain political power and favorability.

Nothing exemplifies this guiding principle more than Kennedy’s devotion to former president Donald Trump. Kennedy was one of 10 Republican senators to sign a statement declaring his intent to vote against the certification of the 2020 presidential election, citing unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud. Only days later, a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol shocked the world.

Though Kennedy condemned the riots his misinformation helped incite, he still voted to decertify Arizona’s electoral votes, despite an audit that found no evidence of Trump’s claims of fraud.

Kennedy, a Rhodes scholar who studied at Oxford University and is a product of some of the most elite educational institutions in the world, understood perfectly well that the election was not stolen from Trump.

What he understood even better, though, were the political for-

see JUMP, page 8

‘Billionaire Space Race’ is ego-driven, helps no one but 1% DOM’S UNCANNY DISCOURSE DOMENIC PURDY

@tigerdom16

The Space Race of the 1960s saw the American and Soviet space programs repeatedly revolutionize technology in an attempt to prove their nation superior.

Space travel was once about the public benefits of advancing technology. Without the Space Race, we wouldn’t have cordless tools, satellite navigation, smoke detectors or water filters — simple inventions that would only be possible by pushing beyond the vail of what was once possible.

Sixty years later, the modern

space race isn’t a noble game of patriotism dedicated to bettering mankind; it’s a petty competition between the world’s billionaires to see who can reach space faster and capitalize on that fact.

Companies like Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic and SpaceX are run not with the best interests of humanity in mind, but the interests of men whose world views consist solely of profit incentives and ego.

The innovations that these companies make are not to make space travel and life on Earth easier, but to make money.

Jeff Bezos, Amazon and Blue Origin founder and the world’s richest man, is preparing for his voyage on the inaugural flight of the New Shepard rocket.

After a previous passenger who won a seat on the historic flight for $28 million had to back out due to scheduling conflicts, Bezos will be joined on his historic flight by his brother, 82-year-old member of the Mercury 13 Wally Funk and an 18-year-old Dutch teenager—set to be the youngest person in the history of space travel.

At the same time, Virgin Galactic founder and fellow billionaire Richard Branson fast tracked his own launch to one-up the Lex Luther-esque CEO. Branson’s flight occurred on July 11. Bezos is set to embark on his journey on July 20. Branson’s flight nothing more than an ego COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

see SPACE, page 8

Liddell meets with Satya Nadella and Jeff Bezos in the White House.

Editorial Policies and Procedures EDITORIAL BOARD Reed Darcey Nick Frewin

Editor in Chief News Editor

Domenic Purdy

Opinion Columnist

Claire Sullivan

Opinion Columnist

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 “Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.”

Thomas Jefferson Founding father 1743 — 1826

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ACROSS 1 Letters of urgency 5 Put on __; act snobbish 9 Repeated sound 13 Deadly snake 15 “Who Wants __ a Millionaire” 16 Word in an obituary 17 Monastery head 18 Made one’s home in 20 German article 21 Actor Holbrook 23 Noncomformists 24 Build 26 Presidential nickname 27 Heavenly 29 Tears to bits 32 “Hasta la vista” 33 Spirited horse 35 Talent for music 37 Official order 38 Courted 39 Chimney channel 40 “Sesame Street” fan 41 Snake poison 42 Recipe verb 43 Military awards 45 Noisy quarrel 46 “__ Be There”; Jackson 5 hit 47 __ at; indicate 48 Word in an address 51 Scepter 52 Part of spring: abbr.

55 Plato’s famous pupil 58 Triangular section under eaves 60 __ as a button 61 Raised platform 62 Actress Burstyn 63 __ over; pass out 64 White Monopoly bills 65 Chair or pew DOWN 1 Military sch.

2 “__ it”; “Amen”

by Jacqueline E. Mathews

Created by Jacqueline E. Mathews

3 Shorten 4 Prefix for noun or verb 5 Leaning 6 Charged atom 7 Pres. Hayes’ monogram 8 __ for; sought 9 Fit for consumption 10 Refer to 11 Scoundrel 12 __-on favorite; likely winner 14 Capital city 19 Facial hair 22 Many a hardware store 25 Mob scene 27 Bonkers 28 Common phrase 29 “Things are not always what they __” 30 Scrumptious 31 Place to sweat 33 George & Louis, to William 34 Also 36 Lipstick colors

7/19/21

Saturday’s Puzzle Solved

©2021 Tribune Content Agency, LLC All Rights Reserved.

38 Affluent 39 Caramel custard 41 Car parker 42 Golden Gate __ 44 Fuel for a semi 45 Egg __ yong 47 Iron clothes 48 Quarterback’s woe

7/19/21

49 Bona fide 50 Ceremony 53 “Guilty,” for one 54 Torn in two 56 Fawn’s color 57 Falsehood 59 Lou Gehrig’s disease, for short

Monday, July 19, 2021

page 8 KENNEDY, from page 6 tunes he would gain among the former president’s fervent base by playing into “Stop the Steal.”

When posed with the choice of integrity or self-interest, the senator chose the latter.

The senator clings to other culture war issues with similar malintent. Kennedy says that critical race theory, the newest Republican talking point, ”teaches that white children are born bad” and that “Black children are born trapped.” Kennedy’s views on race in America can be summarized by his belief that “most Americans understand that, to a bear, we all taste like chicken.”

Missing from his insidious soundbites is an acknowledgement of the historic and modern systems and practices including the legacy of Jim Crow, mass incarceration and police brutality, housing discrimination and un-

SPACE, from page 6 trip to make him the first billionaire in space before his rival.

At least when two of the world’s super powers raced to space, it was seen as strategic to beat their opponent. These billionaires have nothing at stake but their intergalactic egos.

No matter how many times billionaires like Branson say how much they “believe that space belongs to all of us,” preparing man-

equal access to quality education that perpetuate social and economic inequality for Black Americans. But of course, Kennedy is more interested in riling up the Fox News crowd than he is the truth or improving the lives of his constituents.

Kennedy’s fiscal conservatism is to the severe detriment of the state and starkly contrarian to his populist mask.

In May, Kennedy boasted that he “tried to amend the very first coronavirus bill to eliminate the $600-dollar-per-week payment” that went to the unemployed, saying the benefit went “too far.” These $600 a week benefits were essential in keeping food on the tables of American families, stimulating the recession economy and preventing further plunges into poverty brought on by the pandemic. Not only that, but economic research consistently found they did not dis-

courage the unemployed from finding work.

Despite this proven success, Kennedy would have preferred the hundreds of thousands of Louisiana residents who relied on these increased benefits to suffer in the name of fiscal conservatism. This same Kennedy supported Trump’s trillion dollar tax cut for the wealthy and other Trump-era corporate handouts.

Louisiana deserves representation laser-focused on improving the economic and environmental problems that plague the state. Since his election to the Senate, Kennedy has proven himself more concerned with soundbites than solutions.

For these reasons and many more, Kennedy’s first term must be his last.

Claire Sullivan is an 18-year-old coastal environmental science sophomore from Southbury, CT.

Louisiana Senator John Kennedy speaks about coronavirus on Tuesday, July 14, 2020 during the press conference with Vice President Mike Pence.

kind for the future and learning to make our species better don’t matter to Bezos and Branson. Profiting off space tourism does.

The men behind modern space travel care more about how much money they take to the grave than whether they leave the world a better place.

A ride on Branson’s Virgin Galactic runs intrepid travelers a ludicrous $250,000 for a flight that lasts up to 15 minutes. And that’s on the cheaper side. Sure, these

prices are going to decrease as space tourism becomes more affordable. But that won’t change the purpose of people like Bezos sending rockets into space: cold hard profit.

No matter how many times these billionaires say their “experience of a lifetime,” as Branson said in a midflight livestream, will benefit all of humanity, it’s very clear that their goals remain separate from that of the rest of humanity.

“If you see Earth from space, it

changes you. It changes your relationship with this planet, with humanity. It’s one Earth. It’s an adventure,” Bezos said.

Bezos’ company Amazon and others like it have ironically exacerbated wealth inequality by exploiting the working class’ labor.

These billionaires don’t care about the rest of humanity except that they are mere tools for their accumulation of wealth and to stroke their egos.

Don’t let news of Bezos, Bran-

ABBY KIBLER/ The Reveille

G N I M CO SOON

8.2.21

son and Musk race to shoot multibillion dollar rockets into orbit fool you. They aren’t going to help fix Earth’s problems like the last space race: they’re just trying to distract from the real issues.

There’s a reason people aren’t opposed to seeing Bezos not return when his ship reenters Earth’s atmosphere.

Domenic Purdy old journalism Prairieville.

is 20-yearjunior from