December 13, 2019

Volume XCVII, Number 8

December 13, 2019

Worcester, Massachusetts

Kickoff to 2020 Event Previews Upcoming Election Ethan Bachand ‘22 Chief News Editor

On Tuesday, Dec. 3, the J.D. Power Center put on its Kickoff to 2020 event in Seelos Theater as a way to engage College of the Holy Cross students with the upcoming presidential election. Professors Alex Hindman, Daniel Klinghard, and Greg Burnep were joined by alumni Tim Bishop ’72 and Peter Flaherty ’87 for the panel. Originally, Chris Matthews ’67 was also scheduled to make an appearance, but could not make the event due to the weather.

Doors were open before the advertised 7:30 P.M. start, as students had the opportunity to register to vote, contribute to a poster on why to vote, and participate in the J.D. Power Center’s first straw poll for the 2020 election. Additionally, a table was set up regarding the Washington D.C. and New York City semester programs. Despite this early opening, most seats remained empty for the first fifteen minutes of the event.

Professor Klinghard opened the night by talking about what was planned for the evening and the J.D. Power Cen-

Following the initial round of questions, the microphone was opened up for students to ask their own questions. Most questions in this section revolved around the general election, with a few exceptions dedicated towards the general state of politics in our country.

After the original line was depleted, Professor Klinghard resumed control of the stage to end the Kickoff 2020.

Professor Klingard thanked his fellow faculty, the alumni, as well as those in attendance for their participation.

Speaking after the event, sophomore Angelo Carbone said, “I really enjoyed the kickoff event. I found it was very informative, and it was awesome to hear Mr. Flaherty’s inPhoto by Ethan Bachand ‘22. sight in preparing for debates against Professor Burnep introduces the panel for the night.

Donald Trump. Something I would have liked to see Mr. Bishop and Mr. ter. After that, he invited students to After the trivia was complete, ProFlaherty touch more on would be a join him at the front of the theatre for fessors Burnep and Hindman took the more critical interpretation of what got a “President Primary” trivia contest. stage with Congressmen Bishop and Donald Trump elected and how whatTwelve students had the opportunity to Mr. Flaherty to begin the open discus- ever those causes were will play out in compete for Barnes and Noble gift cards sion portion. The two Political Science the 2020 election.” by answering challenging trivia that ex- professors traded questions, asking amined past as well as current presiden- about not only the Democratic field of tial candidates. By the end of the game, candidates but also what a general elecmost seats had been filled. tion would look like.

Holidays on the Hill!

Inside The Spire

News.......................1 Opinions.................4 Features..................7 Eggplant.................9 Sports.....................10

“Stolen” Lecture by Richard Bell Page 3

Stop Sexualizing Bisexuality Page 4

Behind the Scenes of a Snow Day Page 8

Photo by Claudia Hajjar ‘23

Photo by Kim Fetherston ‘22.

Red and green lights sparkle in Hogan Ballroom.

Santa stops by Kimball with CAB.

Eggplant:

A Tale of Two Trees Photo by Zoe Petit ’22. .

Students had fun decorating their dorm door.

Photo by Madeleine Beaton ’23. .

Chamber Singers perform at the Tree Lighting Ceremony.

Photo by Kim Fetherston ’22. .

Page 9

We may have a white Christmas this year!

Football Wins PL Title, Falls in FCS Playoffs Photo by Claudia Hajjar ‘23

Santa makes an appearance at the tree lighting ceremony.

Photo by Valentina Moran ’23.

Fools on the Hill were just one of the a capella groups to perform.

Photo by Madeleine Beaton ’23.

The Tree Lighting was stocked with refreshments, including Insomnia Cookies!

Page 10

2 The Spire

NEWS December 13, 2019

Correction

Public Safety Blotter

In our Nov. 22 article, “Students Walk Out of ‘Diversity Delusion’ Talk in Protest,” The Spire reported that the protest received “support from the Student Government Association.” We would like to correct that statement and clarify that the Student Government Association did not play a formal role in planning the walk-out at the Heather Mac Donald lecture, as it is an organization that represents all students. Although some members of SGA participated in the protest, they did so in their capacity as students, not as SGA representatives.

~Eggplant Eddition~ Monday, December 9 Fenwick Hall - A SWAT team was called in to break students out of a study room after it was discovered they planned on camping out until their finals the following week.

Wednesday, December 11 Healy Hall - Officers were notified of screaming from the second floor of Healy around 7:59 AM. Upon arriving at the scene, they discovered that students were upset to find their 8:00 AM was not actually canceled .

Freshman Field - Several students were in need of medical assistance after attempting to sled down the hill on cardboard boxes and being unable to stop when they reached the bottom.

Thursday, December 12 St. Joseph’s Chapel - Public Safety was on the scene for Lessons and Carols, as Officer Gracie preformed her rendition of “All I Want for Chrsitmas Is You.”

Snowy Snapshots from the Hill

Photo Courtesy of HC Libraries Twitter (@hc_libs)

Photo by Claudia Hajjar ’23

Photo Courtesy of Holy Cross Baseball Twitter (@HCrossBaseball)

The Spire student newspaper College of the Holy Cross Published weekly since 1925

Jackie Cannon, Billy Fitzpatrick Editors-in-Chief Ethan Bachand News Editor Olivia Pan, Maggie Connolly, Ryen Cinski, Julia Maher Opinions Eds. Kelly Gallagher, Grace Bromage, Clarabel Smith Features Editors Greg Hausler, Matt Anderson, Hannah Johnson, Mario Micallif Eggplant Editors Bobby Tuzzio, Luke Anthony, Charlie Krumsiek Sports Editors Hope Goodman, Olivia Cesarini, Kennedy Corrado, Bridgie English Copy Editors Kim Fetherston, Zoe Petit, Davey Sullivan Photographers Olivia Cesarini, Ryan Fay Web Editors Caroline Manganaro, Cassie Smith Social Media Managers Professor Steve Vineberg Faculty Advisor Dean Brenda Hounsell Sullivan Staff Advisor

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The Spire

News

December 13, 2019

3

Dr. Bell Gives Lecture on Book in Rehm Library

Caroline Muniz ‘23 Staff Writer Dr. Richard Bell held a lecture on Thursday, Dec. 5, that gave new insight on what we know about slavery and the Underground Railroad. His is an Associate Prorofessor of History at the University of Maryland, and author to the novel, Stolen: Five Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and their Astonishing Odyessey Home. This non-fiction novel tells the true story of a five young boys who suffered in a horrendous system that forced the innocent into a lifetime of terror in the slave trade. In his presentation he disusses the discoveries he made about slavery in the 19th century and what has been overlooked and misunderstood about this topic.

Bell specifically focused on the story of ten-year-old Cornelius Sinclair, one of the five boys he wrote about in his novel. He began his presentation with the story of how he became a boy in the slave trade. One day he was free and the next he was not. He told the story of him being physically abused and taken from his family and changing his life forever.

In 1808, the United States no longer allowed the transatlantic trade of slaves. What was a huge turning point for American history began a system of internal slave trading. Slave traders tried their best to satisfy the needs of their customers after this ban by, “bringing them thousands of American-born slaves each year from slave states.” This still was not enough be-

cause the settlers wanted even more.

While Harriet Tubman fought hard with other African Americans to secretly bring as many slaves to the north in the Underground Railroad, there was a system working in the opposite direction as well. Northerner African Americans were forcefully taken from their families and became slaves. Bell explained that, “the vol-

ume of traffic of both these railroads was roughly the same” and that the two systems worked continuously with each other in a way.

Bell mentioned that families who had children stolen from their homes and brought to the South for slavery would often put something in the newspaper for them hoping someone would know of their whereabouts.

However, these became so common they were not nearly as effective as they should have been. As a result, the freedom of the African American people in the North was “achingly fragile” due to this issue. African Americans in the North had to live knowing that any of them were still at risk of becoming slaves.

The lecture concluded with the idea that, “then as now, families belong together.” Bell made connections between what happened in the 19th century to what is prevalent in our country today. Today, families are being torn apart due to immigration laws. Children are ripped away from their parents in the same forceful way that Cornelius Sinclair was, in Bell’s view. His research and stories were all captivating and interesting, and these changed the audience’s perspective on what they thought they knew. Learning about the details of the stories of these young boys made the history of slavery much more substaintial and real.

Photo By Davey Sullivan ‘22

What’s Happening on Mount St. James?

Finals Edition!

December 15: Late Night Breakfast in Kimball December 15: Study break with a therapy dog at Smith Labs December 16-19: Midnight Breakfast in Crossroads December 21: Last day of exams!

Check out this spot each week for a schedule of upcoming events that you won’t want to miss!

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Apply to be a news editor for the spring semester and you could be on the front lines of campus news!

Photo by Avanell Brock c/o holycross.edu

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Email spire@g.holycross.edu today for an application or more information!

4 The Spire

Opinions

OPINIONS

December 13, 2019

See What Other Students Are Thinking Around Campus...

Stop Sexualizing Bisexuality Ryen Cinski ‘22 Opinions Editor As a die-hard One Direction fan, I am constantly anticipating the release of solo music from each of the former band mates. This past week was exciting for me as it saw the release of Harry Styles’ single “Adore You,” Niall Horan’s single “Put a Little Love On Me,” and Liam Payne’s debut album, LP1. After listening to both Harry and Niall’s singles, I was very pleased and found that I thoroughly enjoyed both songs. When I sat down to listen to LP1, the first song on the album that I played was track 7, titled “Rude Hours,” an uncomfortably sexual song. Since I hated it, I decided to try a different song, and clicked play on track 10, “Both Ways.” Not only did I hate this song, I also found myself uncomfortable and angry about the lyrics and the message that they convey.

The lyrics are focused around the singer, Liam, having a threesome with his bisexual girlfriend and another woman. While representation in media is necessary, these lyrics work to paint a stigmatized, sexualized version of bisexuality - something that can be very harmful and offensive. Bisexuality is often associated with threesomes

Photo Courtesy of Pride.com

Is Liam Payne’s song biphobic?

and often times, only supported in a sexual light. Just because an artist sings about or “enjoys” another’s bisexuality in their work does not mean that they are truly supportive of bisexual individuals. To fetishize and sexualize bisexuality and reduce it to only being good for threesomes is dehumanizing

and communicates the message that individuals who identify as bisexual are objects to be used for sexual pleasure rather than human beings.

In the refrain of this terrible piece of music, Payne sings “Lovin’ the way that she’s turning you on // Switching the lanes like a Bugatti Sport.” Not

some bisexual individuals, threesomes may be a fantasy that they entertain or a part of their life which is okay as it is their own personalized preference. What this does not mean, is that every individual identifying as bisexual has or would like to be a part of threesomes. To assume this and to show bisexuality in a solely sexual way can lead to bi-erasure, which can be defined as “a pervasive problem in which the existence or legitimacy of bisexuality (either in general or in regard to an individual) is questioned or denied outright” (GLAAD). Since Liam is an artist whose work is available to and engaged with by a wide range of individuals, it’s harmful and hurtful that he would be so blind and negligent concerning the content that he’s releasing. This tone-deaf song will hopefully act as an example of what an artist should not do, and will promote acceptance of and appropriate appreciation of all sexualities and identities.

only is this analogy idiotic, it is reductive. An individual’s sexuality, something that is a part of their identity, a piece of who they are, does not exist for a biphobic, washed up artist’s entertainment.

An individual is free to enjoy and engage in whatever they wish - for

A Chilly Night of Jazz Emmanuel Petrov ‘23 Staff Writer “Ah one… ah one, two, three, hmm!” echoed throughout the frame of Brooks Concert Hall as conductor, Mike Monaghan, swayed his index finger to the downbeat of a classic sweet ole jazz melody. Entranced by the idiosyncratic finger movements and timbres of the performers, it was as if you were lounging at a Deco-style diner or a New York City hotel lobby listening to the sound of bebop over the ceiling speakers. Were it not for the performers’ contemporary outfits, this concert could in most ways be rendered as a historically informed performance. Joined by featured artist and international saxophone player Ken Reid, the Holy Cross Jazz Ensemble immersed the audience with jazz styles of the past century as they performed pieces that portrayed the instrumental transformation of this culturally-imbued genre of music.

It would be repetitive to describe this concert as “groovy” or “upbeat” considering that most quality jazz performances share the same qualities. What made this concert so noteworthy was its ability to translate conventional standards of jazz music into a present-day appreciation for the genre, while making it historically informative and interactive.

After performing an introductory piece by renowned American composer Neil Hefti, Director Monaghan

Photo by Valentina Moran ’23

The Holy Cross Jazz Ensemble performs in Brooks Concert Hall.

proceeded to give a brief description of the ensemble and the theme of the concert. The ensemble was comprised of 5 saxophones, 3 trumpets, 2 trombones, and a rhythm section composed of a piano, guitar, tuba, and drum-kit. Together these performers represented what is known as a “big band” of the mid 1900’s. The program continued with various excerpts from the era of big band jazz music, including vibrant pieces such as “A Night in Tunisia” by Dizzy Gillespie, “Big Mama Cass” by Don Sebesky, and Glenn Miller’s “Moonlight Serenade.”

Dennis Liu’s trombone solo set the tone (pun-intended) for the rest of the solos as he abruptly maneuvered the main slide of his trombone to a syncopated melody representative of most jazz music. Each performer played their own solo, which had its respective timbre and original quality based on personal improvisation. Impressively, each soloist expressed their creativity under the few measures they are individually allocated in the piece.

In reference to the solo, Monaghan claims “that it does need organization,” but rather emphasized its dependence

on improvisation. Although freeflowing in nature, these solos held a certain structure that made them appear pre-arranged. As a result of this seamless execution by the soloists, most of the audience would not have realized this distinction if Director Monaghan did not disclose the prevalence of improvisation near the opening of the concert. Both Director Monaghan’s eager appeal for the audience to applaud the soloists along with Reid’s constant smile of validation toward his stand-partner spoke to the quality of the performers, espe-

cially if you were not acquainted with live jazz performance and could not immediately recognize the performers’ impressive skill set.

As much as jazz music is a grassroot social phenomenon, it is also a liberal genre that adopted essential melodies from similar genres like blues, bebop, and swing music along with more deviant genres such as rock n’ roll.

The emergence of rock n’ roll in jazz is symbolically manifested through Will Griffin’s rhythmic accompaniment on the bass guitar — a staple instrument of rock n’ roll — in Don Sebesky’s “Big Mama Cass.” In addition to Monaghan’s periodic historical references in between pieces, the technical aspects of the pieces were greatly accentuated with call and response motifs, and circle-of-fifths chord progressions.

Ultimately, this annual Winter Concert occurs during a convenient time prior to final exams in which we, as students, should glean the same creativity depicted in the solos. In the same way the soloists improvised in the midst of a greater musical structure, we should also find moments of expression and creativity, even in the midst of the routine and structure of final grades and assessment-related pressure.

The Spire

OPINIONS

December 13, 2019

5

Political Science Professor Voices Concern Over Proposed Freedom of Expression Philosophy Statement Daniel Klinghard Professor of Political Science At the second Faculty Assembly meeting of the Spring 2020 semester, Holy Cross faculty will vote on a proposed “Freedom of Expression Philosophy Statement.” We are told that this is only a precursor to a freedom of expression policy that will reflect the philosophy. We are also told that it will not threaten academic freedom or freedom of speech on campus generally, because it is only meant to guide decision makers seeking to decide whether to invite speakers from off campus.

Don’t buy it. The proposed philosophy statement not only stands in stark contrast to the best traditions of free expression, it directly contradicts the standards that Holy Cross currently has codified in its fundamental policy statement—the Statutes of the Faculty. Although presented as merely an administrative convenience to help restrict harmful speech from off campus, the statement is over-broad, and threatens rights that currently protect the expression of all members of the campus community.

It is true that colleges and universities today face a very difficult situation. Partisan groups are increasingly working to send speakers to campuses around the country, many of whom are deliberately provocative (think Milo Yiannopolous), some of whom have caused violence, damage, and conflict. Holy Cross does need to determine an approach to this problem and engage with students interested in inviting such speakers to campus.

But we must find solutions to this problem that do not violate wellestablished principles of free expression. They should be accomplished through narrowly-written policies that take care to preserve existing expressive rights. This is not just wise— it is widely acknowledged as the best practice in higher education.

Consider the American Association of University Professors’ 1992 report on campus speech codes. The AAUP acknowledges that: “In response to verbal assaults and use of hateful language, some campuses have felt it necessary to forbid the expression of racist, sexist, homophobic, or ethnically demeaning speech, along with conduct or behavior that harasses. Several reasons are offered in support of banning such expression.

Individuals and groups that have been victims of such expression feel an understandable outrage. They claim that the academic progress of minority and majority alike may suffer if fears, tensions, and conflicts spawned by slurs and insults create an environment inimical to learning.” These are exactly the concerns that our proposed statement is designed to address.

However, the AAUP continues that “while we can acknowledge both the weight of these concerns and the thoughtfulness of those persuaded of the need for regulation, rules that ban or punish speech based upon its content cannot be justified. An institution of higher learning fails to fulfill its mission if it asserts the power to proscribe ideas—and racial or ethnic slurs, sexist epithets, or homophobic insults

almost always express ideas, however repugnant. Indeed, by proscribing any ideas, a university sets an example that profoundly disserves its academic mission.” Such restrictions “cannot be justified.” Speech codes are a profound disservice to a college’s academic mission.

This AAUP statement is not merely good rhetoric. The AAUP’s standards

ten more narrowly.

Here’s a practical example of why both students and faculty should care.

Last Monday, Manhattan Institute Fellow Heather Mac Donald, who has caused controversy on college campuses for her views on diversity, gave an invited talk at Holy Cross. Before the event, student protesters filled Seelos Theater, leaving a number of

the statement’s insistence that “we recognize that we will be challenged to expand our own perspectives,” and that “this challenge can only be fruitful in a context grounded in mutual respect,” would also seem to condemn the students’ behavior, even as it would do nothing to prohibit Mac Donald.

Of course, no one thinks that the

Photo by Claudia Hajjar ’23

are widely held as a measure of college and university policies across the country. They are also codified in the Statutes of the Holy Cross Faculty— Chapter VIII, Section A explicitly cites the AAUP statement as part of the official College policy on expressive activities.

The point is not that the proposed philosophy statement contradicts the Statutes of the Faculty—though it pretty clearly does so. The point is that the proposed philosophy statement is not simply filling an empty space in College policy in response to a timely issue. Instead, rights that College policy now protect will be undermined by the passage of this new statement on expression. True, we are told that this is “just” a philosophy statement, that it is “just” to control outside speakers. But one wonders why the College needs a new philosophy to accomplish such a modest goal. One wonders why the statement does not explicitly limit itself to such activity.

In the legal language of free expression jurisprudence, such a statement is over-broad—it covers more than it needs to cover, and contradicts the current policy when it could be writ-

interested students and faculty unable to enter. After a few minutes of Mac Donald’s talk, the protestors left the theater, leaving her to lecture to rows of empty seats; because Public Safety officers refused to admit students to the theater after the event started, those left outside the theater were effectively shut out of the event.

As protest strategies go, this one was ingenious and effective. It accomplished its goal in a way that demonstrated clear thinking, resolve, and political savvy on the part of the planners. It is also clearly contrary to the spirit of the proposed philosophy statement, which urges students to “strive to exercise our freedoms to enhance the freedoms of others.” It is hard to see these activities as anything other than the protesters using their freedom to assemble and deprive— not enhance—that freedom from students interested in hearing the talk, and from the organizers to hold such an event.

I don’t think we have good reasons to restrict such protest activity as happened on Monday night. The philosophy statement suggests that we do.

Stretching the statement only a little,

current administration would do such a thing. They’re clearly interested in banning Mac Donald, not the students, and perhaps that’s a reasonable goal. But future administrators can point to this philosophy statement to write or execute policies that limit student and faculty expressive rights.

If you’re certain that administrators who favor your point of view will always be in power, then, by all means, you should support this statement.

For my part, I’m concerned about codifying language that condemns expressive activity that is currently allowed, regardless of our current reasons for doing so.

Speech restrictions are notoriously difficult to design with precision.

The lesson of nearly 230 years of free speech cases teaches us that the most innocent of restrictions tend to restrict more than they intend, and to empower officials more than we like. One must recognize that most officials in situations like this—presidents, governors, police chiefs, school principals, NFL commissioners, college administrators—are ultimately biased to order, to de-escalation of uncomfortable tensions. When besieged by contro-

versy, they will seek shelter under the rules, and even broaden their applications to provide themselves as much cover as possible. So today’s racist gets banned, but so does tomorrow’s transgender activist, if the case can be made that their language does not demonstrate the philosophy statement’s “mutual respect.” This difficulty of effectively singling out the expressive activity we don’t want without catching up the activity we do want doesn’t mean we can’t have a new freedom of expression philosophy. But it does mean that we need to be very cautious when proffered a new philosophy that clearly limits our existing rights.

There are other things to be concerned about in this philosophy statement. At the end of the statement is a curious note that “our institutional identity places Holy Cross in relationship with other institutions and communities,” including the Catholic Church and the Jesuits. It notes that “the College’s attention to these relationships includes a commitment to dialogue rooted in our self-understanding and the practices that flow from and advance our mission.” This makes a whole lot of sense, as it pretty much states the truth of our relationships in the broader community.

But what do these relationships have to do with my expressive rights?

Or yours? Advocates of the new philosophy statement will tell you not to be concerned, that they don’t mean for it to impose a religious test on anyone’s speech. But then why have it there at all, in a statement ostensibly devoted to the notion of free expression? And what would it mean in the hands of an administrator who feels that speech advocating LGBTQ+ rights puts Holy Cross faculty and students into tension with the Church, and with “the practices that flow from and advance our mission”?

If the Bishop feels that it does, can he point to our policy as a justification for asking us to shut such speech down?

Looking into the history of the First Amendment, I’m struck by the fact that the way that social institutions—particularly religious ones— typically interact with individuals’ expressive rights is to restrict them.

Schools’ interests in maintaining order, churches’ interests in hiring believers, communities’ interests in prohibiting disruptive advertisements, all have been cited as justifying restrictions on otherwise expansive rights of individuals to express themselves.

They have never, as far as I am aware, been used to defend the rights of dissent, speech, or expression. Make no mistake; this element of the proposed philosophy statement can only serve to delimit the range of expressive activity philosophically justified on this campus—whether the current administration intends that it do so or not.

Perhaps it won’t. I’m sure no one intends for it to do so. But there is no analogue in the current policies enshrined in the Statutes. I have to think that we would just be better off without it.

6

The Spire

OPINIONS

December 13, 2019

Political Science Professor Responds to Mac Donald Lecture Protests David Lewis Schaefer Professor of Political Science To the Editors of The Spire: The planned occupation of a large block of seats in the Seelos Theater by members of the Black Student Union at Heather Mac Donald’s November 18 lecture on “The Diversity Delusion,” followed by the group’s mass exit (while shouting slogans) shortly after her talk began – all designed to exclude some 80 or more students and faculty who actually wanted to hear the talk from entering the room – indeed “sent a powerful message,” as The Spire’s story observes. It is a message that far from espousing genuine diversity, i.e., a diversity of viewpoints, the so-called diversity movement favors only homo-

geneity: agree with us or else we will do our best to prevent you from letting your views be heard. Such intolerance is the very opposite of what a genuine intellectual community is supposed to be engaged in. And it demonstrates for all eyes on campus the truth of Ms. Mac Donald’s contention that the demands now made in the name of diversity are indeed a delusion.

It is to Holy Cross’s credit that, unlike what has happened on other campuses to speakers like Ms. Mac Donald and others who challenge the prevailing “politically correct” consensus, she was at least allowed to speak here, albeit it to a shamefully restricted audience – despite threatening rumors that had spread about potential forcible interference with her talk. But it is deeply lamentable that, encouraged

(I presume) by some members of the administration and faculty, members of the BSU has come to pride themselves on blocking or restricting the expression of points of view with which they differ. This was the same principle on which the Hitler Youth acted in the 1930’s – even if those who now espouse it at this college have (so far) limited themselves to peaceable methods of action.

Clearly, Holy Cross has failed to inculcate in these students a proper appreciation of the meaning and purpose of liberal education – i.e., the education in serious thinking, rooted in the study of classic as well as contemporary books and the open interchange of opposing ideas that prepares one to live the life of a genuinely free human being. (It was precisely the sort

of education, as Ms. Mac Donald observed, that was advocated by the great African-American leaders Frederick Douglass and W.E.B. DuBois.)

The fault, dear colleagues and administrators, lies largely, I fear, in ourselves.

It would indeed be desirable if, as The Spire story speculates, the BSU action generates “changes” – that is a movement, by way of reaction, towards a renewed appreciation of genuine liberal education and academic freedom.

Sincerely, David Lewis Schaefer Professor of Political Science

Open Letter to the Holy Cross Community Michele C. Murray, Ph.D. Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Holy Cross should be a place where all members of our community feel they belong and have the skills and opportunities to dialogue with those who hold different perspectives. The Fenwick Review’s recent invited lecture and students’ expression of dissent it generated highlight the tension that sometimes arises when the College pursues its dual commitments to both freedom of expression and care for one another.

Our drafted Freedom of Expression Philosophy states in part: We affirm the right and responsibility of each member of our College community to participate in the free exchange of diverse ideas and perspectives. We recognize that we will

be challenged to expand our own perspectives in our mutual pursuit of truth. This challenge can only be fruitful in a context grounded in mutual respect and regard for human dignity which aim to enhance the common good. Therefore, we strive to exercise our freedoms to enhance the freedoms of others and we embrace the Ignatian presumption of good will in dialogue.

Our drafted philosophy lifts up the best of what it means to live and work in an academic community and calls us to not shy away from difficult topics, controversial points of view, or dissent.

It also grounds us in our Jesuit Catholic mission and challenges us to recognize and honor one another’s dignity, not just in spite of but also because of our differences. Our drafted philosophy presumes we will be in dialogue with one another when differences occur.

To be sure, Holy Cross is not alone in

learning how to engage in productive dialogue across difference. Our nation and our world seem awash in extreme ideologies and alternative facts that serve only to drive division. Controversies, amplified by social media and partisan news sources, seem calculated to elicit strong reactions from those who stand in agreement and from those who do not. The end result is an ever-widening gulf between people who, in the words of Maya Angelou, are more alike than unalike.

The question is: Where do we go from here? The difficult work ahead of us will be to find ways to bring together those who hold various, and sometimes conflicting, perspectives for productive dialogue. This effort has begun and will continue because we believe this is the best way to air multiple perspectives while ensuring people feel heard and valued. Be on the lookout

next semester for opportunities to dialogue, as there is enough work for all of us--students, faculty, and staff. Our success at building the type of community we say we want and our mission compels us toward depends on each of us committing anew to the ideals we hold dear.

As a Jesuit and Catholic academic community, we are called upon to engage across difference with intention and respect. This means creating space for varying perspectives, carefully listening to what is shared, reflecting upon what we hear, considering the strength of evidence in support of the argument, and participating in conversation, dialogue, and constructive debate. At the most basic level, we should seek opportunities to listen to one another and recognize the humanity of those with whom we disagree.

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The Spire

Features

FEATURES

December 13, 2019

7

A Season of Spirit, A Season of Giving

Crusader of the Week: Teresa Esquivel ‘23

Nicole Letendre ‘23 Staff Writer

Name: Teresa Esquivel Hometown: Washington DC/NorthFavorite Book: The Haunting of Hill ern Virginia House by Shirley Jackson Major: Russian & International Studies Favorite Kimball meal: General Tso’s Campus Activities: SPUD, occasional night of course frisbee, and Russian tea!

Favorite Cool Beans Drink: Vanilla Favorite Movie: The Sound of Music Macchiato with an extra espresso shot (basic) Favorite spot on campus: my secret Favorite song: “Up!” By Shania Twain study spot Favorite singer/ Favorite offgroup: ABBA campus restauFavorite color: rant: Pomir Grill Red Guilty Pleasure: Favorite sports Watching hours team: Washington straight of trash Capitals reality TV Favorite class Some small taken at Holy things that Cross: Russian 301 make your day Favorite Profesbetter: Coffee, sor: Professor napping, hearing Partan or Professor someone menLeonard-Flecktion DC, talking man to someone from Item on HC home, and seeBucket List: ing my friends Studying abroad around campus!

Photo courtesy of Teresa Esquivel in Russia for a First thing you year do when you Biggest HC Regret: not knowing wake up: Attempt to sleep longer, cry Lower Kimball took meal swipes for the when I can’t, and then make coffee first month of school Last thing you do before going to bed: Embarrassing HC Moment: texting Say a prayer someone in a class group chat I thought Favorite place you have traveled to: was someone else Narva, Estonia Bragging Rights: I only have class Role-model: A friend from home Tuesday and Thursday bet you can’t say Something you look forward to when the same;) you go home: Sitting in traffic on the Words to live by: “Get over yourself” Beltway and hugging my cats One thing you would change at HC: Post-Graduation Plans: Work as a case Freshman should be able to enroll in officer at the CIA their Montserrat as they would any Favorite memory at HC: Watching other class the Nats win the world series in Red Sox Favorite TV Show: Criminal Minds country

heartfelt dance to the song “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.” The judges seemed immersed in the nature of this dance, and they began to clap.

Smiles were contagious throughout, as audience members were captivated by the dancers’ skill and pure enjoyment throughout.

Ultimately, the judges narrowed down the competition to two finalists, resulting in a tie. The first pair, competing for the Jimmy Fund, danced a skillful rumba. The judges were impressed by their confidence

Clapping by the audience members for each couple would determine the winner. It was a close call as On the evening of Dec. 6, the dance claps roared throughout the ballfloor was set for the ballroom team’s room for each pair of dancers; how“Dancing with the Stars” charity ever, Sydney Grosskopf and Profesevent. Hogan Ballroom was decosor Isaacs were announced as the rated with Christmas spirit. Several winners. The donations collected wreaths were wrapped in lights and will be going to The Trevor Project, adorned with a red and gold bow. A an organization that has established disco ball reflected light from above a suicide hotline and seeks to stop the dance floor, and a Christmas suicide, particularly among LGBTQ tree stood fully ornamented on the adolescents. For more information, stage. Audience members were enor to donate, please visit: www.thetcouraged to donate revorproject.org/ at the door. ExpeConcluding the rienced members night, new memof the ballroom bers of the ballroom team were to comteam stepped onto pete in pairs, and the dance floor. the charity of the They performed winning couple’s an upbeat dance to choice received the the familiar Mariah money collected Carey song “All I at the door. There Want for Christwere a total of five mas Is You,” and competing pairs, some dancers even and they each perbrought their holiformed with inday cheer in the credible style and form of ChristPhoto by Nicole Letendre ‘23 talent. The panel of The ballroom dance team inspired a joyful night of giving with “Dancing with mas sweaters with three expert judges lights. Once the offered words of adword “snowball!” miration for the dancers. One judge and style, and one judge even re- was called, new ballroom dancers commented to a couple dancing for marked, “Oh man, were you cool brought audience members onto the South East Asia Coalition, “Did as a cucumber out there. You were the dance floor to join. New ballyou have fun?” When the pair re- born to perform.” The second pair room member, Natasha Rollo 23’, sponded with a “yes,” the judge re- included in the tie was Sydney remarked, “I’m so happy to be a part plied enthusiastically, “You looked Grosskopf, co-chair of the ballroom of ballroom. The people are amazlike it!” team, dancing a cha-cha with Pro- ing. The mentors are amazing. And Dispersed throughout the com- fessor Isaacs to the song “Juice” by I can’t wait to do more!” All in all, peting performances were senior Lizzo. They wore sparkly blue cos- this was a wonderful event to comshowcases, or dances performed tumes with sequins, dancing com- mence not only the holiday season, by experienced senior members of plex choreography to the rhythm of but also the season of giving at Holy the ballroom team. Each dance was the song, as well as to the clapping Cross. skillfully choreographed, drawing and cheering of the audience. They the audience into the beat of the ended the dance posing by the edge music. One pair of seniors high- of the stage and sipping on iced lighted their friendship through a drinks, a nod to the song “Juice.”

Donelan Office of Community-Based Learning Hosts Dialogue Session Paige Cohen ‘21 Staff Writer On Tuesday, December 3, the Donelan Office of Community-Based Learning hosted a dialogue session entitled “Where Do We Go From Here?

Living a Life of Service and Justice.”

The session featured guest speakers Fr. Keith Macziewicz, S.J. (“Father Mac”), Assistant Chaplain here at the College; and Clare Orie ‘18, Case Manager and POWIR Energy Assistance Program Coordinator at Catholic Charities of Boston. Both Fr. Mac and Clare were invited to speak to students -- particularly to students who participate in service opportunities on campus through Community-Based Learning classes and SPUD -- about how they personally have integrated service into their professional lives after college graduation.

Fr. Mac spoke first, starting with his one year of college as a musical theater

major. He talked about how he enjoyed theater and performance, but felt that he was called to something else. After transferring to Fairfield University, he became actively involved in Campus Ministry and made his first immersion trip -- his first plane ride ever, actually -- to Haiti. Fr. Mac stressed how this college introduction to service work directed him toward his current life of service as a Jesuit priest, proving both heartbreaking and fulfilling. He shared how he conceptualizes service as “being present to people,” dropping whatever he is doing to be with another person, whether that be on a trip internationally, visiting a women’s prison, hearing confessions, or just having a conversation with a student. To Fr. Mac, service is at the very essence of his priestly vocation.

Clare spoke next, beginning with her time at Holy Cross. While on campus, she was an intern in the Donelan

Office of Community-Based Learning, working with refugee populations at Ascentria Care Alliance, and she majored in French and International Studies. During her junior year at Holy Cross, she studied abroad in France and participated in the Washington Semester program, interning at the State Department. Clare referred to many of her experiences as “the most wonderful experience of my life,” emphasizing how each of her experiences built on one another to impassion her for international service work, but also challenged her, causing her to wrestle with questions about her work and her relationship to other people in service, about how her service could even possibly be damaging, rather than positive.

Moving on from her time at Holy Cross, Clare also shared about her year serving with the Peace Corps in Rwanda. She was transparent about the discomfort of her experience: how

it was wonderful to enter the Rwandan community and make friends there, but also how she felt ambivalent towards the work she was doing.

Was the Peace Corps really putting Rwandan people on a level playing field or viewing them as subservient?

Did the Rwandan people even want the Peace Corps there, invading their community? Was she really called to this type of work, so far away from friends and family at home? Ultimately, Clare chose to withdraw from the Peace Corps early and now works as a case manager at Catholic Charities.

To close her opening talk, Clare kept stressing that she “doesn’t have it all together,” and is continuing to discern where service fits in her life, but that she is grateful for the service experiences she has had so far both at Holy Cross and afterwards.

After the opening talks, the audience was encouraged to ask questions of Clare and Fr. Mac. Students

and faculty present asked thoughtful questions about concepts of service, about what it means to be in “reciprocal relationship” with someone, about the dangers of participating in service work as an ego boost or social media performance. After the talk, current CBL intern Dora Calva ‘22 offered her thoughts about the talk: “It encouraged us to step back and reflect on what we’re doing and how that actually connects to the ‘for and with others’ statement we hear so much about.”

The Donelan Office thanks Clare and Fr. Mac for giving of their time to be at this session and thanks the students who attended for provoking thoughtful discussion. More CBL Dialogue Sessions will be offered in the spring semester.

8 The Spire FEATURES

December 13, 2019

Behind the Scenes of a Snow Day Kelly Gallagher ‘22 Chief Features Editor Snow days mean a day off for students, faculty, and other community members, but for the Grounds Department and Dining Services, it’s full steam ahead as they strive to keep the icy paths cleared and the hot food coming for snowed-in students.

The work begins before the storm hits, as explained by Matthew Streeter, Greenhouse Foreman in the Grounds Department. Mr. Streeter told The Spire that a group of foremen meet with the superintendent of Grounds days before the storm hits in order to plan how to respond. Every storm is different, so Grounds has to prepare to react to a variety of factors, such as the storm duration, time of day, and whether or not there are students on campus. The type of storm can affect whether the clean-up crews can split shifts or if they must respond en masse, as well as whether or not crew members must stay on campus overnight. Crew members have slept in break rooms or their personal vehicles during the longer, more intense storms. It’s not ideal, Mr. Streeter admitted, but a bit of rest helps the workers keep themselves safe and at their most productive, so they can keep everyone else safe as well.

Before a storm, Grounds pre-treats all roadways, staircases, and sidewalks with salt in order to prevent precipitation from freezing into ice. Once the snowflakes begin to fall, Grounds works tirelessly to continuously clear roads and walkways, keeping the snow from accumulating into excessive amounts. Even after the storm dies down, Grounds continues to

spend days tidying up, re-salting all areas, plowing piles and drifts, and clearing parking lots. It’s an intense production, Mr. Streeter confided, adding that “we utilize all of our equipment, manpower, expertise, and cooperation from our community in order to

students have verbally thanked us for our work on campus grounds. I’ve gotten countless nods, waves, thumbsup, and smiles when I let someone pass around the plow truck. It’s a nice feeling to not only be recognized, but a nice smile or thumbs up can give

hind-the-scenes look at what a snow day means for Kimball staff members.

Nardella explained that the Dining Staff is considered essential personnel who continue operations even when the rest of the College closes. Nardella and Dudek couldn’t even remember

Photo by John Cannon Matt Streeter is one of the dedicated workers who keeps campus safe on snow days.

ensure campus is as safe as can be.”

When asked about his personal experience working at Holy Cross, Mr. Streeter wrote, “an inspiring aspect of my interaction with the campus community relates to the students.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how polite and accommodating our student body is when dealing with snowstorms. There have been several moments during my tenure where

you a bump to help you endure a long shift during yet another New England snowstorm.”

While the Grounds crew keep conditions under control outside, Dining Services is busy keeping everyone cozy inside. Linda Nardella, Director of Dining Services, Marty Dudek, Associate Director of Operations, and Aimee Randall, Chef d’Cuisine, sat down to provide The Spire with a be-

the last time Kimball had closed on a snow day - certainly not in the last 20 years.

The Dining Staff is extremely dedicated to their work, and Kimball has never had trouble getting workers to come in on a snow day. Not only they have staff members from other dining locations joining the usual Kimball crew, but workers who are already scheduled to have the day off

often volunteer to help out. If anyone feels uncomfortable about getting into work, they are not required to come, but workers are dedicated to pitching in when they can. In the case of the recent Dec. 1 snow day, only two workers were unable to come in. About 50 staff members, plus student workers, reported in to work. “We have fun doing it,” Randall said, with Nardella adding that staff members get very excited about snow days.

Like the Grounds team, Dining staff members are even prepared to stay on campus overnight, if the snowstorm would make it difficult for them to get home or get back to work the next day.

18 mattresses, plus freshly wrapped pillows and blankets, are ready for use in Lower Kimball. It’s viewed as a big sleepover. Nardella, Dudek, and Randall fondly remembered the most recent “sleepover,” which occurred a few years ago.

Nardella explained how important it is to Dining to continue running on a snow day. “We take pride in what we do,” she said. Although dining services at other colleges rarely run on snow days, Dining at Holy Cross recognizes that once the other buildings on campus close, Kimball becomes everyone’s living room. Dining wants what’s best for the student body and is eager to make them comfortable when there’s nowhere else to go on campus.

All the staff members are glad to pitch in, Randall added, continuing that “this is like our second home, we want to make sure you’re fed and taken care of.”

“The Secret Life of Plants” Inspires Laughter and Tears Grace Bromage ‘23 Features Editor If you were in the Pit in O’Kane on December 5-7 at 7:30 or December 7-8 at 2:30, the sound of laughter was not out of place. What was causing this laughter was The Secret Life of Plants, an original play written by senior Noah Mailloux. The play draws audience members into the lives of the Gardner family and tells the tale of family love and loss and the relationships we build with each other.

Emma Kennelly plays Rosie Gardner, a young woman who lives in the apartment she has lived in since she was a girl. She took care of her father for years before his passing and now lives with her best friend, Paul Nelson. Paul Nelson, played by Conor Keane, is an aspiring actor, who is not always kind to fellow actors who have lived in their apartment building.

Dane Anderson plays Moss Gardner, Rosie’s brother, who comes back into her life after being gone for six years, during which time their father passed away. Emily Bouzan plays Jules a girl

from Cincinnatti who moves next he left because his father disapproved Rosie demands a simple apology from door as the play begins. She is an as- of him wanting to be a writer. In the her brother for not coming back while piring actress who gets dragged into tear-jerking ending, Paul and Rosie re- he argues that he always supported the drama of the Gardner’s apartment. veal that Moss and Rosie’s father was her through his writing. Rosie gets her Brendan Ryan plays apology at the end Devin, an electrician and both she and who plumbs and has Moss reflect on their a thing for Rosie. The lives and who they play starts with Moss are as people, ending Gardner coming the play ready to be home after six years, back in each other’s with a housewarmlives. ing plant in hand.

The actors all did The terse meeting amazing jobs. Behe has with Rosie tween their spoken escalates to Rosie words to the nervous and Jules believing ticks they displayed that Moss Gardner during tense scenes, is a hitman out for the actors transportblood, after finding a ed audience memcellphone, cash, and bers into the world of list of names hidden the Gardner siblings in the plant Moss for a brief moment of Photo by Kim Fetherson’22 gave Rosie. It is re- Moss Gardner (Dane Anderson) and Rosie Gardner (Emma Kennelly) in a time. The characters vealed that Moss’s were not without tense conversation secret is not that he their flaws and the is a killer, but that actors brought them he is the famous writer Roger Pyburn, proud of Moss, even if he didn’t always to life in a way that was enjoyable to whom Rosie’s father loved, and that show it. In this bittersweet ending, watch.

For a large part of the play, the audience was in a constant state of laughter. Facial expressions of the cast when the drama unfolded or the quippy one-liners of the characters, kept the audience laughing. For all the laughs the audience members gave, tears were also shed in this moving performance. While the play uses humor in many scenes, it did not shy away from sentimental scenes. While not everyone can relate to having a father die and brother who disappeared for six years, people understand what it is like to lose loved ones through death and estrangement.

Mailloux may have written The Secret Life of Plants about the struggles of the Gardner family, but the themes of familial love, loss, and reconciliation concepts that all audience members can relate to. With such great writing, casts, sets, props, technical work, and themes, it is ludicrous to imagine that anyone could dislike it.

The Spire

EGGPLANT

December 13, 2019

9

The Eggplant

The Spire’s Satirical Page Greg Hausler ’20 Chief Eggplant Editor You can’t spell elite without Eli. Giants fans and national audiences alike may have just witnessed our last primetime Eli Manning game. The ESPN broadcast did everything but play “Fix You” by Coldplay or “Ave Maria” as they followed the longtime Giants quarterback and two-time Super Bowl MVP in his walk off the field after another gut wrenching loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. All the ESPN broadcast team of Joe “I should be doing college games” Tessitore and Booger “At least I’m not Jason Witten” McFarland had to do was bring in ESPN’s obligatory sad story reporter, Tom Rinaldi, and this easily could have been the required heavy segment on another addition of Outside the Lines with Kate Fagan sitting in for the seemingly perpetually absent,

Eli Manning: In Memoriam

now retired, Bob Ley. In honor of the third best Manning brother’s possible final game (people forget, as we are reminded of weekly, Cooper was the best athlete of the gang), I think it’s time to properly eulogize the legendary quarterback who will test the boundaries of what is a Hall of Fame caliber career like no other.

116-117, you may be asking what those numbers mean?

That was Eli’s career record.

He left us with one last second half collapse to seal his record as below .500 for his career. In a way this game served as the perfect microcosm of Eli’s career. At one point he was dropping perfectly placed deep balls to Darius Slayton and on the other he was crumbling as he tried

to do a spin move that was slower in real time then a Lamar Jackson move

in slow motion. A beloved teammate,

father, and brother, Eli gave us Giants fans two unprecedented Super Bowl runs. Did he mix and follow those runs with multiple years of futility and heart breaking interceptions? Yes, there’s no denying that, but find any Giants fan and they’ll tell you they’d rather have those two runs then be alongside Philip Rivers and all 27 of his children in NFL purgatory. Peyton may have had the longer career him but at least his “wife” didn’t need steroids to do it. Was he Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, or Drew Brees? No, but at least he wasn’t Mark Sanchez… Eli’s career will never be repeated again.

The guy with the best chance to do it

is Jameis Winston, but his affinity for Uber and crab legs make it highly unlikely. Luckily we have been left with a physical and spiritual clone of number 10 in Daniel “Dimes” Jones. If all goes according to plan, he will be the thorn in the side of Steve Belichick’s next Patriot dynasty. He survived 16 years in the league’s toughest market with no scandals and remained a loyal soldier and teammate even when his number was no longer being called. Eli it’s not goodbye it’s just see you later. Because I go to Holy Cross I will read a passage from the Bible to conclude, “Because he’s the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now. So we’ll hunt him. Because he can take it.

Because he’s not our hero. He’s a silent guardian, a watchful protector. A dark knight.”

A Tale of Two Trees Tidal 2019 Wrapped Playlists Matt Anderson ‘21 Big Christmas Guy/ Eggplant Editor

Nate Ingalls ’20 Visiting Scholar

As finals draw closer and most Holy Cross students teeter the line between ingesting lethal levels of caffeine and having a mental breakdown, a holiday mania has also begun to sweep campus.

Trees, tinsel, and Mariah Carey have infiltrated every facet of daily life as many rooms begin to look like Hallmark movies.

Speaking about the Purple Key Society’s Christmas Tree Lighting however, Olivia Savino ‘22 had strong opinions: “Considering Holy Cross’ tuition, I thought the nativity would be made of gold or something and that the lighting itself would have pyrotechnics. Instead, it’s just, like, a sad plywood hut with stumpy trees wound with a few Christmas lights. Like, my hometown has a bigger tree lighting. The only interesting thing about it is waking up the next day and wondering how drunk kids got the statue of Saint Joseph onto the roof of Fenwick.”

Other students have more humble expectations in their Christmas decorating. Drew Higgens, a senior liv-

San Francisco – Tidal (stylized TIDAL) has released curated playlists from each of their eight current subscribed members to celebrate its most successful year on record. CEO Jeff Toig in a press statement wrote “I’d like to thank each and every subscriber for their unique taste in putting together these playlists, like Mollie from Eau Claire, Wisconsin with her indie-rock mix to Layton in Scottsdale, Arizona, who put together a fantastic oldies rap playlist. I couldn’t leave out the other six so thanks again to Joel, Eleanor, Melissa, Xander, John and how could I forget Tommy for making this year the best yet here at Tidal. Toig, commenting on the positives of the streaming service, emphasized how it’s the only platform where you can

ing on Caro Street told The Spire that he is pleased with how the three-foot Christmas tree he bought at a yard sale “really ties the triple-decker together,” and that, “it really completed the unbelievably depressing aesthetic [he] was going for.” Placed on the floor in the corner of the room, next to a moldy futon, Drew couldn’t be more right. The only decorations the bedraggled tree has are a tangled mass of colored lights, a single ornament which bears a striking resemblance to those in Kimball, a soiled shower towel wrapped around its base, and a crumpled beer can for a star.

Ultimately, when it comes to Jesus’ b-day, size doesn’t matter. True Christmas spirit, regardless of the length of the tree, is in the cheer of the beholder.

find your own playlist on the explore page next to a playlist curated by Beyoncé herself. Toig insisted that the loss of exclusive rights to Jay-Z’s discography wouldn’t affect future numbers of paid subscribers, noting that forecasts for the 2020 fiscal year have the streaming service blowing

through the double-digit subscriber total. “Here at Tidal, we continue to be the streaming service world leader in exclusive content, offering the same options as Spotify and Apple Music, but with opportunities to be the first listeners of various albums, such as The Life of Pablo, before it was

pulled for Spotify.” When launched in 2015, it was reported that Tidal wasn’t able to attract one paid subscriber to its roster. Since then, however, its numbers have steadily gone up as big-name artists like Rihanna, Calvin Harris and J. Cole have become shareholders. With somewhat of a conundrum on how it’s staying afloat in a competitive market, where rival Spotify has 217 million worldwide subscribers, Toig was adamant that the 2020s would be Tidal’s decade.

“We’re just getting started. My greataunt and uncle just got iPhones so there’s two new subscribers right there,” Toig said. It was reported to the Eggplant just before press-time that Toig’s own grandmother is a loyal subscriber to Apple Music, however, saying she prefers the interface.

Russian Assertiveness Hannah Johnson ’21 Eggplant Editor Forgive poor English, Greg said I need to write with English letters in this article. Hmph. Well, is fine. Writing is not terrible, but you can perhaps notice accent. It has been entire semester in Russia, I have changed in many ways.

I want to talk about biggest change, big cultural difference I have noticed.

It is why these final exams are most stressful I have ever seen. It is why I breathe small prayer before I face my babushka hostess each morning and

evening. And it is why I am…a different man now. It is Russian assertiveness.

I thought, maybe, it was stereotype.

“Russians are not so mean,” I thought.

“They are not so hard.” Well? Stereotype carries a little truth. What struck me first was Russian friendliness, generosity. “Please, sit; please, eat; please, take more.” Now, I understand: da, it is niceness, but is assertive niceness.

Babushka *insists* I eat more, *insists* that I carry a hat, a scarf, a heavy coat, mittens, and umbrella when it is a little cold or rainy. And all guests, too—I feel, in American home, one does not

come into other’s home and question them. Here? Guest *will* criticize my pants if they think they are too cold, not correct, etc. No consideration for my own taste, preferences, interests.

There is no safe space, in this regard.

But it is expected. Is considered polite.

People are honest, speak their minds.

It sort of carries over to school—have not experienced very structured curriculums, but nonetheless teachers have high expectation. I currently worry about exam tomorrow, next day—random topic is picked for me, and I must speak about it, and recite poetry by memory. This is stressful

way to do exams! And proper Russian students face, maybe, 20 or more possible random topics, which they must study, commit to memory beforehand. Russian teacher here has told me: yes, they are *aware* it doesn’t work like that. They don’t care. Russians must work hard, always work hard.

And how have I survived? How have I dealt with tough hostess, tough Russians, tough teachers? I believe, in first Eggplant article, I stated how I do not enjoy stressful situations. But I believe I am learning to suffer in silence, perhaps how Russians do. I take crit-

icism less personally. I do not let myself be walked over, and I hold true to my values. My friends, I pray, that if I return carrying some of this Russian assertiveness, you will not be put off.

But I am walking this long and lonely road, and after being forced to speak and defend for myself, I intend to hold onto this.

10 The Spire

Sports Luke Anthomy ‘23 Sports Editor For the first time since 2009, the Patriot League football trophy is coming to Worcester. The Holy Cross football team finished 7-6 overall, but its 5-1 record in the Patriot League won the Crusaders the conference title outright and earned them a bid to the NCAA D1 FCS Championship tournament.

On Nov. 23, HC welcomed Georgetown to Fitton Field for the regular-season finale. Georgetown (5-6 overall, 1-5 PL) would be held scoreless for four quarters as Holy Cross dominated both sides of the ball. Senior standout running back Domenic Cozier opened the scoring with his 15-yard rushing touchdown to put the Crusaders ahead 7-0. On the ensuing drive, first-year linebacker Jacob Dobbs, who has been wreaking havoc on opponents’ offenses all season, recorded his second collegiate interception and returned it 56 yards to the house to extend the Crusader lead to 14-0.

While neither side scored in the third quarter, there was plenty of defensive action, including a goal-line stop by the Hoya defense as well as a Walter Reynolds interception for Holy Cross, his second on the year.

In the third play of the fourth quarter, Reynolds again took the ball from the Georgetown offense, this time in a forced fumble recovery, and returned it 20 yards. Marching down the field, the Crusaders were forced to settle for a field goal, and sophomore Derek Ng drilled a 21-yarder to extend the lead 17-0.

With just over seven minutes remaining in the game, Cozier racked up his second score of the day, this one from 20 yards out. Down 24-0 late, Georgetown settled into their

SPORTS

December 13, 2019

Football Secures First PL Title in a Decade, Falls in FCS Playoffs

Photo courtesy of Mark Seliger/Holy Cross Athletics The Holy Cross football senior class celebrates a Patriot League Championship.

two-minute drill, but Dobbs again intercepted Hoya quarterback Joseph Brunell to ice the game.

Junior quarterback Connor Degenhardt finished completing ten of 14 passes for 144 yards, while first-year wide receiver Ayir Asante had six catches for 78 yards. Cozier and Dobbs were both recognized by the Patriot League as Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively. The win officially earned second-year head coach Bob Chesney his first Patriot League title and the school’s first since 2009.

With the Patriot League title, Holy Cross earned an automatic bid the NCAA Division 1 FCS Championship for just the third time in school

history. The selection committee paired Holy Cross at Monmouth, the Big South Conference champions, in West Long Branch, NJ. Monmouth (11-3 overall, 6-0 Big South), was riding a nine-game win streak with the winner set to take on perennial powerhouse, No. 2 ranked James Madison.

Monmouth was on the board midway through the first quarter with a 17-yard rushing touchdown from running back Lonnie Moore. Monmouth followed up with back-to-back field goals in the second quarter and another rushing score, this time from Pete Guerriero, to extend the Hawks lead 23-0.

Holy Cross answered with a score of its own on the ensuing drive, with a

Derek Mountain 14-yard touchdown catch from junior quarterback Matt Considine. After a Considine interception, the Hawks put in one more field goal before halftime to extend their lead to 26-7.

The Crusader offense wasted no time in their first drive of the second half, going right down the field to the Monmouth 22-yard line. Considine connected with Asante for a 22-yard score. The extra point was blocked, and Holy Cross cut the lead in half, trailing 26-13. Monmouth responded quickly, with Guerriero recording his second score of the day, this time from 34 yards out, as Monmouth lead 3413. Monmouth would score another field goal before the end of the third to

go up 37-13 heading into the last quarter of play.

Fighting for its season, Holy Cross scored early in the fourth quarter with a 14-yard rushing score from Considine to cut the lead to 37-19. Monmouth refused to give any hope and tacked on another touchdown from Guerriero to increase the lead to 4419. The Crusaders would continue to fight, as Considine connected with senior receiver Jon Jon Roberts for a 4-yard touchdown. Considine added a two-point conversion with a strike to sophomore Jack Jewell. Unfortunately, it was too little too late, and Holy Cross fell 44-27 to end its season.

The historic 2019 campaign would end with 12 Crusaders receiving AllPatriot League honors, including freshmen Asante and Dobbs. Asante led the team with 46 receptions for 671 yards and five touchdowns, and returned 14 kickoffs for 282 yards, while totaling 955 all-purpose yards.

Dobbs led the defense with 82 total tackles, including 66 solo stops, seven sacks and 11 tackles for loss. He added three interceptions, three fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and a pass breakup.

Cozier was named 2019 Patriot League Player of the Year, and Chesney was named Patriot League Dick Biddle Coach of the Year. Cozier’s 1,050 rushing yards were more than any other player in the league, and his 1,129 all-purpose yards ranked third. Senior quarterback Conor Degenhardt and sophomore running back Peter Oliver received Academic All-Patriot League honors. Congratulations to the Holy Cross football team on an outstanding season. We can’t wait to see you in action in 2020.

Crusader Sports Roundup Through Dec. 10 Billy Fitzpatrick and Jack Milko Editor-in-Chief; Staff Writer Men’s Basketball Following a trip to the West Coast to take on the San Diego Toreros, the Holy Cross men’s basketball team played its first home game in the month of December against UMassBoston. A Division III school that competes in the Little East Conference, the Beacons made the short trek down the Mass Pike on Tuesday night and shocked the Crusaders in overtime, 69-66. Holy Cross lead by 15 three minutes before halftime, but the Crusaders could not maintain their lead from that point on. According to the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, the last time Holy Cross lost to a Division III opponent was back in 2003. That year, they lost to Williams, the defending Division III national champions. The men’s team will look to rebound this weekend against a fellow Jesuit school up in Buffalo, the Golden Griffins of Canisius College.

- Jack Milko Women’s Basketball Well, two weeks ago, I wrote that

the women’s team could run the table and win out before Patriot League play. I unfortunately jinxed them as the Crusaders have lost two tough road games in a row: at Rhode Island on Dec. 4, and then at UMass on the Dec. 8. This is not to say they do not have the talent; they are certainly one of the most talented women’s basketball teams in the Northeast. Sometimes, however, shots just do not fall, as this was the story against URI and UMass. Next up, Holy Cross will travel down to Connecticut to take on Sacred Heart. - JM Men’s Ice Hockey The Holy Cross men’s ice hockey team (3-9-4 overall, 2-8-2-1 Atlantic Hockey) has struggled of late, winning just two of 12 games since the start of November. The Crusaders’ last win came on Nov. 21 in a dramatic third period comeback that saw HC top Sacred Heart 4-3. Sophomore forward Conner Jean scored on a power play with just over ten minutes remaining to bring the Crusaders within one goal. Then, HC shocked the Pioneers by tying the game and then taking the lead within 33 seconds of each other with less than five minutes remaining.

Senior forward Kevin Darrar scored the tying goal, followed up by senior defenseman Dalton Skelly to cap the thrilling win. - Billy Fitzpatrick Women’s Ice Hockey Since Thanksgiving, the women’s ice hockey team (3-12-3 overall, 3-9-0 Hockey East) has gone 1-2, managing to secure the team’s third win of the season, sandwiched by two tough losses to top-five ranked Northeastern. The Crusaders struck early against Merrimack, scoring less than two minutes into the game and hung on for 58 minutes to take a 1-0 win on Dec. 1. Sophomore defender Emma Lange played hero for HC, scoring the game’s lone goal unassisted, the first of her career. - BF Men’s Club Rugby The Holy Cross men’s club rugby team recently capped a very successful fall season. The club rugby team is a member of the New England Rugby Football Union (NERFU) conference which is a part of the National Small Colleges Rugby Organization (NSCRO). The club lost many talented seniors from last year’s team to

graduation, and knew that younger members would have to step up to fill the shoes left by experienced leaders.

Head coach Ryan Grant, from Residence Life and Housing, knew this would be a challenge and sought to prepare his young group by scheduling exhibitions against higher-level programs such as Harvard, Providence College, and UMass-Amherst.

These experiences prepared the Crusaders well for their conference season, in which HC ran the table save for one draw to Eastern Connecticut State (which featured a late, 21-point comeback to save secure a draw).

HC advanced directly to the NERFU semifinals, where the team faced UMaine Farmington. UMaine Farmington entered the match as two-time reigning conference champions, and had eliminated HC from the playoffs the past two years. HC got its revenge by dominating UMaine Farmington in a 52-7 win that placed Holy Cross in the conference finals against No. 7 Colby College, who hosted the tournament. HC took a 15-12 halftime lead, but found themselves down by three in the final moments. The Crusaders miracuously took gained possession from a scrummage restart and scored a try as time expired to win the

match and take the NERFU conference title.

Next up was the regional tournament hosted by Siena College the weekend before Thanksgiving. After the thrilling win over No. 7 Colby, HC took loads of confidence into this tournament. Holy Cross’ first opponent was No. 4 Ithaca, and, yet again, Holy Cross took down a top-10 team, winning 22-7 in a gritty, defensive battle. No other team had held Ithaca to less than 24 points the entire season.

The Crusaders then faced their toughest challenge yet: a tilt against No. 2 Salve Regina in freezing rain with the Northeast regional title on the line. The teams were not able to separate from each other in regulation, and headed into overtime tied 12-12. Salve Regina managed to score a penalty kick in the 20-minute overtime period and hung on to win 15-12 and end Holy Cross’ underdog playoff run. Had HC pulled out the win, the team would have advanced to the NSCRO Final Four in April.

The Crusaders finished ranked #5 in the national NSCRO rankings, a huge accomplishment after entering the season unranked. Congratulations to Coach Grant and all the players on a successful campaign! - BF

The Spire SPORTS December 13, 2019 11

Where Does the NBA MVP Race Stand?

Charlie Krumsiek ‘20 Sports Editor

Note: All stats and records are updated as of Tuesday, Dec. 10.

Most teams in the NBA have played more than 20 games at this point which brings us to a quarter of the way through the season. There have been a lot of surprising stories and incredible games so far. The standings in both the East and the West are fairly unexpected as well, outside of the two 1-seeds in the Lakers and the Bucks.

The East has been very competitive and is seeing deeper teams winning more than teams lead by superstars, while the West has seen their stars leading the way. So, who has been the league MVP so far this season? There are plenty of options but here, I narrow it down to who I think are the four top candidates.

First, Lebron James. The perennial MVP contender has looked like he took five years off his legs this year and a lot of that is because Anthony Davis has shouldered much of the load on both offense and defense. The Lakers moved LeBron to point guard and he has responded by leading the league in assists at 10.8 a game. While Davis is one of the best players in the league on both ends of the floor, James has much more name recognition and with the near complete roster reconstruction, James will be getting the lion’s share of the credit for the success the Lakers have had. They have also played

a relatively who played weak schedboth their ule so far, wing superbut in a difstars and ficult stretch still couldn’t facing the challenge M avericks, Giannis’ Jazz, NugBucks. Gigets, Timberannis has wolves, and been on Trailblazers, a revenge LA went 4-1 tour after with mostly the postseablowouts. son disapThe Lakers pointment have the best from last record in the season and Photo courtesy of Getty Images league and do clearly has not look to be Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo has improved on his 2018-2019 MVP campaign and is the his sights set on favorite to win this season’s award at this juncture. losing that title a championship. for some time.

He’s been doing pressive MVP seasons in recent years James is playing, as usual, a bunch of and significantly improved his perfor- all of this playing barely thirty minminutes and as we saw last season, he mance. The Bucks are on a 15-game utes a game, so this campaign seems had trouble keeping up with his regu- win streak, which, barring any major to be more sustainable than many lar iron-man like resilience, so this is upsets, should extend to 19 with a soft others. Milwaukee faces the Lakers on something to keep an eye on moving schedule upcoming. Giannis is sec- Dec. 19, which looks like it should be a forward if The King has his sights set ond in the league in scoring, fifth in must watch game. on another MVP trophy to add to his rebounds, and first in PER, the player James Harden, it seems, has been collection. To split hairs with Lebron, efficiency rating which attempts to somewhere on most people’s MVP he is shooting a little poorly from the take all of a player’s attributes and lists for six years straight now. It also free throw line at 70.5%, down from give them a numerical value. It basi- seems like despite his unbelievable his career average of 73.6%. Free throw cally means that he has been the most season so far, he is in a distant third shooting has always been his Achilles’ efficient player in the entire league in this year’s MVP race. He is averagheel (which shows a lot about how and that is while he is testing out his ing a jaw dropping 38 points a game; great he is at everything else), and it three point shooting. He is shooting the next closest is Giannis at 30.9. If has dipped a touch this year, which slightly better so far, at 31.9%, but has his efficiency returns to his typical could swing some important games stepped back slightly with his free levels, he could quite possibly average down the line. throw shooting. Giannis is coming off forty points this season and still not Next up is Giannis Antetokounmpo, an absolute beat down of the Clippers, receive a single first place MVP vote. who has taken one of the more imThe Rockets have had some struggles

through the season so far, sitting at fourth in the West and are just .500 over their last ten games. The reunion of Harden and Russell Westbrook has not gone as smoothly as hoped but it looks like the Rockets are making progress there. In a buzzer beater loss to Sacramento, Harden scored 27 and Westbrook put up 34. While these two figure out their new roles as ball dominant co-stars, their record has not been the most impressive and this will certainly hurt Harden’s MVP candidacy.

Lastly, Luka Doncic has burst onto the scene this year and taken the league by storm. To show his overall impact and consistency, he has passed Micheal Jordan for consecutive games of 20 points, five assists, and five rebounds games. Whenever you can say that someone in their sophomore season has passed Jordan in anything, you know that they are having a phenomenal season. He is averaging close to a triple double, which outside of Westbrook, had not been seen since Oscar Robertson in 1962. He is also third in both points and assists per game. It is almost unheard of for someone to be doing this sort of thing during just their second year in the league, and Dallas sits at third in the West currently, but are 1.5 games from being fifth. A successful MVP campaign would likely require a top-three seed at the end of the year and around 53 wins, and this doesn’t seem likely as Kristaps Porzingis has been struggling coming back from his ACL injury.

Defensive Woes Continue in Arsenal Draw to Norwich City

Charlie Ryan ‘20 Staff Writer Note: This article was written before Arsenal’s matches against Brighton (a 2-1 loss on Dec. 5) and West Ham (a 3-1 win on Dec. 9).

The Unai Emery era is finally over in North London, though the malaise that characterized his 18-month tenure as Arsenal manager bled into Dec. 1’s fixture at Carrow Road. Winless in their previous five Premier League road matches, Arsenal had the chance to snap their poor away form and restore a semblance of faith in the squad against a side sitting just two points above dead last. Caretaker manager and club legend Freddie Ljunberg’s team selection did not exactly inspire optimism, particularly in defense where he experimented with a David Luiz-Shkodran Mustafi center-back pairing flanked by Sead Kolasinac and Calum Chambers.

And indeed, the defense was largely at fault for the visitors’ undoing on Sunday afternoon. But before Teemu Pukki opened up the scoring 22 minutes in for the hosts, Arsenal looked thoroughly refreshed and energized.

In possession, they passed with purpose, seeking vertical options to progress the ball directly upfield, linking up with close one-twos, creating passing triangles, and attacking the open space. This was a clear departure from the horizontality and sluggishness of possession under Emery. And sure, Arsenal will not be afforded this attacking freedom against an opponent

Photo courtesy of SkySports.com Interim Arsenal manager and club legend Freddie Ljungberg faces a tall task of turning the London club around.

that sits deep, absorbs pressure, and counterattacks, but for months the club has avoided seizing the attacking initiative, even against mid/lowtable sides that allow it. As such, the opening stages of the game were like a breath of fresh air.

After a flying start to the season, scoring six in the opening seven matches, Pukki had since hit a dry spell, failing to register a goal since their victory over Manchester City in mid-September. But the Fin drew first blood on Sunday, rounding off a counterattack that faced little resistance from Luiz and Mustafi, the latter’s

deflection sending the ball beyond Bernd Leno’s reach. It was an awfully soft goal to concede, encapsulating the perhaps unfixable defensive rot that developed under Emery.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leveled things up from the penalty spot just minutes later after a Norwich handball for his tenth of the season.

The first half saw more end-to-end action as Arsenal never quite settled into a rhythm in possession and Norwich refused to sit deep. On the eve of halftime, the home side exploited Arsenal’s pitiful transitional defense, exposing it with a well-placed outlet

pass down the left flank before Todd Cantwell received the cutback in the open space at the top of the box and coolly slotted it into the far corner. It was a well-worked goal, though had Xhaka tracked Cantwell’s run or any one of Chambers, Luiz, or Mustafi closed down the space afforded to the Norwich midfielder, perhaps the goal would never have come.

Shortly into the second half, Aubameyang equalized from a sublime Mesut Ozil corner, pouncing on the loose ball from just outside the six yard box. But Arsenal would not enjoy the same quality of possession or caliber of

goalscoring opportunities in the second half, and instead were bailed out repeatedly by Leno, who has firmly established himself as one of the side’s few consistent performers in recent months. Ljunberg’s substitutions made little difference and Norwich remained the sharper side throughout the half. In the end, the 2-2 scoreline stood and points were split one apiece.

In spite of the frustrating result, Arsenal and Freddie Ljunberg finally have something to build on. The attack was fluid and Ozil was given the license to roam upfield and trade places with Aubameyang instead of being forced to collect the ball directly from the defense. The horizontal passes that used to bore me to tears were few and far between, abandoned in favor of verticality and triangulation.

The inklings of a new offensive spirit were made manifest. However, poor defensive quality appears to be an issue incapable of remedy by tactical adjustments, tinkering with the player selection, or better individual coaching. Mustafi, Luiz, and Sokratis have all hit, or rather, crashed into their respective ceilings. With William Saliba on hold at Saint-Étienne for the rest of the 2020 campaign, Arsenal must capitalize on the January transfer window and sign a cool-headed, disciplined center back in order to have a fighting chance at playing in Europe next campaign. There is a very long way to go before Arsenal are back to their best, but at the moment it looks like we are finally taking that very first step.

12 The Spire SPORTS December 13, 2019

It’s a Cole World in the Bronx Mike O’Brien ‘23 Staff Writer The New York Yankees have finally landed their long-sought ace with the acquisition of former Houston Astros starter Gerrit Cole. Cole’s deal was a whopping and record-setting 9-year, $324 million contract, and New York is hoping it will be worth every penny.

This is a massive acquisition for the Yankees in several ways. Firstly, the Yankees will now bolster one of the most solid starting rotations in the MLB, adding Cole to a starting pitching core that already includes Masahiro Tanaka, Luis Severino, and James Paxton. Secondly, the fact that Cole was poached from the Astros means that if the Yankees come up against Houston yet again in the postseason, the Astros will now have less of an answer to the potent New York offense.

Thirdly, Cole’s other two main suitors that failed to land him were the Boston Red Sox, a divisional rival, and the Los Angeles Dodgers, who could potentially match up against the Yankees in the World Series.

While it may seem ludicrous to give a pitcher this much money, Gerrit Cole was undoubtedly one of, if not the most dominant pitcher in the MLB last season. Although Houston failed to reward his unforgettable season with a World Series, falling in Game 7 to the Washington Nationals, Cole put up eye-popping numbers. In the regular season, Cole posted an astounding 20-5 record as a starter combined with a stingy, career-best ERA

With the addition of Cole, the Yankees should now be able to compete for championships for years to come.

Coming ever so close to making the World Series in 2017 and 2019, Cole should be able to push the Yankees over the edge. With the combination of a young offensive core, a solid starting rotation, and a stellar bullpen, and a bonafide ace, watch for the Yankees to be crowned World Series Champions in 2020.

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Photo ccourtesy of Kathy Willens/AP Lifelong Yankee fan Gerrit Cole will finally don the pinstripes in the Bronx after signing a record-setting contract with New York.

of 2.50. Even more impressive was his postseason, pitching to a 1.72 ERA with a 4-1 record and 47 strikeouts.

Cole’s contract was record-breaking in several ways. Prior to Cole’s deal being finalized, Washington Nationals ace Stephen Strasburg earned a 7-year, $245 million contract due to his dominance in D.C’s World Series run. Before Cole’s signing, this was the highest average annual value contract for any pitcher ever, at $35 million a year.

However, Cole’s deal just surpassed

Strasburg’s to not only make him the highest annually paid pitcher ever, but the highest annually paid player ever.

This continues a truly disastrous month for the Astros, who have not only had convincing evidence of a cheating scandal released, but have now lost their ace. While the Astros still have their Cy Young winner Justin Verlander, the 1-2 punch of Cole and Verlander was essential in the Astros’ success.

While the day of Cole’s signing

started out as a sad one for Yankees fans with the loss of Didi Gregorious to the Philadelphia Phillies, Cole’s signing was quickly able to turn spirits around. Yankees fans owe much of their heightened spirits to GM Brian Cashman who has truly made a splash for New York since taking over. In the last five years, Cashman has drafted Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Gleyber Torres, and in the last year alone has now acquired slugger D.J. LeMahieu and now Cole.

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Saturday (Dec. 14):

Men’s basketball looks to bounce back against Canisius in Buffalo (2:00 P.M. on ESPN+) Women’s basketball travels to Fairfield to take on Sacred Heart (2:00 P.M.)

Sunday (Dec. 22):

Men’s basketball hosts Sacred Heart (12:00 P.M. on NESN) Women’s basketball hosts New Hampshire in a home double-header right after the men’s game (2:30 P.M. on NESN)

Wilpons to Sell Majority Ownership Stake in Mets Bobby Tuzzio ‘20 Chief Sports Editor It is safe to say that the New York Mets under the control of Fred and Jeff Wilpon have yielded mixed results at best during the nearly two decades of the Wilpons operating as majority owners of the team. And who could forget the Bernie Madoff scandal, where it was reported that the Wilpons took a huge hit on their financials. Other than 2006, 2015, and 2016, the Mets have not been a postseason threat, and many have pointed at the Wilpons stinginess in terms of spending money as a main reason for the team’s lack of success this century.

However, last week, it was reported that the Wilpons would be selling their majority stake in ownership of the team to current minority owner Steve Cohen. Cohen, a billionaire who made his fortune as an investor and hedge fund manager, bought a 4% share of the Mets in 2012 for $20 million. Bloomberg reported that Cohen is in talks to acquire up to 80% of the team, which would be valued at $2.6

Photo courtesy of Seth Wenig/AP

Mets fans will rejoice to hear the news of the Wilpons selling their majority stake in the team. billion. With his net worth at a little over $13 billion, Cohen would become one of the wealthiest owners in not only baseball, but in all of sports.

So, what does this all mean for the

Mets going forward? First off, the structure of the deal is set up so that Fred Wilpon will remain as control person and CEO for five years, and his son Jeff will also continue in his role as

team COO. After that period, both Wilpons will be removed from the daily operations of the team. Many sources state that the Wilpons will leave their positions before their five

years are up.

Another factor that affects the Mets going forward is that management is now in a position to spend large sums of money on players. In recent years, the New York’s spending has been constrained, following Bernie Madoff’s arrest in 2008 for running a Ponzi scheme. At the time of the arrest, the Wilpons and Saul Katz, the president of the Mets, had about $500 million invested with Madoff.

With Cohen and his deep pockets at the helm, the Mets could now spend more money on free agents and resigning players.

The only shady thing about the deal is the way in which Cohen obtained his money over the years. He has been the target of SEC fines over the years, and his hedge fund pleaded guilty to insider trading in 2013. Still, the Mets are now in a position to become a toptier spender in the offseason.