10-5-17

The Pitt News

The independent student newspaper of the University of Pittsburgh | PIttnews.com | October 5, 2017 | Volume 108 | Issue 38

POETS AND PERFORMERS EXPLORE BLACK FUTURES

GEEKING OUT

Anna Bongardino Contributing Editor Projected onto a screen behind the stage of the Frick Fine Arts building, images of demolition were overlaid with the slow motion image of a woman twirling in a bright blue skirt. Colors shifted from negatives to sepia tone to a washed-out golden color which reflected the clouds of dust and destruction as the building was demolished.

Letasha N. Nevada Diggs and Val Jeanty’s performance filled the auditorium with the rapid pulse of percussion, followed by the softer melody of a string instrument at the Black Futures event this Wednesday as they played to an audience of nearly 100 people.

Hosted by the Center for African American Poetry and Poetics, Black Futures combined poetry readings by John Keene and Renee Gladman with the vocal and electronic art of Diggs and Jeanty. The event celebrated and explored the possibility of black futures — which Gladman described as the spaces, identities and emotions that cannot yet be expressed but are “becoming.”

Jeanty — an Afro-electronica artist — played electronic percussion sounds that correlated with the emotion and tempo of Diggs’ vocals. Diggs, a writer, vocalist and sound artist, ended the piece with a tribute to Geri Allen — the former director of Jazz Studies at Pitt — who passed away this June.

“I’ve been shot. I’ve seen purgatory.

See Black Futures on page 3

Shushma Gudla (left), Marialice Skabardonis (middle) and Natalie Colantuono spoke at Meet the Geeks, hosted

by FEM. Issi Glatts | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

COMMISSION AND COMMUNITY CONSIDER STATUES’ FATE Madeline Gavatorta Staff Writer At yesterday’s public hearing, three minutes wasn’t enough time for Marshall Goodwin to express his opinion about the Stephen Foster statue.

After presenting his viewpoint, Goodwin — an on-and-off resident of Pittsburgh for 50 years who now resides in Schenley Park — asked multiple times to speak again and briefly argued with the chair of the Art Commission, Rob Indovina.

“I was always fascinated and amazed by this person playing the banjo and the smile on his face and [the statue] just, there is something inspiring to me about it,” Goodwin said. “Music has been the one place

where race doesn’t matter.”

The City of Pittsburgh Art Commission held a public hearing Wednesday night to hear from community members about whether or not the Stephen Foster statue, which sits on Forbes Avenue near the Carnegie Museum of Art, should stay. Seventeen community members from the audience provided their input at the hearing.

The Art Commission — comprised of seven members appointed by the mayor — is responsible for reviewing works of art owned by the City of Pittsburgh. Commission members sat in a row at the front of the hearing, which took place Downtown at the John P. Robin Civic Building.

Rachel O’Neill, assistant city solicitor at the City of Pittsburgh Law Depart-

ment, was the first person to speak. O’Neill opened up the meeting by saying the commission has four options to choose from for the statue.

“The city code designates this commission has the authority to review the alteration, relocation or removal of art in possession of the city,” O’Neill said. “And four actions have been proposed for your consideration — the additional of interpretive signage to the statue, relocation of the statue, removal of the statue and no action.”

The Stephen Foster statue commemorates Stephen Foster, a Pittsburgh native and musical composer. The statue displays a well-dressed Foster transcribing one of See Stephen Foster on page 3

News

cracker plant creates controversy

Remy Samuels For The Pitt News

Despite the promise of creating 600 permanent jobs, the ethane cracker plant being built about 40 minutes northwest of Pittsburgh by car continues to face scrutiny from environmental groups.

Shell Chemical Appalachia decided in 2012 that Beaver County would be the site of a new $6 billion plant to manufacture plastics. Shell chose the Beaver County location because of its proximity to natural gas supplies and because the majority of North American polyethylene — the most common plastic — customers are in a 700mile radius of Pittsburgh.

In a statement published on its website, Shell said it expects to employ around 6,000 people for the facility’s construction, support 600 permanent employees and create an economic boom in Southwestern PA. The plan to build the plant — dubbed a cracker plant because it takes oil and gas and “cracks” it into smaller molecules to produce ethylene, a building block for plastic — concerns environmentalists who say this plant will emit excessive pollution, which will increase Pittsburgh’s already high pollution levels. In the American Lung Association’s 2017 report, Pittsburgh ranked eighth for annual particle pollution out of 184 metropolitan areas.

Junior Sarah Grguras — a sustainability program assistant in Pitt’s Student Office of Sustainability and an environmental studies and ecology and evolution double major — is familiar with current and historical air pollution issues in Pittsburgh. She said pollution from the plant is going to diminish Pittsburgh’s air quality.

“It’s going to turn Pittsburgh into cancer alley,” Grguras said. “It’s not a long-term help, and it’s not a sustainable industry.”

Following a lawsuit, the Clean Air Council and the Environmental Integrity Project — two environmental advocacy groups — made a deal with Shell to install four “fenceline” monitors, or pollution detectors, along the perimeter of the facility. This will allow the surrounding community to receive updates on a public website if the plant’s emissions are linked to air pollution

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and exceed a certain threshold.

Based in Philadelphia, Joseph Minott, 63, who is both the executive and chief counsel for Clean Air Council, said even though this deal was made and Shell will install monitors, pollution will still occur.

“What our lawsuit did was try to make sure that the technology they use at the plant is the best technology, so it will minimize the impact on the local citizenry,” Minott said. “But it does not ensure that the plant will not be emitting any pollution.”

When asked specifically about the precautions Shell Oil Company is taking in order to prevent pollution, Ray Fisher, a spokesperson for Shell Oil Company, wrote in an email that the plant will utilize the “best technology available to control emissions along with fenceline monitoring” and Shell will make the data available to the public.

“In addition, we worked with the Commonwealth to offset emissions in a manner that will create better air quality over time,” Fisher wrote in the email.

Fisher did not answer specific questions regarding how Shell plans to prevent shale emissions.

Emeritus Professor of Pitt’s Graduate School of Public Health Bernard Goldstein, 78, is concerned about the impacts the plant will have on the environment a n d public health.

Gold-

stein explained the plant utilizes the nearby wet gas from Marcellus Shale — a unit of sedimentary rock that contains untapped natural gas reserves — to convert methane and other gases into plastics.

Since the petrochemical plant is so large, it will be subject to both state and federal regulations, including those from the Environmental Protection Agency. Goldstein said he is not as concerned about the plant itself because of this oversight.

“The pollution that I’m most concerned about comes out of the drilling and obtaining the shale gas, which is then used as feedstock for this chemical plant,” Goldstein said.

Goldstein said the construction of the cracker plant will create more sources of shale gas emissions. Goldstein and Evelyn Talbott, an epidemiology professor at Pitt, agree that, because the drill sites are

Abby Katz | STAFF ILLUSTRATOR

October 5, 2017

small — but numerous — these sites are not regulated as well.

“When you’ve got 20,000 sites, how could you possibly check them everyday?” Talbott said.

Shell did not respond to questions about the specific types of pollution detectors it will use around the plant and whether these small drilling sites can produce additional shale emissions.

The EPA has standards that regulate six different air pollutants. Talbott said ozone (O3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are two pollutants that the plant could potentially emit, which could lead to health problems.

“Ozone ... is bad for your lungs and is related to asthma. Nitrogen dioxide is also a pulmonary irritant that can cause pulmonary and respiratory disease,” Talbott said. “If you boil water and turn on your gas stove, there is a certain amount of NO2 that is a fossil fuel emission, so in the Marcellus Shale industry there’s bound to be nitrogen dioxide.”

From an economic standpoint, companies such as Marcellus Shale Coalition see this project as a game changer. President of Marcellus Shale Coalition, David Spigelmyer, released a statement June 7, 2016, saying that Shell’s decision to build the plant is “welcomed news.” The Pitt News called the Marcellus Shale Coalition several times and did not receive a response over the course of four business days.

However, environmentalists Grguras and Minott said there are other ways to create jobs without harming the earth. They said evidence supports more long-term jobs will be with green energy — such as solar, wind and geothermal.

“The green economy, where other countries are way ahead of us, produces far less pollution, employs more people and is more sustainable,” Minott said. “We seem stuck on fossil fuels in Pennsylvania.”

Many are worried about the fate of Pittsburgh’s air, but at the same time, many see the promise of jobs as a positive outcome.

“It’s a trade-off,” Talbott said. “Everyone wants jobs and for our economy to flourish, but I think there’s a lot of concern by environmental groups that the pollution is not going to be curbed and it could be a problem.”

2

Foster, pg. 1 his songs while a black man, toothless and wearing tattered clothing, sits at his feet strumming a banjo. The statue, which has long been controversial in Pittsburgh, has recently gained national attention and criticism.

Following a brief introduction by O’Neill and a PowerPoint presentation by City Archivist Nicholas Hartley about the history of the statue and its controversy, The Art Commission spent the majority of the hour-long meeting listening to commentary from the community members.

President of the Pittsburgh regional section of the National Council of Negro Women Delores Dupree called for the removal of the statue.

“Not only does it depict a white man in a dominant, oppressive posture over a black man portrayed as a slave, submissively playing a banjo at his feet, but it boldly represents the same white man unabashedly claiming the black man’s work as his own,” Dupree said.

And Dupree was not the only person in The majority of people at Wednesday’s public hearing on the Stephen the room to agree with this — the majorFoster statue removal agreed the statue should be removed.

Kyleen Considine | VISUAL EDITOR ity of people in the room agreed the statue

Black Futures, pg. 1 Man, I got angels. I’m filled with angels.

I’ve got angels inside of me. Nothing you can do you can do to me. I’m filled with angels,” Diggs said.

The projected images of destruction in the first performance by Diggs and Jeanty referenced the constant demolition of black churches in Harlem, as well as monuments such as Casa de Fernandez in Lagos, Nigeria. Despite being recognized as a national monument, the building was demolished September 2016.

“These were newly freed Afro-Brazilians who had returned to the continent of Africa and basically constructed their own community and built these buildings. Were there any rights read?”

Diggs said. “Looking at the future of black space, is it even there? How do we concern ourselves with these structures?”

Rickey Laurentiis, a CAAPP fellow for creative writing, came expecting to see presentations about the different

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ideas behind black futures, and said the event evoked his curiosity.

“Blackness is always all the time being erased, so the possibility of looking into the future seems shallow,” Laurentiis said.

Mia Sterbini, a first-year Point Park University student studying acting, said watching the performance inspired her to write about topics like gentrification — which she doesn’t normally think about much.

“This idea of the black body being disposable, and churches being disposable, and so many things being disposable,” Sterbini said. “This emotion and this history is being placed into a structure that is literally being destroyed.”

During the closing Q&A portion of the night, Keene brought up this theme of destruction of history, referencing how it can be particularly harmful to ignore the lingering effects of slavery.

“Rethinking our place in space, in this society, in this world. [We need to] change the narrative from being disposable people,” Keene said.

should be moved.

Director of the Office of Public Art Renee Piechocki, who attended the meeting, said by allowing the Stephen Foster statue to remain, the City is sending a message that creating a welcoming environment for all is less important than retaining a racist monument.

“More than a hundred years after the sculpture was dedicated, it is time to reevaluate what we value. Please remove the sculpture,” Piechocki said.

Meetings have been called to discuss the Stephen Foster statue four times since 1990, but up to this point no changes have been made. The Art Commission will convene Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. to vote. A two-thirds vote from the commission is required to pass a decision.

Art Commission member Sarika Goulatia commented on the hearings and the statue from her own personal perspective, which she said does not reflect the opinion of the entire commission.

“It glorifies slavery ... It’s kind of interesting because they show that it is okay for him to get inspiration from a black artist who he does not consider an artist,” Goulatia said. “I personally am totally for the removal of the statue.”

John Keene performed his poetry at the Black Futures event, hosted by the Center for African American Poetry and Poetics.

Issi Glatts | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

October 5, 2017

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Opinions from the editorial board

column

Murphy’s abortion hypocrisy helps no one Politicians can often debate the issues — even the most emotional ones — into a state of almost humdrum normalcy. There’s only so many times you can revisit a public outrage and still realize the issue’s real impact.

One of Pennsylvania’s pro-life members of Congress appears to have reached that point on the matter of abortion. In text messages from January recently revealed in public proceedings for a divorce, Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Pa., appeared to contradict his public stance against abortion by suggesting to a mistress that she undergo the procedure.

“You have zero issue posting your pro-life stance all over the place, ” Murphy’s mistress wrote to him over text, pointing out the representative’s hypocrisy. “[But] you had no issue asking me to abort our unborn child just last week when we thought that was one of the options,” Though it’s easy to reach the conclusion that Murphy’s actions were hypocritical, it’s also worth wondering how he — and perhaps other members of Congress — arrived at such a point mentally. Particularly on the issue of abortion and reproductive health, there’s a large and widening gap between how affected individuals deal with the issue and the rhetoric politicians and pundits use to discuss it.

Among the most egregious examples of this contrast came earlier this week with the House’s vote to send a bill banning late-term abortions to the Senate.

The bill, which Murphy cosponsored, would outlaw the procedure after the first 20 months of pregnancy, with exceptions for the life of the mother, rape

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or incest, and echoes feverish conservative fears.

President Trump is among those whose views on abortion are almost cartoonishly overstated. At the final presidential debate last October for the 2016 election, Trump breathlessly claimed that his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, wanted to “take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb of the mother just prior to the birth of the baby.”

Even if what Trump said about Clinton were true, it should be pointed out that few women have abortions lateterm — according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 1.3 percent of all abortions in the United States occur after the 21st week. Simply stated, the House’s bill addresses a problem that doesn’t appear very pressing.

What is the benefit to distorting an issue like the pro-life movement’s obsessive focus on a facet like late-term abortions that makes up such a small part of women’s experiences? It’s hard to believe that such a focus is intended to benefit the people who actually deal personally with it.

It’s far more likely that Murphy — and others in Congress like him — hold pro-life stances more out of political convenience than conscience. And his warped perception of how abortion affects real people does no credit to the pro-life movement.

Murphy should be pro-life if he truly has a moral conviction on the issue. But his announcement yesterday that he won’t run for reelection to his seat in 2018 was needed. Anything less would be harmful to everyone involved.

DEAR WBC: HATE DOESN’T HAVE A HOME HERE Sarah Shearer

For The Pitt News It only takes reading a few sentences into the “about” page on the Westboro Baptist Church’s website to understand one thing: this is a group fueled by hate.

The WBC is well known for its protesting tactics, picketing at events from military funerals, such as Sgt. Dillon Baldridge’s in North Carolina in June, to memorials for school shootings, including one after the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut. The group’s next protest is slated for today, Oct. 5 — church members will be on the University of Pittsburgh campus after making an appearance at Carnegie Mellon University, concluding with a protest downtown at Duquesne.

Many groups from the Oakland area and throughout the city are organizing counter protests, such as the Trans Liberation protest organized by SisTers PGH on Carnegie Mellon’s campus. Pitt’s Student Government Board is partnering with Rainbow Alliance to hold “Panthers Unite Against Hate,” a fundraiser for Proud Haven. The group works with homeless LGBTQ+ youth and is hoping to raise $20 every minute WBC is on campus.

Another group, known as “Christianity is not Westboro Baptist Church,” has also organized counter protests at CMU, Pitt, Duquesne, Central Catholic and Oakland High School.

Waving signs or participating in a march or a sit-in are unquestionably effective and responsible ways to acknowledge your disapproval of bigotry. But by making the bigots themselves the object of your animosity rather

October 5, 2017

than their beliefs and actions, you could open the door to violent encounters.

One such instance is the 2016 brawl between WBC protesters and students at a Los Angeles high school. The WBC came to voice its disapproval of the school’s newly installed gender-neutral bathroom. Several students confronted picketers, inciting violence by beginning to throw objects at them, although no one was seriously injured.

As students at a University that has a past of passionate, violent protesting — such as the 2016 post-election demonstration in Litchfield Towers — we should take this as an example of what can happen in confrontation with the WBC and strive for more effective, peaceful protesting methods. Riotous environments, on the other hand, where the WBC uses hateful rhetoric only to further its own message, potentially puts counter protesters in physical danger.

More recently, Pitt students led a counter protest on the patio outside Litchfield Towers against a small bigoted crowd last month.

And at the Cato vs. Heritage debate sponsored

by Pitt’s College Republicans Sept. 21, police had to escort several student protesters from the scene. While the first was a good example of a nonviolent demonstration, if students at the debate really wanted to make their voices heard and understood, they would’ve been more effective engaging in open, respective dialogue.

To find an example of such dialogue, it’s best to look at two groups whose ideologies often fall on different sides of the spectrum, See Shearer on page 5

4

Shearer, pg. 4

Abby Katz | STAFF ILLUSTRATOR

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but can unite in their commitment to tolerance — Pitt’s College Democrats and Republicans. President of College Republicans at Pitt, Marlo Safi, is ready to bridge that gap.

“There are misconceptions about the opposing ideology [of conservatives and liberals] on both sides,” Safi said. “It’s comforting to know that ultimately, there is a consensus between students that bigotry is intolerable.”

Safi’s equivalent in the College Democrats, Charlotte Goldbach, agreed that students of all persuasions should be able to work together in the face of hatred.

“Peaceful counter protests are already planned, organized by students to local activists,” she said.

“I know that students will unite against the hatred and bigotry.”

If the WBC continues its past practices, the hate group will likely target members of the LGBTQ+ community. Kate Shindle,

president of Pitt Rainbow Alliance, a student organization that hosts events for LGBTQ+ students and allies, said that there are many acceptable ways to respond to hate.

“We want to encourage Pitt students to think about what kind of response is the most meaningful to them,” Shindle said. “Protesting, especially in such a toxic environment, is not healthy and accessible for everyone.”

Shindle also mentioned that for anyone looking for a safe place today, the Rainbow Alliance office in room 611 of the William Pitt Student Union will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The group will also join with CMU Allies at 5 p.m. to host a self-care focused event in Schenley Plaza, designed to counter the harmful messages spread throughout the day.

“Regardless of what you plan to do,” Shindle said, “please remain nonviolent.”

In a “Christianity”-affiliated protest like today’s, peace is especially crucial in counter protesting because it’s how true followers of the religion would and should react.

WBC will do everything it can to pass itself off to college students as the true representative of Christianity. But as a Christian, I am deeply troubled by their complete misrepresentation of what my religion is. The WBC

October 5, 2017

is quick to use the Bible to shout God’s hatred for various people and groups. But reading even a few lines of God’s word in the Bible plainly shows how misguided this message is.

John 3:16 is perhaps the most famous example: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

This verse single-handedly shuts down the WBC’s entire “theology.” Christianity hinges entirely on the redeeming power of God’s love, something Safi agrees the WBC isn’t cultivating.

“As a devout Christian, I [...] pray for God to have mercy on the souls of anyone who makes the patently false claim that God hates any of his children,” she said.

There is a fundamental difference between hating someone’s actions and the person themselves. Let’s take the opportunity today to live out that distinction not by tearing down the WBC, but showing them with our words and actions that love is — and always will be — more powerful than hatred.

Marlo Safi used to be a writer and editor at The Pitt News.

Write to Sarah at srs165@pitt.edu.

5

Culture

“Send nudes” video See online

: Send nudes student artist draws on Sarah Morris | Staff writer

body positivity

Every couple of weeks, more than 100 people scroll through their Instagram feeds and see a penciled sketch of a woman’s body accompanied by a short description about body positivity by user takeback_thenude.

Sarah Krause, a junior studying studio arts and social work, started something last May called The Nudity Project. The project involves Krause drawing nudes of women who submit photographs to her Instagram page in an attempt to return bodily autonomy to women and foster a better attitude toward the female body.

“Women voluntarily take nude photos of themselves, send them to me and then I draw them,” Krause said.

Krause posts these drawings — intricate black and white pencil sketches — on a Facebook and Instagram page for the project, where she adds words that come from the subjects of the drawings themselves. “[The subjects] have the opportunity to write a caption — a chance to share their story and talk about their relationship with their body and their thoughts on nudity,” Krause said.

The idea is to give women the bodily autonomy Krause said is so often taken from them. She also said it’s a shame when there are online leaks of women’s nude photos without their consent because they have no control over such situations. “[My project] is giving women the opportunity to reclaim their nude photos,” Krause said.

Krause’s drawings are markedly different than the immediate connotation of a nude — there is nothing sexualised about her drawings. Krause aims to separate the ideas of bodies and sexuality — the women participating in the project are making the decision to take and share the photos for themselves, not for men.

Kaylee Williams, a junior studying molecular biology, said she participated in the project because it takes a stance against the male gaze and the general hypersexualization of women’s bod-

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ies. Williams said sending her photo to Krause was definitely out of her comfort zone, but that she saw it as an important step for her in separating nudity from sexuality.

“I enjoyed getting to see my body from a new perspective, one that allowed me to forget the societal pressures I had felt and remember my body’s role as a complex machine and a home,” Williams said.

Williams heard about the project through Krause’s art Instagram account and knew she wanted to participate because of her past struggles with body acceptance. Krause posted the first drawing May 12 and has since posted 19 nudes.

The project was borne out of Krause drawing her own nude photos as a way to practice her technical skills and better draw the human form.

She said she took nude photos of herself for the first time this summer because she didn’t have access to naked models in school. The experience helped her with body image, and she wanted other women to feel what she had felt.

Krause draws each piece in three stages. On day one, she draws the basic form of the subject, spending an hour to get the proportions just right. On day two, Krause spends a few hours shading in the darkest shadows. The finer details are refined on day three, when she spends up to another hour making sure the drawing is exactly how she wants it.

To help Krause kick off the project, her roommate Chelsea Flower sent in nude photos of herself. Flower saw it as a way not only to help out her friend, but to also exercise self love. “[It] gave me the opportunity to experience my body as one whole entity,” Flower said. “It is a functioning unit and a piece of art in its natural form.”

Flower said she has struggled with her body image since third grade and she wanted to be vulnerable and honest in her story for other women to know they aren’t alone.

Krause has received responses from a variety

Artist Sarah Krause wants her stories to help women who struggle with body image. Christian Snyder | CONTRIBUTING EDITOR of people — some friends, some acquaintances and even some complete strangers. After receiving one negative reaction at its inception, her project has since elicited only positive feedback.

About 30 people have expressed interest in participating in the project, and about 25 have gone all the way through with it, sending Krause their photos to draw along with their stories.

Moving forward, Krause has some ideas for expanding and progressing the project.

“Right now, it has been all white women, and I want it to be more inclusive,” Krause said.

Krause wants to portray the diversity of all women and has reached out to try to make this a reality. Specifically, she has been in touch with the Black Action Society on campus as part of this effort. Another move she considers going forward is to draw men as well.

“Beauty standards affect men, too,” Krause said. “Although they manifest themselves in different ways [than they do for women].”

Krause is interested in exploring the different societal views of nudity in men and women, without trying to equate the two. Krause said a few women shared stories about eating disorders they had struggled with for their entire lives.

“I knew the statistics,” Krause said. “But I’d never realized how many people [around me] this affected.”

Krause hopes these stories can help women learn they’re never alone in their struggle with

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body image — something Williams understood.

“It was [...] very refreshing to see and read what other participants had to post pertaining to their bodies,” Williams said. “I saw women with bodies that I had once thought of as a dream body for myself saying that they too had issues with self image.”

Williams said she had difficulty sending a nude photo at first — that she had to learn to be okay with submitting a photo that wasn’t perfectly staged. To her, the project is about celebrating bodies in all forms, oftentimes in positions that aren’t considered traditionally flattering.

“It was very telling to me that society’s expectations of women affected women of all body types in some way,” Williams said.

Krause said reading the captions the women write can truly be eye opening for her and for anyone else reading. A lot of the women shared specific moments in their lives that had an impact on how they viewed their own bodies.

“My body is a home to my thoughts and individuality, and I love it,” Flower said. “I have the nude that Sarah drew of me hanging in my room to remind me of this.”

Krause’s project is ongoing, and though it’s suspended at the moment while she focuses on school, she would love for people willing to participate to reach out to her at any time.

“The female body is art, not a sexual object,” Krause said.

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column

Tom Petty breaks hearts one last time Darren Campuzano For The Pitt News

bud hanging from my left ear. The only explanation I had was I was listening to Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down.”

I was excused for being late that day because my algebra teacher’s all time favorite artist was Tom Petty. Thanks, Tom — for saving me.

And for the past 48 hours, I’ve spent most of my brainpower recalling the Petty lyrics that speak the most to me, which means I’ve been thinking about every track from 16 albums worth of uncontrived rock narratives.

Rock fans will never again hear live performances of “Don’t Do Me Like That” or his song about every triumphant underdog, “Even the Losers.”

I still shake my head at newscasts that show only Petty’s last performance, which occurred a week before his death.

How could such an invincible sound suddenly be muted?

As soon as I got home, I placed my sole Petty record on a glistening turntable. “Damn the Torpedoes” features some of Petty’s most potent writing and divine Rickenbacker solos that feel like they last until the break of day even when the music stops.

For a moment, reports on social media contested that Petty was still alive, “clinging to life.” The waiting was naturally “the hardest part” as millions across the country checked Twitter every hour for updates on Petty’s condition.

As it got late and the needle of my turntable reached the last groove of the final track — “Louisiana Rain” — I decided to keep the record on for the night.

Maybe I thought I could stop the silence that follows after, or maybe I thought I could curb the tears of millions, falling down thicker than that Louisiana rain.

The Pitt news crossword 10/5/17

“I’m just trying to make good quality music, ‘cause I do realize this music is going to be around much longer than me. I do know that now,” Tom Petty said.

The ample songwriter and classic rock trailblazer Petty died of cardiac arrest at age 66 Monday, Oct. 2. What hurts the most when true music icons die is the silence that follows — there’s no 21 guitar salute, no last dance with Mary Jane.

Petty’s last strum came quietly and unexpectedly.

“The Great American Songbook” lost a writer whose lyrics screamed pure Americana and made everyday life seem like the most fascinating topic on the planet.

I was on a bus when the news broke.

Despite my low cell connection, I checked Twitter for about the umpteenth time

that day and my eyes immediately shot to a tweet from director and journalist Cameron Crowe, “no words. just thanks. @tompetty.”

At that moment, I felt the urge to get off the bus. I’m not sure why I responded that way. Maybe I thought getting off the bus back into the fresh Oakland air would change the news. But of course it didn’t.

Petty got me out of a tight situation one time — it was the middle of my first year of high school and I was unbelievably late for Algebra class. My teacher had a strict attendance policy and coming in even milliseconds late could mean the end of Darren.

As I briskly leapt up the steps to the sixth floor, I listened to classic rock radio on Spotify and the music shuffled to Petty. When I finally made it to class, the teacher gave me a menacing glare and asked where I had been, noticing the ear-

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7

The Pitt News

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Single copies of The Pitt News are free and available at newsstands around campus.

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Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the students, faculty or University administration. Opinions expressed in columns, cartoons and letters are not necessarily those of The Pitt News.

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October 5, 2017

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Sports

prediction

PANTHERS TO CRUSH THE ORANGE Dominic Campbell Staff Writer The last time Pitt and Syracuse met, the Panthers won a hectic back-and-forth offensive game 76-61 — the highest combined total score in NCAA history.

But now the Panthers and the Orange both come into this game 2-3 and are desperate for a win, especially in the ACC. Pitt dominated Rice 42-10 last week, ending its threegame losing streak and giving the team some much-needed life. Redshirt senior quarterback Max Browne starred in the game, having a completion rate of 88 percent — for 28 of 32 passes — and throwing for a career-high 410 yards. After redshirt sophomore Ben DiNucci replaced him in the game against Georgia Tech, Browne played the best game of his collegiate career.

Chawntez Moss ran the ball for the Panthers in the Saturday, On the defensive side of the ball, the Panthers have Sept. 30, game against Rice University. struggled.

They rank 103rd out of 129 teams for defense with Thomas Yang | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

433.4 yards given up per game and 106th for allowing 263.4 passing yards per game.

As for Syracuse, the team started out its season 2-1. The Orange easily beat FCS opponent Central Connecticut State, but lost a close game against Middle Tennessee State at home — a game which could end up being vital if they don’t make a bowl game. The Orange then came back for a crushing defeat over Central Michigan, 41-17.

Syracuse continued adding to its losses, recording one against Louisiana State University and one against North Carolina State University. The Orange managed to keep both games close, losing by nine to LSU and eight to NC State. In the game against NC State, the Orange tried to come back after being down 26-7 at the half, but ended up losing 33-25.

The Orange have a great leader with second-year coach Dino Babers at the helm. Babers set out to revamp the football program and promised to bring up-tempo football and See Prediction on page 10

PANTHERS PROVE PROFESSIONAL WORTH

David Leftwich Staff Writer

With the NBA regular season tip-off only a few weeks away, a couple former Panther basketball players have found their way onto NBA rosters.

After fellow Panther James Robinson struggled to get any playing time, only Michael Young and Jamel Artis remain with the chance to secure a spot on an NBA roster following summer league. But Pitt alumnus Steven Adams remains a household name in the NBA. Steven Adams Adams is the only Panther with NBA stats at the moment. As a veteran, he didn’t compete in summer league, but will head into this season as the starting center for a reloaded Oklahoma City Thunder roster — with the addition of Paul George and Carmelo Anthony in the offseason.

Adams departed from the Panthers after playing for one year in 2012-2013. He was the 12th pick of the NBA draft for the Thunder. Adams has served as a strong rebounder and defender since his first year and has slowly improved his offensive game.

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Adams averaged career-highs with 11.3 points and 7.7 rebounds per game in the last season. Despite the star power added to Oklahoma City, Adams will still serve vital roles as a defensive anchor in the paint and as a strong rebounder.

Jamel Artis Artis excelled in the 2016-17 season for the Panthers, averaging 18.2 points per game on 47.5 percent shooting with 39.2 percent from the three point range. Artis proved his scoring abilities when he put up 43 points — the second most in Pitt history — in the team’s loss to No. 14 Louisville Jan. 11.

However, his pro prospects were up in the air because there were concerns that his college game may not translate to the NBA. Even though Artis is listed at 6 feet 7 inches, there was uncertainty surrounding his speed, shooting and ability to compete against players his size.

As an undrafted free agent, Artis originally agreed to join the Miami Heat’s summer league team, but signed a partially guaranteed deal with the New York Knicks the Michael Young led Pitt men’s basketball in scornext day.

See Panther Pros on page 10 ing last season averaging 19.6 points per game.

Anna Bongardino | ASSISTANT VISUAL EDITOR

October 5, 2017

9

Prediction, pg. 9 fast scoring. Junior quarterback Eric Dungey and senior wide receivers Steve Ishmael and Ervin Phillips have proven how explosive this offense can be.

Dungey is currently ranked 12th in the NCAA for passing yards this season. He has completed 64 percent of his passes — 135 of 212 — and has 1,437 yards so far.

Ishmael and Phillips rank first and third, respectively, in the NCAA for receptions per game with 10.2 and 8.8, respectively. Ishmael is also second in the nation for total receiving yards at 632 and is third in receiving yards per game at 126.4.

The Panthers will have to stamp out this high-powered offense and give special attention to Ishmael and Phillips if they want any chance of winning this game. They can’t expect to win if they have another game like Oklahoma State, when they allowed quarterback Mason Rudolph to throw for 497 yards.

The Panthers can’t waste two men covering one player, either. While Ishmael has been the better receiver, Phillips had an impressive game last week. For example, when Ishmael was covered by two men in the game against NC State, Phillips was more open and had 17 catches for

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188 yards — an ACC record for most receptions in a game.

On a positive note, Pitt has All-ACC defensive back junior Jordan Whitehead back. He wasn’t able to demonstrate his defensive prowess against the run-heavy triple option of Georgia Tech, but against Syracuse he will have the chance to show those skills.

The Panthers have also had trouble with running the ball. Against a weak Rice defense, they only accumulated 69 yards on 33 rushing attempts, and their longest run was by Whitehead for 24 yards. With players such as redshirt junior Qadree Ollison and sophomore Chawntez Moss, the Panthers have the experience at the running back position to run the ball better than they have been.

PREDICTION: Passing the ball will be key to a Pitt win on Saturday. Browne showed last week that with time in the pocket, he can throw some brilliant passes. Still, playing against a Rice defense, which ranks 122nd, is not the same as the ACC defense of the Orange.

The last time these two teams met, they set a precedent for scoring. Even though this game should be lower-scoring, don’t be surprised both teams try to rack up the points.

Pitt: 35, Syracuse: 31

Panther Pros, pg. 9 Artis showed signs during summer league that his shooting could translate to the NBA, averaging 8.8 points per game on 48.6 percent shooting with 42 percent from the three-point line. Currently, Artis is competing in the preseason to secure a spot on the Knicks’ 12-man NBA roster.

Michael Young Young led the Panthers in scoring last season with 19.6 points per game to earn a spot on the third-team all ACC roster.

Even though he had great success in the college game, scouts thought his game might not translate the NBA. He stands at 6 feet 9 inches and plays a mid-range style of basketball, making him too short to play on the inside in the NBA. Young also lacks the shooting range of players similar to his size in the league.

After going undrafted, the Washington Wizards added Young to their summer league team. Averaging 9.4 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, Young showed flashes of success despite his low

October 5, 2017

field goal percentage of 33 percent during the summer league.

The Wizards took a chance and signed Young to a 2-year contract in the beginning of July, allowing him to flow between the NBA roster and their affiliate G-League roster. He is currently with the team for preseason play.

James Robinson Robinson, a 2015 Pitt graduate, entered summer league with a chance to get signed to an NBA roster after a strong year in Europe. Even though he wasn’t drafted after college, he travelled to Bosnia to play professionally for BC Igokea. Robinson immediately made an impact, leading the team in scoring at 12.8 points per game en route to the team’s first place finish for the season.

Because of his strong performance in Bosnia, the San Antonio Spurs added him to their summer league roster. Robinson, however, didn’t log any minutes of action in summer league.

Robinson did not end up signing with the Spurs, but signed a contract June 30 with Medi Bayreuth to play in the Basketball Bundesliga in Germany next season.

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I N D E X

Rentals & Sublet • NORTH OAKLAND • SOUTH OAKLAND • SHADYSIDE • SQUIRREL HILL • SOUTHSIDE • NORTHSIDE • BLOOMFIELD • ROOMMATES • OTHER

Employment • CHILDCARE • FOOD SERVICES • UNIVERSITY • INTERNSHIPS • RESEARCH • VOLUNTEERING • OTHER

For Rent

Squirrel Hill

South Oakland

1BR FURNISHED apartment. Safe Squirrel Hill neighborhood. Large living room, Bedroom with queen bed, complete Kitchen. Laundry optional. Private parking. Near bus stops to CMU, PITT, Downtown. Non-smoking.

Available October 5. $850+ utilities. CALL 412-606-8052.

**AUGUST 2018: Furnished studios, 1,2,3,4 bedroom apartments. No pets.

Non-smokers preferred. 412-621-0457 .

1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 Bedrooom Houses.

August 2018. Bouquet St, Meyran, Semple, Neville, Chesterfield.

412-287-5712.

2-3-4-5-6-7 bedroom apartments and houses available in May and August 2018. Nice, clean, free laundry, includes exterior maintenance, new appliances, spacious, located on Meyran, Bates, Oakland, Semple, Wellsford, Dawson, Juliet.

412-414-9629.

3,4,6 houses available January and August 2018. Lawn St. Ward St. Call 412-287-5712.

6, 7, 8BR house for rent. Carpeted, appliances, porch, laundry facilites. Off-street parking available.

Five minute walk to Pitt. No pets. Aug. 1, 2018. 1 year lease.

Call 412-983-5222.

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2BR duplex. Available now! Equipped kitchen granite, hardwood, laundry, garage, fenced, nonsmoking. PetsOK. $1145+ 703-899-5246

Southside SOUTHSIDE FLATS 2br house central air, dining room, extra room $800+ Mike 412-708-1695

Classifieds

For sale

• AUTO • BIKES • BOOKS • MERCHANDISE • FURNITURE • REAL ESTATE • PETS

for the upcoming 2017-2018 basketball season. Coaches are needed for boys varsity (7th & 8th grades) and girls JV (5th and 6th grades).

Diocese clearances required and mandate reporters training. For more information or if interested, please contact Amy Volpe at jaisvolpe@gmail.com.

Employment Other College or graduate school students needed to work with elementary school children in a fun, structured after school program in the South Hills. $11.50-$13.50 per hour, flexible hours, must have own transportation. Email resume or letter of interest to jhroberts66@comcast. net

Volunteering

Family in Shadyside seeking experienced babysitter for two children ages 3 & 6.

We are looking for someone who is available for occassional date night, but the ideal candidate would also be available in the afternoon for possible after school pickups. Korean language is a plus. We will pay $15/hr. johnson.jason.a@ gmail.com.

Sacred Heart Elementary School, located in the Shadyside neighborhood of Pittsburgh, is seeking volunteer basketball coaches

SOUTH FAYETTE TWP. SCHOOL DISTRICT: Substitute Teacher positions,

Rental Other 1,2,3,4 BR. Apartments, prices range from $450-$750 per person. Some include utilities, some you have to pay. Call Jarrad 814-403-2798

Employment

notices

services

• EDUCATIONAL • TRAVEL • HEALTH • PARKING • INSURANCE

• ADOPTION • EVENTS • LOST AND FOUND • STUDENT GROUPS • WANTED • OTHER

substitute Nurse positions, substitute Para-educator positions.

Positions available for all grade levels and areas of content.

We encourage upcoming graduates and retirees (on emergency basis) to apply.

Complete job descriptions are available at: www.southfayette.org South Fayette Twp. School District, 3680 Old Oakdale Rd. McDonald, PA 15057 EOE

Want to get a great discount and work flexible hours over the holiday season?

American Eagle and Aerie are now hiring at the Ross Park Mall location. Great Discount. Competitive Wages. Apply at aeo.jobs

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(Each Additional Word: $0.10)

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Two business days prior by 3pm | Email: advertising@pittnews.com | Phone: 412.648.7978

Notices Adoption ADOPTION: Loving, stable family hopes for one more blessing to join us in our adventures! Please call Heather/Chris 1 (800) 444-3089

Events Dr. Morris E. Turner Medical Scholarship For Minority Students $1,500. Deadline date for submission: October 15, 2017.

Sponsored by the Highland Park Tennis Club (HPTC).

Please go to www. hptc.info, look under “Events” for details.

Services Services Other More than 1500 souls are lost in the Haunted Doll House.

Will yours be one of them?

Go to www.HauntedDollEscape.com for Special Halloween Discounts Call 412-586-8345 for details.

October 5, 2017

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October 5, 2017

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