November 20, 2018

NOVEMBER 20 - DECEMBER 3, 2018

FEATURES

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

SPORTS

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Alaska Native groups share traditional arts with community

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Busy weekend for UAA basketball at Alaska Airlines Center

‘New Kid’ sends important message to children disguised as humorous play

John Davies elected new Board of Regents chair

PHOTO COURTESY OF TODD PARIS

By Marie Ries

news@thenorthernlight.org

PHOTO COURTESY OF JAMES EVANS

Alexandra McCall and Jarett Hardy act out their roles as Mench and Nick.

By Caleigh Jensen arts2@thenorthernlight.org

“New Kid,” the next performance on the UAA Theatre and Dance schedule, is a production aimed at Anchorage’s younger audience of elementary-aged students.

The small cast of four, clad in colorful, nostalgic costumes, have worked hard performing the play throughout the last few months and are bringing it to the UAA stage at the end of the month.‌

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“Performing for kids is just the greatest thing in the world. There is no audience that is more honest and more willing to give you all of their energy, and when you’re on stage performing, the energy you get from the audience is kind of a big deal,” Ben Hagensieker, a theater major portraying Mug, the bully in the story, said. ‌ The play follows the life of Nick, a young boy who moves to Alaska with his mother from his country of Homeland.

While in Alaska, Nick faces challenges

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common for any new kid, including bullying, exclusion and a language barrier. ‌ To portray Nick’s inability to understand the Alaskans, the playwright, Dennis Foon, wrote their lines in a fake language called Gibberish, while Nick and his mother speak English. ‌ “The device of Gibberish makes the piece unique,” Nova Cunningham,

The UA Board of Regents elected John Davies as their new chair during the board’s meeting on Nov. 8. Davies is following former chair Gloria O’Neill in office. He has been serving on the board since 2015 after Gov. Bill Walker appointed him as a regent. The board elected Regent Sheri Buretta as vice chair.‌ The board chair is responsible for the establishment and elimination of board committees, to which he can appoint members and committee chairs. The officers of the board, including the position of the chair, are elected annually by a majority vote, according to the board’s bylaws.‌ Before becoming regent and board chair, Davies had been affiliated with the UA system in a number of ways.‌ “I actually started as a student in 1967 at the Geophysical Institute [at UAF],” Davies said. ‌

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NEWS

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2018

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Number of Title IX reports in UA system increases

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

By Marie Ries

news@thenorthernlight.org

The number of Title IX reports have increased across the UA system compared to last year’s data. At UAA, the numbers from last year tripled, Chief Title IX Officer Mary Gower reported at the most recent Board of Regents Meeting on Nov. 8.

“I’m confident that it’s not because there are three times the number of incidents. It’s just that there is increased reporting,”

UAA Title IX Coordinator Sara Childress said.

Childress said she hopes that this trend is the “beginning of a shift in [campus] culture.”

She believes the Office of Equity and Compliance has been more present on campus.

“We’ve also been a lot more visible this semester than last year... and also tried to provide a lot more in person contact this semester,” Childress said.

At UAS, the number of Title IX reports doubled. Lori Klein, UAS Title IX coordinator, sees

the reason behind this trend as a combination of factors.

“As a campus, the university has collectively built their awareness and their knowledge of these issues. People feel more comfortable coming forward when they are facing those issues,” Klein said.

Margo McGriffith, Title IX coordinator at UAF, received a total of 218 reports between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018. This marked a “significant increase” compared to the year before that, McGriffith said.

She emphasized that the Office of Equity and Compliance also receives a number of reports relating to other kinds of discrimination.

“Not all of them end up falling under Title IX,” McGriffith said.

Most of the reports were third party reports. Childress said that this could be tied to the bystander intervention trainings provided by peer educators on campus.

“I think there’s a stronger understanding of being a responsible employee,” Childress said.

She views the increase in reports as a positive trend.

“I think that it can be a misconception to think that it’s a negative thing, to think that we have an increase of terrible events happening, because I don’t believe that this is the case,” Childress said.

She thinks that the trend of the increase in Title IX reports is likely to continue in future semesters.

“The increase of reports – I hope – continues, because that means an increase in trust in the process, and an increase in trust that they will be served with the resources that they need,” she added.

Childress also highlights that a report does not always entail an investigation.

“It just means that people are reaching out for help – and that’s absolutely what we want,” Childress said.

Efforts regarding a systemwide faculty Title IX regulation and policy committee are underway. The UA Faculty Alliance asked the three faculty senates

to recruit candidates willing to serve on this committee.

At the board’s meeting, it was also announced that an Alaskaspecific version of the Title IX training is underway. The development of this training is a joint effort of the eLearning center and the Offices of Equity and Compliance in the UA system.

It is supposed to recognize the high rates of sexual assault in the state and be more “culturally reflective” of the people UAA is serving, Childress said.

“We also have the opportunity to showcase our students and hear their voices and perspectives through this training [compared to] the off-the-shelf product that we have been using,” Klein said.

The new online training will not be implemented until next year.

“We’re still in the preliminary stages,” McGriffith said.

“We’re working hard on that.

Hopefully that training will be much louder to our demographic compared to the trainings in the past.”

USUAA to host annual Thanksgiving Feast

By Joey Carreon

news2@thenorthernlight.org

USUAA is hosting its annual Thanksgiving Feast on Nov. 22, Thanksgiving Day, from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the Edward Lee Gorsuch Commons.‌ The event will be open to the Anchorage community, students and non-students alike, where attendees can expect a buffetstyle spread of Thanksgiving favorites.‌ The feast is also free to attend, as student and

faculty volunteers will be manning the front and back-of-house operations.‌ With the help of Seawolf Dining and the Residence Hall Association, USUAA hopes to bring the community together with this event.‌ “I find this event extremely important in creating a welcoming environment for families, community members and students, especially those living on residential campus who cannot go home for Thanksgiving,” said USUAA delegate Quacyya Cuaresma, who is

helping organize this event under USUAA’s activities committee.‌ For those who are not near their families or do not have the means to partake in a Thanksgiving meal, the feast serves as an opportunity for attendees to share an experience truly worthy of calling a Thanksgiving experience.‌ “I hope that attendees realize that in the chaos of the semester, season and life, it’s nice to simply sit down and enjoy a Thanksgiving meal in the presence of others,” Cuaresma said.‌

USUAA will also be accepting donations, both monetary and in the form of non-perishable food items. These donations will go towards UAA’s Emergency Food Cache, a service provided the UAA Student Health and Counseling Center that supplies food to students in need.‌ USUAA’s tradition of a Thanksgiving Feast on campus dates back more than 30 years ago, when USUAA senators without Thanksgiving plans gathered and made food for themselves. Since then, the rest has been history

as the event has gone on to feed hundreds of people each year.‌ “[I hope that] we can give a nice meal in a great environment where people can come together as a community, enjoy Thanksgiving and give thanks for everything that

they do have,” USUAA advisor, Kim Morton, said.‌ Along with free admission, parking will be free at USUAA’s Thanksgiving Feast.‌ For further questions, contact USUAA or Student Life and Leadership.‌

REGENTS: ‘The university is one of the best investments that the state of Alaska can make’ Continued from cover Originally from Maryland, Davies came to Alaska for the

work at the Geophysical Institute and the opportunity to “climb mountains,” as he said.

He received his Master of Sci-

ence in geophysics from UAF.‌ After the completion of his doctorate, Davies spent some time at Columbia University in New York as a research professional. He returned to his Alaskan alma mater in 1981 to work for the Cold Climate Housing Research Center in Fairbanks.

In addition, he became a research professor at UAF.‌ “My whole life in Alaska has – in one way or another – been associated with the University of Alaska,” Davies said. “The university is important to the state, it’s important to me personally, and so I wanted an opportunity to help guide the university... from the Board of Regents’ point of view.”‌ Davies’s resume also includes a decade in the Alaska Legislature. He served five terms as a Democrat in the Alaska House of Representatives from 1992 to 2002. The board chair hopes that his political experiences, as well as his ties to UAF, will be helpful in his new position.‌ “I can see the university from

a variety of perspectives. From having been a member of the legislature, I can also see how the university fits into the state budget,” Davies said.‌ In his new position, he said he wants to “continue the focus on the goals of the university” and to “achieve a relationship with the new legislature and the new governor.”‌ “There’s a joint perception that the university is one of the best investments that the state of Alaska can make. If Alaska wants to succeed, we need to have a strong university to help make that happen,” Davies said.‌ Pointing to the low rate of Alaskan high school students deciding to stay in-state for higher education, he highlights the importance of work with younger students.‌ “We need to work closely with the people in the rest of the education field to... change the idea around higher education,” Davies said.‌ The Board of Regents also approved the budget for the up-

coming year in their meeting on Nov. 8. In the fiscal year of 2020, the board wants to focus on several specific goals, Davies said. The commercialization of research is also going to play a role in this.‌ “We want to continue to focus on is being a world-class research university,” Davies said.‌ Other goals include the graduation of more Alaska-trained teachers and health care professionals, facility maintenance, making compensation for staff and faculty more competitive and increasing efficiency across the UA system.‌ “The university is committed to helping our governor create a more vibrant Alaska, build an educated workforce and partner with his administration to meet the needs of our state,” UA President Jim Johnsen said in a press release. “The university has to play a key role in contributing to the well-being of Alaska and we work diligently to uphold that duty.”‌

FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2018

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Strengthening cultural traditions far from home

By Chase Burnett

features2@thenorthernlight.org

The Giving Thanks Dance Festival and Potluck is an opportunity for Alaska Native groups to share their traditional dancing and culture with the community.‌ The UAA Native Student Council hosted the fifth annual event.‌ “Many students aren’t able to go home for the holidays. This event is a way for them to connect with their community,” Aaron Tolen, a member of the UAA Native Student Council said.‌ Traditionally, students would go home for the holidays, enjoy a meal with family and then head to the gym for a dance festival. This event is a way for them to feel that sense of connection, even if they can’t go home for the holidays, according to Tolen.‌ The event featured a potluck meal and three dance group performing traditional and newly created routines.‌ Awards were presented to two UAA staff members for their dedication to the Alaska Native community at UAA.‌ Andre Thorne, director of the UAA Multicultural Center, and Paniqkaq (Agatha John-Shields), assistant professor of indigenous education, each received awards.‌ Ida’ina K’eljeshna, the King Island Singers and Dancer of Anchorage and the Tlingit and Haida Dancers of Anchorage performed unique song and dance routines.‌ A member of Ida’ina K’eljeshna informed the audience his group was relearning their language in an effort to keep the culture and its traditions alive. ‌ The sense of community was evident in the event hall. Each dance group featured an “invitational,” a dance during which the audience is encouraged to join in. Young children and elders alike danced together during these invitationals.‌ Although students weren’t able to go home for the holidays, the Native Student Council hopes this event will help keep that connection strong, Tolen said.‌

PHOTOS BY CHASE BURNETT PHOTOS BY CHASE BURNETT

The Tlingit and Haida Dancers of Anchorage perform a traditional dance routine.

Andre Thorne, director of the UAA Multicultural Center, was presented an award for his dedication to the Alaska Native community at UAA.

PHOTOS BY CHASE BURNETT

The Dena’ina Athabascan dance group Ida’ina K’eljeshna performs a traditional dance routine.

PHOTOS BY CHASE BURNETT

The King Island Singers and Dancers of Anchorage perform a traditional dance routine.

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FEATURES

College Cookbook Thanksgiving Edition: Lost in the sauce - a simple recipe for homemade cranberry sauce posed in many different ways, such as in muffins or as an ice cream topping.

My family’s personal favorite recipe for cranberry sauce comes from the “Alaska Wildberry Guide & Cookbook” published by Alaska Northwest Books in 1982.

By Robin O’Donoghue features@thenorthernlight.org

Throughout my childhood, cranberry sauce was always an integral focal point at each Thanksgiving celebration. Growing up in a family that spent countless hours each summer picking berries for Thanksgiving, it was not only important that our cranberry sauce be homemade, but also that it was made with wild Alaskan cranberries.

Being lucky enough to live on land that produced an abundance of multiple kinds of berries (blueberries, highbush cranberries, lowbush cranberries to name a few) my family liked to incorporate that into our Thanksgivings.

While traditionally reserved for Thanksgiving, cranberry sauce is simple to make and can be a festive addition to many occasions, and leftover cranberry sauce can be repur-

ASL Club offers a new sign of community

Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce Ingredients: • 6 cups lowbush cranberries • 4 cups sugar • ¾ cup water Directions: 1. Blend together all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a full, rolling boil.

2. Boil until a little of the juice will jell on the spoon, approximately 25 minutes.

3. Pour into a dish to chill before serving, or pour into sterilized jelly glasses and seal.

In the absence of wild lowbush cranberries, store bought frozen cranberries work just as well. The important part is to have fun and enjoy some tasty tart cranberry goodness!

GRAPHIC BY LEVI BROWN

By Malia Barto

arts@thenorthernlight.org

The American Sign Language Club, also known as the ASL Club, is making strides to be inclusive of all who are interested in learning their language.

The ASL Club has been around for many years on UAA’s grounds, but at the start of this fall semester they restarted to become more established on campus.

“We’re working on trying to create a little community and support group

for the students taking ASL or for those who are just interested in learning ASL,” Amy Cahalane, senior accounting student and ASL Club president, said.

The club has around 10 to 14 members, and they spend time at meetings talking about upcoming events, signing with each other and meeting new students. Since UAA does not offer ASL as a major or minor, students may overlook the idea of taking ASL other than to fulfill their humanities GERs or as an elective. Part of the ASL Club’s goal is to en-

courage students to further their sign language knowledge beyond the classes offered at UAA. “It’s been a good resource for the deaf community to connect with UAA,” Jennifer Lincoln, junior journalism and public communications student and ASL Club vice president, said. “In the past, when the ASL Club wasn’t as strong, there was kind of a disconnect between the deaf community and UAA, so slowly rebuilding that has been really good.”

The club has organized an event at Kaladi Brothers Coffee called “Signing Saturdays,” which occur every second Saturday of the month. Their last event boasted over 50 people of both the hearing and the deaf community signing with each other over a cup of coffee, in a small, reserved section of the cafe.

“It’s great the see the people show up and the variety as well,” Cahalane said.

Students taking ASL classes at UAA are required to attend signing events as part of class to become more comfortable with signing with others and learning from each other. Signing Saturday may fulfill the requirement upon the professor’s discretion.

“There are so many other applications [to ASL] beyond just ‘I want to communicate with [the deaf],’” Heather Swanson, ASL Club staff advisor, said.

ASL Club’s next Signing Saturday event will take place on Dec. 8, at the Tudor Kaladi Brothers Cafe, 6901 E Tudor Road, from 1 to 3 p.m. It is open to the public.

The ASL Club’s meetings are typically on Wednesday evenings, though the date changes each month. For questions or more information, contact the club at theaslclubuaa@gmail.com.

FEATURES

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Spenard pop-up offers elevated comfort-foods with artisanal flair

PHOTOS BY JOEY CARREON

By Joey Carreon

news2@thenorthernlight.org

Craft brews, live music and hearty food — need I say more?

La Bodega has been offering craft beers and wines to Anchorage residents for over 12 years. La Bodega has since been searching for an appropriate venue to host their events, such

as Bodega-Fest, which have been a hit in the community.

With the help of The Potato, a restaurant with roots as a food truck dating back to 1995, La Potato was born! A beloved classic in McCarthy and Valdez, where they run their two locations, The Potato brings their unique flair on handmade comfort foods to Anchorage in the form of La Potato.

La Potato will only be around for six months as a pop-up, having opened on Nov. 3. The collaborative effort seems to be a trial run of sorts, as La Bodega and The Potato have bigger plans for the venue after the pop-up period. “[La Potato is] the six-month venue, as it stands now, and it will still continue to be open.

We just can’t say what it will be [after the six month period],” said The Potato owner, Rebecca Bard.

The interior of La Potato boasts casual, chic vibes that perfectly reflect the West Anchorage aesthetic. The bar is arranged beautifully, featuring the craft selections from La Bodega, and the bar-style tables are orientated around a stage where La Potato will host their various events.

La Potato lunch and dinner menus both feature simple items that maintain The Potato’s aesthetic of elevated comfort foods with an artisanal flair.

Both menus feature their famous Potatohead Burrito and Spudniks which are original

items from The Potato’s menu in 1995.

The Potatohead Burrito was originally designed for backpackers needing a hearty, filling, grab-and-go meal, according to Bard. The burrito definitely fulfills those expectations, as the “Potatohead” is generously sized and filled to the brim with quality ingredients.

Inside the burrito are: eggs, cheese, their house salsa, sour cream, jalapeños and their famous curly fries. One also has the option to add bacon, carnitas, breakfast sausage, roasted chicken or chorizo, which are all made in-house from scratch.

The Potatohead lived up to its expectations as a backpacker’s best friend because it was incredibly filling and well worth the $10 price tag; for daintier eaters, this meal has the potential to last the whole day.

I chose to add their chorizo to my burrito. The consistency was less crumbly than processed, store-bought chorizo, so it added to the overall heartiness. Furthermore, the chorizo was spiced perfectly, as it was the perfect lead instrument to a symphony of supporting ingredients.

La Potato’s Spudniks are what I was most excited to try.

On the menu, they’re described as “curly fries, smothered in our sausage gravy and cheese.”

I opted to go for the Spudniks Supreme option, which are the

same as their Spudniks but with two eggs and jalapeños.

Like the Potatohead, the Spudniks were filling, warming, hearty, but most of all, absolutely delicious.

Unless you have something against any of the toppings, which most won’t, Spudniks just hit the every nail on the head in terms of what makes food good: fries in a greasy, cheesy, rich, gravy-covered ensemble, and adding fried eggs on top of the whole smorgasbord of flavor is an absolute home run.

The Spudniks are the perfect item for La Potato, as it pairs perfectly with one’s favorite glass of craft brew, courtesy of La Bodega’s selection. They’re easy to eat as well, as one doesn’t have to give much thought to scarfing down these loaded fries as they enjoy whatever entertainment happens to be taking place on La Potato’s stage.

Needless to say, the Spudniks and Potatohead Burrito are the perfect manifestation of why La Bodega and The Potato are a match made in heaven.

Like the neighborhood they are located in, there is nothing posh or gimmicky about La Potato. With a menu that is unapologetically boasts its own identity, La Potato stays true to itself as a collaboration — a great selection of drinks, a great selection of food and an even greater atmosphere that lets both of them shine.

& AE

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2018

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NEW KID: A performance full of firsts for department and students

Continued from cover assistant professor of theater and director of the show, said. “The madeup language makes every person in the audience feel what it’s like to be a new kid.”‌ While it is a humorous play, “New Kid” also comes with important underlying themes of bullying, inclusion and tolerance that almost everyone faced as a child, even if they were never the new kid.‌ “I hope that the audiences realize that just because you come from different places or speak different languages or whatever the difference may be, we’re all still human,” Emani Secret, a sophomore majoring in social work and acting as the mother in the show, said.

“We tend to go through the same experiences, just

in a different way.”‌ Alexandra McCall, a senior theater major playing the role of Mench, a girl who befriends Nick, feels that although the play is aimed at children, adults can learn something valuable from the performance as well.‌ “Adults can take away a similar message [as kids], but they can also get the more complex message layered under that, which is that cultural differences are something that you can see past,” McCall said. “It puts you in the position of hopefully understanding how people from different places are actually a lot like you, even if they don’t speak your language or use your same customs.”‌ Many of the students involved in “New Kid” have had an experience similar to the main character’s, including Jarett Hardy, the actor playing

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JAMES EVANS

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JAMES EVANS

Ben Hagensieker and Alexandra McCall as characters Mug and Mench.

Emani Secret and Jarett Hardy as Mother and Nick.

Nick himself.‌ “I’m actually not from Alaska, so I know that feeling of being the new kid and how it’s almost as if everybody is speaking a different language when they talk about their childhood experiences together and you know nothing about what or who they’re talking about,” Hardy said.‌ “New Kid” includes a lot of firsts for the department and the students involved. For instance, it is the first UAA production to be taken on the

for a homework assignment,” Gonzalez said.

“Even if you like your decisions, someone else might not, and you have to accommodate and come to a common ground.” ‌ Despite everything being so new for many of the students involved in the production, cast and crew alike emphasized how overwhelmingly positive the school’s reactions to “New Kid” have been while on tour.‌ “It’s 200 kids laughing hard at the jokes, 200 kids singing along to the

road. The cast has traveled to various elementary schools as far as Denali and Girdwood to put on the show throughout the semester. ‌ Along with the new touring aspect, “New Kid” is the first UAA performance for freshman Hardy and senior Hagensieker and the first production for the scene and costume designers, Myranda Bailey and Kayla Gonzalez, respectively.‌ “Working in a production is a lot different than doing a costume design

music at scene changes.

It’s a mass of kids having a great time, and it’s really fun to listen to,” Cunningham said.‌ “New Kid” will have two performances at UAA, the first on Nov. 30 at 6:30 p.m. and the second on Dec. 1 at 2 p.m. in the Harper Theater, Room 129 of the Fine Arts Building.

Tickets are available for purchase on www.artsuaa. com, $19.99 for adults, $14.99 for seniors and military personnel and $9.99 for students. ‌

Poetry workshop to prepare students for annual conference

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

By Caleigh Jensen arts2@thenorthernlight.org

Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society at UAA, will host a poetry workshop and slam poetry reading on Nov. 28 . The event is a safe space for writers to work on and

share their ideas with other poets.‌ “Anyone who wants to come and either workshop or share their poetry is welcome,” Deb Castillo, English graduate student, said.‌ The hour-long workshop is designed to be split in half, with one half dedicated to workshopping poetry and the other available for anyone who wishes to perform their work for the group. However, the event will also be flexible and cater to what the attendees wish to spend more time on.‌ Toby Widdicombe, an English professor, will be presenting work of his own at the slam to break the ice for students. An executive officer of Sigma Tau Delta will perform as well.‌

The workshop is aimed towards preparing students for the Pacific Rim Conference on English Studies coming up in the spring semester. The conference is an annual two-day event put on by English graduate students at UAA.‌ “The workshop is for any and all poetry that people want to workshop, but we are encouraging people to write and perform poetry for the conference,” Aspen Knight, an English graduate student and Sigma Tau Delta treasurer, said. ‌ Knight hopes that the workshop helps students to feel confident in performing their work and possibly submitting it for the conference’s Call for Proposals.‌ “I want people to not feel

anxious or intimidated about submitting a proposal,” Knight said. “When I first submitted to Pac Rim… I was anxious and nervous and didn’t know what I was getting my foot into, but I loved it. It was an amazing experience, and I think that everyone, even if they don’t plan on going into academia, should experience it.”‌ Each conference follows a theme picked by the director.

As this year’s director, Knight chose a theme of “Refraining Colonialism: Considering Languages, Cultures and Identities” for the 2019 event.‌ In past years, Pac Rim has been exclusively made up of English students. This year’s annual conference, however, is going to look different than the

last 22. Along with English majors, other disciplines in the humanities will be able to submit proposals in the form of art, creative readings, paper, panel and poster presentations and round table discussions.‌ “The different areas really open the door to even more artistic perspectives from students,” Knight said. “It’s important to look at these tough topics in different ways rather than just presenting a research paper.”‌ The poetry slam and workshop will take place on Nov. 28 from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. in the lobby of the Administration and Humanities Building. The event is free to all students and food will be provided. ‌

A&E

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Gobble ‘til you wobble: Where to find fun, events, food this Thanksgiving Thanksgiving feast. This event is not just open to UAA students but to the Anchorage community as well.

When: Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 22, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Where: Gorsuch Commons (3700 Sharon Gagnon Ln) Cost: Free, donations are accepted

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

By Malia Barto

arts@thenorthernlight.org

If you’re like me, Christmas started on Nov. 1 — but, of course, that doesn’t mean we skip over Thanksgiving. There’s obviously a break from the intense Christmas spirit to spend a day of thanks with family and/or friends and hopefully eat a ton of good food. Here are some events to join in on in addition to eating turkey or tofurkey, Black Friday shopping and supporting Small Business Saturday.

“Thanksgiving Feast 2018” What: USUAA is hosting another

“Turkey Trot” What: The annual Turkey Trot race hosted by Skinny Raven Sports is back. A 5K and 3K race is offered, and a food drive will be running at the same time.

When: Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 22. 5K race starts at 10:30 a.m.; 3K race starts at 10:40 a.m.

Where: Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center (600 W 8th Ave) Cost: $25-$45. Registration available at SkinnyRaven.com “6th Annual Free Kriner’s Thanksgiving Day Meal” What: Kriner’s Diner on C Street is offering a free meal for everyone on Thanksgiving Day. When: Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 22. 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Where: Kriner’s Diner (2409 C St) Cost: Free, tips and donations will be donated the Children’s Lunchbox

“Thanksraving” What: Five local DJs will spin some electronic dance music at this rave to dance through the night.

When: Friday, Nov. 23, 10 p.m. - Saturday, Nov. 24, 2:30 a.m.

Where: Alaska Experience Theatre (33 W 4th Ave, Suite 207) Cost: $15 in advance, $20 at door.

Tickets available at squareup.com/ store/adk-events-llc “The Nutcracker” What: A beloved ballet comes to the Performing Arts Center, featuring the Eugene Ballet.

When: Friday, Nov. 23 - Saturday, Nov. 24, shows at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 25, shows at 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Where: Alaska Center for the Performing Arts (621 W 6th Ave) Cost: $37-$81.50. Tickets available at CenterTix.com “Small Business Saturday Holiday Market” What: Small Business Saturday is Saturday, Nov. 24. Support small and local businesses while shopping for friends and family at this holiday market.

When: Saturday, Nov. 24, 10 a.m.

Where: 12100 Coffee and Communi-

Learn more and apply at careers.alaska.edu

tas (12100 Old Seward Hwy) Cost: Free admission “Downtown Jingle & Mingle” What: Another festive Small Business Saturday market downtown with over 35 local businesses.

When: Saturday, Nov. 24, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Where: Heart of the City (411 W 4th Ave) Cost: Free admission “Small Business Saturday” What: Grab a drink and shop around at 49th State Brewing Co. When: Saturday, Nov. 24, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Where: 49th State Brewing Co. (717 W 3rd Ave) Cost: Free admission “Holiday Tree Lighting” What: Anchorage Downtown Partnership hosts the annual tree lighting in downtown Anchorage with free cookies, cocoa, music, and appearances from Santa and his reindeer.

When: Saturday, Nov. 24, 5 - 7:30 p.m.

Where: Anchorage Towne Square (560 W 5th Ave) Cost: Free admission

UA is an AA/EO employer and educational institution and prohibits illegal discrimination against any individual: www.alaska.edu/nondiscrimination.

SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2018

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Women’s XC team sweeps regional championships

By Lauren Cuddihy sports@thenorthernlight.org

On Saturday, Nov. 17, after a resounding success at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships, the Seawolves set off to Billings, Montana to compete in their fourth race of the season. ‌ After claiming GNAC Team of the Week following the conference championships, the Seawolves did not disappoint at the regional championships. ‌ Both the men’s and women’s teams took seven of their top runners to the NCAA West Regional Championships to compete against some of the best runners in the country.‌ At the meet, there were a total of 280 men and women. Every single one of the UAA men placed in the top 100 and all but one UAA women placed in the top 100 as well. ‌ Head coach Michael Friess was satisfied with the outcome of the meet. ‌ “I was proud of our teams today. It is good to know that we are going and we don’t have to wait and see if we earned an atlarge spot,” Friess said. “Emmah [Chelimo], Nancy [Jeptoo] and Zennah [Jepchumba] all raced how they have been training.” ‌ Of the women, Chelimo still reigns as undefeated after finishing No. 1 in the regional championships. ‌

PHOTO COURTESY OF UAA MEDIA RELATIONS

Chelimo finished with a time of 20:57 in the 6-kilometer race, just 11 seconds ahead of teammate Jeptoo at 21:08. ‌ After the race, Chelimo was pleased with her results and said that if it wasn’t for her teammates and her training, then she would not have been able to race the way she did. ‌ Following Chelimo and Jeptoo, Jepchumba was the final female runner from UAA to place in the top 10; at No. 6, Jepchumba finished in 21 minutes and 23

seconds. ‌ The remaining women trailed behind in 11th (Danielle McCormick, 21:35), 46th (Ruth Cvancara, 22:20), 84th (Kimberly Coscia, 22:58) and 130th (Riley Burroughs, 24:00). ‌ Due to their high scoring positions, the women finished in first place out of the 26 scoring teams. With a score of 66 points, UAA was 19 points ahead of No. 2 Simon Fraser (85 points) with Chico State just behind them (88 points). ‌

Not much farther behind, the men’s team finished in third overall. With 116 points, the Seawolves were solidly in 3rd place due to No. 2 Simon Fraser being 53 points ahead of them and No. 1 Chico State 77 points ahead. ‌ Individually, the Seawolves had several runners place in the top 25. ‌ “We went out strong today.

Felix [Kemboi] nearly came away with his first region title, and we had four men earn all-

region which was awesome,” Friess said. ‌ Less than one second behind the No. 1 finisher, Kemboi finished the men’s 10-kilometer race in 30 minutes and 50 seconds. ‌ Also in the top 25 was Wesley Kirui who finished in 31 minutes and 4 seconds for fifth place; in 19th was Jorge Sanchez, and in 23rd was Nickson Koech. ‌ Also filling in after them was Drew Johnson (No. 67), Kaleb Korta (No. 72) and Faisal Ibrahim (No. 92). ‌ Due to their success at the West Regional Championships and with both teams placing in the overall top 3, they will now continue on to compete in the NCAA National Championships. ‌ Currently, both teams are ranked seventh nationally by the USTFCCAA National Polls. The men’s team has finished in the top 5 at nationals for the past 18 years, whereas the women have finished in the top 5 for the past 15. ‌ After success in both conference and regional championships, the same 14 will head to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for the next challenge. The NCAA DII National Championships will take place on Saturday, Dec. 1.

For full results and a full schedule visit www.goseawolves.com.‌

Jamborees, Hoop Classics and Seawolves, oh my!

By Emily Medina

sports2@thenorthernlight.org

This past weekend was a busy one at the Alaska Airlines Center. Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams hosted events that took place Friday and Saturday.

The men’s team had Lake Superior State University, UAF and Northwood University compete with them in the Seawolf Jamboree.

California State University at Dominguez Hills, California State University at East Bay and UAF competed with the women’s team in the Seawolf Hoops Classic.

Head coach for the women’s basketball team, Ryan McCarthy, has been looking forward to this weekend.

“We’re excited for our home openers against California State East Bay and California State Dominguez Hills,” said McCarthy. “Our ladies had a great experience and time to grow this summer in Taiwan, and have worked extremely hard this preseason to play some exciting basketball. It should be another exciting year and a great weekend to see some UAA basket-

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDY MEAD

Tara Thompson is the category leader for 3-point field goals made.

ball.”

Beginning with the Seawolf Jamboree, LSSU kicked off the weekend with a win over UAF with a final score of 85-63 on Friday.

UAA’s men’s team competed against Northwood University Friday evening. Although it was a slow start in the first half with the Seawolves behind by 17 points at most, things started to turn around in the second half.

Tyler Brimhall landed 23 points in an effort to fill the gap, but it wasn’t enough. UAA ended up losing by six points with the final score being 83-77. This was the first home loss for the men’s basketball team.

Some other notable points were by Travis Adams, who scored 13 points, and Niko Bevens, who scored 11 throughout the game.

Assistant coach Shane

Rinner has his own expectations for how he thinks the rest of the season will play out.

“I think our expectation is just that the guys continue to come to practice everyday and work hard and get better,” said Rinner. “It’s hard to know how we’re going to continue to progress, but if they work hard everyday then we’ll have a chance to definitely maximize the group.”

UAF had a victory for the

women’s basketball team on Friday at the Seawolf Hoops Classic despite the earlier upset for the men’s team.

After a close game against CSU at Dominguez Hills, they were able to come out on top with a final score of 65-61.

Later on Friday night, the women’s basketball team competed against CSU at East Bay. The tone was set for the rest of the night as a rebound from Sala Langi in the beginning of the first period put the ball in motion for UAA to get the lead.

CSU at East Bay wasn’t able to get close to taking the lead as they had 19 points by the start of the last period, and UAA had 32.

By the end of the game, UAA had an even bigger lead, and the final score was 48-32.

Next weekend, the men’s basketball team will be going against the South Dakota School of Mines at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

The women’s basketball team will host the Division II Coast to Coast Classic on Friday and Saturday. Three new teams will be competing. Tickets can be purchased at goseawolves.com and the events can be followed live.

OPINION

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2018

09

Student loan Universities should invite speakers with caution forgiveness is a bad idea

By Robert Hockema opinion@thenorthernlight.org

By Ben Edwards

opinion2@thenorthernlight.org

Student loan debt in the U.S. surpassed unimaginable heights this year. Sitting at a whopping $1.5 trillion, this category of debt is now larger than auto loans and credit card debt. Out of the 44.2 million Americans saddled with student loans, the majority are under the age of 30. Most of the debt consists of federally guaranteed Stafford Loans. About 4.7 million borrowers are currently in default.

All of this is exacerbated by the rising costs of higher education.

Tuition and fees both increase at a faster rate than financial aid programs, which means that students have to rely on either outof-pocket expense or loans to make up the difference.

The severity of this problem has invigorated calls for widespread forgiveness of federally-held student loan debt. This would be a process where the federal government relieves student borrowers of most or all of their outstanding debt. Since debt never truly disappears, the burden for paying it off would fall upon taxpayers. Well-meaning columnists have argued for such an action, as evidenced by well-circulated opinion articles featured in major newspapers like The Washington Post. Upand-coming political stars like New York’s Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have spoken in favor of expanding student loan forgiveness. Even Alyse Galvin mentioned it during USUAA’s candidate forum on Oct. 25. In a survey of 466 Americans, 42 percent agreed that the federal government should forgive all student loan debt.

As appealing as mass forgiveness may seem, it is actually a horribly regressive policy action that should be completely avoided. Most of the debate on this has focused around the ethics of charging taxpayers for services that they never used.

Critics of loan forgiveness point out that the decision to pursue higher education is an individual one, so no one but the student is responsible for financing it. Advocates of loan forgiveness counter that higher education is a public good much like infrastructure or security. Therefore, even non-graduates indirectly benefit from the labor of college graduates in the economy.

However, advocates of loan forgiveness have the weakest defense when it comes to two important arguments. First, forgiving student debt does nothing to solve the problem of what got students in debt in the first place. The government has the power to forgive and acquire the debt currently held by college students. But today’s high school students will eventually become tomorrow’s college stu-

dents, and they will accumulate a similar or larger pile of debt.

If the government forgives their debt as well, then taxpayers are on the hook for an endless cycle.

If the government declines to forgive their debt, then it will have discriminated in favor of a particular age group and against another.

Second, forgiving all student debt would subsidize a portion of the population that is already better off than others. A study by the Pew Research Center found that median annual earnings for for full-time working college-degree holders are $17,500 greater than for those with high school diplomas only. Collegedegree holders are also less likely to be under the federal poverty level or be be unemployed for long periods of time.

College education also tends to be generational. The children of parents who graduated from college are much more likely to pursue college themselves than those whose parents did not. If advocates for student loan forgiveness truly consider higher education to be a public good, then I’m surprised to hear that they want to subsidize a demographic that is already benefiting from that public good.

Forgiving a privileged demographic’s debts is tough enough to justify, especially when compared to the welfare programs that service people who are actually in need of help. The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program subsidizes poor families with children at a cost of $16.5 billion, according to the federal government’s fiscal year 2015 report. If the government were to forgive only the Stafford Loans held by students, then the cost would be about $735.5 billion. The government could fund the TANF welfare program for 44 years for equal to the cost of forgiving all Stafford Loans.

Forgiving all student loans is the most regressive and least effective tool that the government can employ. If Congress wants to get serious on addressing student loan debt, then it should recognize that easy solutions do not fix difficult problems. Government policy needs to be technical and targeted if it is to be effective. For example, Congress could offer a tax benefit to employers who help their employees repay student loan debt- kind of like how employers already receive benefits for offering 401(k) retirement plans.

Additionally, Congress could allow borrowers to refinance their debt if interest rates are lower one year. Interest rates for student loans are currently fixed on an average. Whichever the way, simply waving a wand over debt and pretending like it’s a collective responsibility is the worst of all options.

For as long as they’ve existed, universities have acted as the protectorate of public discourse.

In the pursuit of a healthy democracy, universities have promoted academic research, aided in the development of critical thinking and facilitated opportunities for students to engage with a multiplicity of ideas. All of this, of course, has been seen as a way to create a public that is capable of interacting with the diverse world around them.

The premise behind higher education is that once the tools of discourse are in all of our hands, we can come to the table and sort out which ideas would best govern our society and defeat the bad ones with tempered reason. To do so, so the premise commands, we must hear out all ideas regardless of their content.

That premise has gone largely unquestioned — until now.

Today, universities and defenders of free speech face a great challenge: what happens when those who reject the foundations of free speech want a seat at the table? What happens when the ideas of Richard Spencer, Steve Bannon and Milo Yiannopoulos are dragging themselves into the mainstream and demanding to be heard?

The Oxford Union grappled with this question last week as they hosted Steve Bannon, former chief strategist for President Trump and known propagator of white nationalism. Though many student groups on campus protested, the president of the union, Stephen Horvath, defended their invitation by saying, “it is only through listening to the opinions of others that we can fully understand those opinions.”

Compelling a defense as it is, it makes the same critical mistake other universities have made when they invite deeply controversial speakers like Bannon; the speakers aren’t interest-

ed in an honest discussion about their opinions in the first place.

Rather, they’re showing up to play a part. Steve Bannon believes deeply in his racist, xenophobic convictions, but his appearance at Oxford, The Economist and other forums prove that he’s only willing to defend the notion that his ideas have a right to exist.

Individuals like Bannon and Yiannopoulos have acted as bastions for free speech, making themselves martyrs in defense of others like them that have been disinvited or deplatformed by groups opposing their presence in public spaces.

This is why when interviewers and moderators try to pin them down, they escape accountability for their views by lying about where they stand on certain issues. For example, Bannon weaseled his way out of being linked with violent neoNazis in an ABC interview with Sarah Ferguson by completely rebranding his viewpoints. He’s not a white nationalist, but a protector of the “Judeo-Christian west”; not a nativist, but an “economic populist”; not a racist, but a defender of free speech.

To be clear, all of these are euphemisms for terms he’s embraced openly in other public spaces. At a gathering of the National Front, France’s far-right, anti-Muslim political party, Bannon told supporters to wear the terms racist and xenophobic like a “badge of honor.”

His very presence in Europe, in fact, is to promote anti-immigrant, pro-white nationalist political parties all across the country. These same groups are dedicated to spread false information about marginalized groups to justify discrimination against them — a strategy Bannon himself championed as the head of Breitbart for several years.

But Bannon won’t defend those views when challenged.

To him, they are symbols of free speech and anti-censorship.

What that means is that we can’t

use reason and logic to dispute the ideas, because to do so would imply that Bannon’s ideas are rooted in reason and logic in the first place.

Thus, it’s not that we shouldn’t invite speakers like Steve Bannon because we disagree with them. It’s that we shouldn’t because we can’t disagree with them. The purpose of hosting different ideas on campus is not just so we can hear what people are saying, but so we can think about legitimate, reasoned ideas that can be engaged with. Men like Bannon are trolls seeking to be validated with cushy public appearances that make their ideas seem just as palatable as intellectuals and thinkers. To equate those two is to do a disservice to public discourse greater than any harm refusing to invite a speaker could ever do.

Every day, this becomes increasingly applicable to UAA. We don’t get big name speakers every week like the Oxford Union, but we’ve had our share of high-profile figures, especially as of recent. In the past couple years alone, we’ve had Bill Nye, Dan Savage, Laci Green and Shaun King come to speak.

These are nowhere near as hot-button appearances as Bannon or Milo, but it’s only a matter of time before a controversial, rising star like Ben Shapiro comes to UAA. Once they do, the university should exercise extreme caution when deciding whose ideas we want to legitimate and whose ideas we cast away.

Rejecting someone’s voice is not a contradiction of free speech. Rather, it is a rejection of irrationale and demagoguery to preserve reasoned discourse.

We as a society and as a student body must decide what is thought provoking and what is a threat to civil, genuine discourse. Speakers who hijack the marketplace of ideas must be deemed the latter.

10

OPINION

College basketball is back!: Preview of top five teams going into 2018-19 season

PHOTO COURTESY OF ASSOCIATED PRESS

One of the most iconic moments in college basketball history: Duke’s Christian Laettner celebrating after sinking a game-winner against Kentucky in 1992 to send Duke to the Final Four.

By Joey Carreon

news2@thenorthernlight.org

This is the best time of the year in the sports world. The MLB World Series just came to a close. college football, the NBA and the NFL are in full swing. and college basketball just wrapped up an actionpacked first week.

As per The Associated Press’s Top 25 Poll, here are how college basketball’s top five teams fared after their first week of the regular season.

No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks Entering this season, the Kansas Jayhawks sit atop the polls as the best team in college basketball.

Behind freshman guards, Quentin Grimes and Devon Dotson. junior center, Udoka

Azubuike; and Memphis-transfers, K.J. and Dedric Lawson, Kansas is poised to be one of the most entertaining two-way teams this season.

Playing against a backcourt headlined by Grimes and Dotson will be frustrating for teams, as they will struggle to score against head coach Bill Self’s defensive coaching style. Along with their toughness, look for Grimes and Dotson to thrive in the open court with their elite athleticism as well. there should be no shortage of steals and easy baskets from these two. The Impact of the Lawson brothers, former Memphis standouts, should be undeniable as well. and with Azubuike anchoring down the middle and cleaning the glass, Kansas is looking poised to make waves this season and enter the NCAA Tournament seeded first yet again.

No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats The new-look Kentucky Wildcats are looking to prove their worth this season.

Highlighting the Wildcats’ recruiting class this year are forwards Keldon Johnson and EJ Montgomery. Look for Johnson to lead the Cats’ offensive charge this season with his craftiness and many scoring tools he has in his bag. Montgomery’s ability to stretch the floor and knock down outside jumpers should open up the lane for Johnson’s and his own scoring opportunities, too.

With another five-star recruit in Immanuel Quickley, Stanford-transfer Reid Travis and returner PJ Washington, Kentucky looks absolutely lethal offensively. Look for head coach John Calipari to run up the score against unsuspecting defenses this year.

Fueled by a supercharged offense, the Wildcats could do colossal damage this year.

No. 3 Gonzaga Bulldogs Gonzaga, unlike the Dukes and Kentuckys of the world, is not the top destination for top ranked high school seniors. In fact, they only have one freshman that cracked last year’s ESPN Top 100, Serbian Filip Petrusev.

However, Gonzaga’s roster highlights several, seasoned upperclassmen who are no strangers to March Madness. Leading the charge for Gonzaga is Rui

Hachimura, the first Japanese native to ever play in the NCAA Tournament. Equipped with a relentless motor, strong frame and a knack for finishing in the lane, Hachimura will be a tough Dog to slow down this season. look for him to break out and improve his numbers from last year. Along with Hachimura, key starters Zach Norvell Jr. and Josh Perkins highlight the Zags’ balanced, veteran lineup.

The Zags are insanely deep.

Paired with the fact that they haven’t missed a tournament appearance since 1999, count on head coach, Mark Few, to lead Hachimura and friends into a strong tourney campaign No. 4 Duke Blue Devils Here it is. The moment we’ve all been waiting for. The evercontroversial, perennially hated Duke Blue Devils, are boasting a roster that features last year’s top three players in high school basketball.

Highlighting Duke’s roster is a three-headed monster known as RJ Barrett, Zion Williamson and Cam Reddish. Barrett and Reddish are gifted scorers, both possessing elite length and scoring instinct. Look for Barrett to find his shot at will in the lane with Reddish filling it up from deep with an NBA-ready 3-point jumper.

Along with Barrett and Reddish, Zion completes the trifecta with his otherworldly athleticism. At 6 feet, 7 inches and 285

pounds with a 40-inch vertical, Zion is looking like a once-ina-generation athlete. Look for Zion to bulldoze defenders and absolutely wreak havoc in the open court.

Led by head coach, Mike Krzyzewski, the Blue Devils are the clear favorites to win it all this year.

No. 5 Virginia Cavaliers The Virginia Cavaliers are ranked fifth by The Associated Press going into this season and rightfully so.

Like the Zags, the Cavaliers are stacked with seasoned returning players. Highlighting their roster is junior duo Kyle Guy and Ty Jerome and sophomore De’Andre Hunter.

The trio of Guy, Jerome and Hunter might be the best shooting backcourt in college basketball, as all three pose a threat from beyond the arc. Also, the addition of Alabama-transfer Braxton Key is perfect for Virginia, as he can thrive attacking the rim with a spaced-out offense.

Behind head coach Tony Bennett, look for Virginia’s defense to be in tip-top shape as it always is. As usual, teams like Duke should have a tough time running up the score against the Cavaliers. and paired with an offense that should prove deadly this year, Virginia will make a clear case for making a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

Bring back liberal Republicans and conservative Democrats

By Ben Edwards

opinion2@thenorthernlight.org

The divide between Republicans and Democrats is worse than it has ever been. The Pew Research Center found that more than three-quarters of Americans polled cited “control of Congress by their party” as a major factor in their 2018 midterm ballots. The U.S. Congress has always been a raucous forum, but now gridlock and grandstanding obstructs productive legislation and undermines the credibility of the institution. American democracy is not in great shape.

An antidote exists for this problem. American voters need to bring back liberal Republicans and conservative Democrats. As heretical as that may seem in today’s political battleground, it used to be a normative feature in Congress. The New

Deal era in the 1930s stitched together an alliance between liberal Republicans and liberal Democrats, who coalesced around issues like employment and welfare programs. This coalition endured the turbulence of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and persisted well into the 1970s.

The so-called Rockefeller Republicans of the 1950s pursued government projects in environmentalism, health care and education. Figures like George Romney and Prescott Bush, both patriarchs of American political dynasties, openly endorsed government ideals that would destroy a Republican’s candidacy today. Bush even worked as a treasurer for Planned Parenthood in the 1940s. President Eisenhower worked with his fellow Republicans in Congress to sustain a period of enormous federal spending on interstate highways coupled with high taxes on wealthy Americans.

By contrast, conservative Democrats used to resist the federal government in a variety of ways. Southern Democrats ran on segregationist and states’ rights platforms for most of that party’s history until its major realignment after the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Even after that, Democrats like President Carter emphasized faith-based politics and distrusted labor unions.

Many Democrats jumped on

the “tough-on-crime” bandwagon with President Clinton and passed a massive crime bill in 1994 that expanded the death penalty and broadened the power of law enforcement.

Not everything that liberal Republicans and conservative Democrats did was good. But it was meaningful that American democracy had more to do with candidates and policies than party affiliation. Candidates could be judged on personal merits. A leader’s progress could be measured on how well they stitch together coalitions rather than how well they beat down the enemy.

This is why my proposal requires a reorientation in voters’ psyche. Mud-slinging has become so ingrained in our perceptions of politics that fixing American democracy appears daunting. It is still possible, though. To start, the concept of bipartisanship needs to understood as a sacrifice of both sides for a mutual outcome. While everyone agrees with this in principle, the Pew research suggests that they do not agree with it in practice. Voters treat bipartisanship as a situation where the opposing side makes sacrifices while their own side remains consistent with values.

This misconception is caused by the fact that partisans view their own camp as the “normal” and

the other camp as “obstructionists.” Additionally, puritanical labels like Republican in Name Only, or RINO, need to cease from use.

If voters change their psyche, then U.S. politics can start to yield benefits from the election of liberal Republicans and conservative Democrats. One of these benefits includes the quality of legislation. Imagine a hypothetical bicameral legislature with a Democrat majority in the house and a Republican majority in the senate. If conservative Democrats are working alongside liberal Democrats, then the legislation produced is more likely to have conservative or centrist elements. It is then more likely to be agreeable to Republicans when it goes to a floor vote in the other chamber.

This decreases the likelihood of defeatist bills, which one party passes with the full understanding that it will never pass in the other chamber.

Another benefit is a renewed emphasis on coalition building and leadership. Moderates and extremes working alongside each other in the same party will not be amiable all the time. Miniature splinter parties will form.

This presents a better opportunity for leaders to build coalitions to govern, similar to how some European parliaments work. No longer will U.S. Senate Majority

Leader Mitch McConnell have to threaten or bribe two rebellious Republicans like Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski.

The ideal outcome is where he’d have to cater to an entire faction of moderates supporting those two.

There will be instances where leaders cannot form coalitions, either because of their own ineptitude or the stubbornness of splinter parties. That simply reveals to voters that the party in question, Republican or Democrat, is incapable of governing and power ought to be shifted to the other.

This proposal attempts to delineate Republicans and Democrats as umbrella terms rather than puritanical parties in eternal conflict with each other. Under each umbrella should exist an assortment of factions and splinter parties that leaders must tolerate and appease. In addition to better governance, this proposal seeks to build trust and respect among voters. The opposing umbrella party is less terrifying because some politicians within it hold your own beliefs.

If history can provide any lesson for fixing gridlock, then our own history of having liberal Republicans and conservative Democrats may be the key.

CONTACT

11

STAFF CONTACTS

A S S O C I AT E D CO L L E G I AT E P R ES S

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Managing Editor Cheyenne Mathews cmathews@thenorthernlight.org‌ Copy Editor Mariah DeJesus-Remaklus mremaklus@thenorthernlight.org News Editor Marie Ries news@thenorthernlight.org News Reporter Joey Carreon news2@thenorthernlight.org

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