Basketball Preview 2019

the pitt news

BASKETBALL PREVIEW NOVEMBER 4, 2019 | VOLUME 110 | ISSUE 57

COVER PHOTO BY KAYCEE ORWIG | SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Sports

WHITE WELCOMES NEW YEAR IN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL REBUILD

PITT NEEDS DEFENSE TO PROTECT THE PETE VS. FSU

Trey McGowens (2) was the highest-rated player from head coach Jeff Capel’s first recruiting class. Kaycee Orwig | senior staff photographer

Stephen Thompson and Trent Leonard Redshirt senior guard Aysia Bugg rushes past Pitt-Johnstown’s Alli McGrath.

Bugg is one of only two current players who have seen regular starting minutes in their career.. Joy Cao | staff photographer

Dominic Campbell Senior Staff Writer

Leaves crunch underfoot, temperatures drop and basketballs hit the hardwood — November is finally here, meaning that Pitt women’s basketball will open their second season under head coach Lance White this month. White is charged with the tall task of rebuilding Pitt’s struggling women’s basketball program and has already gotten to work revamping the middling Panthers.

The 2018-19 season was a difficult time for the redeveloping Panthers.

They went 11-20 overall and 2-14 in ACC conference play — good for second to last in the conference — and were blown out in many of those games. In ACC play, they lost a total of thirteen games by more than 10 points, five of

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them by more than 20 and three by more than 30. They even lost by 56 in one game — the conference opener against perennial power Notre Dame.

The roster that returns this season looks almost nothing like the team that ended last season. Four starters left last season, with Cassidy Walsh, Danielle Garven and Kauai Bradley graduating and junior point guard Jasmine Whitney choosing to “step away from the team.”

Additionally, three reserve players chose to transfer, including sophomore guard Pika Rodriguez, first-year guard Tehya Lyons and sophomore forward Jaala Henry. Center Kalista Walters graduated, and guard Alayna Gribble retired from basketball after suffering multiple concussions.

See Women on page 3

Sports Editors

When the Panthers and Seminoles last took the floor of the Petersen Events Center in January, head coach Jeff Capel’s “Zoo Era” of Pitt basketball was still in its infancy, but the hype had already grown to larger-thanlife heights.

The Panthers upset then No. 11 Florida State with 30 points from then first-year guard Trey McGowens. The Panthers used their size disadvantage as a weapon, baiting the long, athletic Seminoles into 31 fouls, which turned into 46 free throw attempts.

Pitt made 38 of those 46 attempts, en route to a 75-62 win.

Victory over Florida State brought Pitt’s record in the ACC to an even 2-2 and had fans salivating at Pitt basketball’s return to the dominance of eras past, but that hype was premature. The Panthers wouldn’t win another game until March and limped to a 14-19 record, capped by a loss in the second

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round of the ACC Tournament.

McGowens is back, along with classmate Xavier Johnson, who also burned Florida State for 18 points while going a perfect 1010 from the free throw line. But other than that, the Pitt team that will welcome the team from Tallahassee on Wednesday will be unrecognizable from last year’s squad — at least according to Johnson during a press conference last week.

“It’s a whole different Pitt team, so they can’t expect … to just come in and get a ‘W.’” Johnson said. “Everything. Intensity, scoring the ball, playing defense full court. I can’t describe it to you, but we’re gonna be ready.”

That’s good news for the Panthers, because they’ll need to be ready. While the Seminoles lost key pieces of last year’s ACC Tournament runner-up and NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 team, they reloaded with the kind of height and athleticism that head coach Leonard Hamilton loves in his players.

Although 7-foot-4 center Christ Koumaje was lost to graduation, Hamilton wasted no See Men on page 6

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Women, pg. 2 Altogether, almost half of the 201819 roster did not return.

The 2019-20 Pitt women’s basketball team enters this season with an abundance of new faces and a lack of experience. There are only two players that have seen regular starting minutes in their career, redshirt senior guard Aysia Bugg and junior center Cara Judkins.

Bugg is in her sixth year at Pitt after redshirting her senior year due to a torn ACL and gaining another year of eligibility from the NCAA after being diagnosed with blood clots in her lungs. She is by far the Panthers’ most talented and experienced player and has the stats to prove it, as one of two active ACC players with at least 700 career points, 350 assists and 300 rebounds.

Judkins doesn’t have the more than a half decade of experience that Bugg boasts, but she is still one of the program’s few veterans. She started 25 of 31 games, and has carved out a niche in the paint on both ends of the floor, averaging 6.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game.

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Those two account for all of the experience the Panthers have going into this season, but that doesn’t mean they will catch any breaks once it begins.

All of the new players will be trusted with plenty of playing time, given Pitt’s short 12-player roster. And of those 12 players, only nine are both healthy and eligible to start the season.

Despite the obvious obstacles this team has in front of them, this transition year can be an essential part of the foundation for White’s tenure as head coach.

It will all start with his first full recruiting class — the three guards Dayshanette Harris, Amber Brown, Emy Hayford and two forwards Rita Igbokwe and Cynthia Ezeja. Of these players, it appears that Harris and Brown will start and rarely leave the floor this season. Harris is a combo guard and her playmaking will provide a fine complement to Bugg’s scoring in her final year.

Brown is a 6-foot guard that will also assume some forward roles. Her talent lies around the basket with her ability to drive, score in the lane and grab rebounds, of which she tallied 19

in Friday’s exhibition game against PittJohnstown.

Of the remaining first-years, Hayford, who hails from the Netherlands, will come off the bench, but has strong scorer’s instincts. Igbokwe is raw, but her 6-foot-4 frame provides a physical match for the taller centers and forwards of the ACC. Ezeja, a 6-foot-3 Greece native, will eventually play the same role as Igbokwe, but will most likely be redshirting this season.

To provide desperately needed experience, Pitt added two transfers, junior Gabbie Green and junior Marcella LaMark. Green came from South Plains College in Texas and can shoot the ball well, averaging 17 points in league play last season, shooting 46.7% from the floor and 30.2% from behind the arc.

Because LaMark transferred midseason from Texas Tech, she will have to wait until January to begin play as she finishes sitting out a year. Her last game action came in junior college at Central Florida, where she posted averages of 13.1 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game in her sophomore season.

Among Pitt’s thin rank of returners

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are junior Kyla Nelson and sophomores Ismini Prapa and Jahsyni Knight. Nelson can shoot from behind the arc, but is currently recovering from surgery after being diagnosed with cancer. Meanwhile, Prapa will be tasked with using her jump shot to space the floor as Knight provides a solid target for Bugg and Harris to find running the floor for easy layups.

For this season to be a successful one, the Panthers will need to use the non-conference schedule to correct deficiencies that will be exploited in ACC play, such as unnecessary turnovers, missed defensive assignments and bad shots.

The bad news is that the Panthers are inexperienced and undersized, and their talent will be overmatched in almost every game this season. The good news is that not much is expected of them, but in order to have a successful season, the little things will have to be major priorities. Strong effort, hard defense and the construction of a positive culture are essential to a productive year and helping White recruit for the future.

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PITT ESCAPES EXHIBITION WITH A NARROW WIN

Senior forward Danielle Garven attempts a layup. Joy Cao | staff photographer

Dominic Campbell Senior Staff Writer

Typically, a preseason exhibition game is an opportunity for more talented teams to tune up for the regular season against a lower-division opponent. But for Pitt women’s basketball, Friday night’s exhibition against PittJohnstown was another story. The Panthers struggled mightily, escaping with a narrow 76-62 win over the Division II Mountain Cats.

Five Panthers took the floor of the Petersen Events Center for the first time, a clear sign that head coach Lance White is ready to make this program

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his own. But along with all of the new talent comes inexperience, something White saw firsthand Friday night.

“I think with a young team it’s gonna be constantly keeping their emotions in check and we’ve gotta learn,” White said. “We’re going to have to be a team that grows every day and every game.”

Pitt started the first quarter quickly with a 5-0 lead after first-year guard Dayshanette Harris made a free throw and a layup on the fast break, followed by a layup from junior center Cara Judkins. But through the remainder of the See Johnstown on page 7

WEEKEND SPORTS RECAP: CROSS COUNTRY WINDS DOWN, WRESTLING HEATS UP Dalton Miller

For The Pitt News Pitt athletics collected a mixed bag this Halloween weekend — of wins and losses, not candy. A record-setting volleyball win and title-winning bouts for Panther wrestlers were dampened by a rough outing in cross country and a tough loss in men’s soccer.

Cross country Coming off of quality finishes in the Texas A&M Arturo Barrios Invitational in College Station, both Pitt men’s and women’s cross country teams traveled to Blacksburg, Virginia, to conclude their seasons in the ACC Cross Country Championships on Friday.

In the women’s 6k, Pitt finished 14th out of the 15 ACC teams, falling one spot from its 13th-place finish last year. Pitt was led by senior Sam Shields, who finished 66th with a time of 22:23.

The men’s team didn’t fare much better.

They finished 11th in the 8k, with the top performer being junior Zach Lefever, who finished 38th with a time of 25:17. Although a disappointing result, 2019’s finish is a slight improvement over finishing 13th in last year’s ACC Championship.

Men’s Soccer Following their epic come-from-behind win over Duke last weekend, Pitt men’s soccer looked to build on their electric second half in South Bend, Indiana, on Friday against Notre Dame, their final match of the regular season.

The Panthers outshot the Fighting Irish 15-5 but were unable to find the back of the net and fell 1-0. The lone goal of the game came from Notre Dame forward Jack Lynn, who was assisted by midfielder Felicien Dumas.

Pitt was led with five shots from junior forward Alexander Dexter and four shots from fellow junior forward Edward Kizza.

Each only had one shot on goal and no other Pitt player managed to reach the net.

Next up, Pitt will host either Duke or NC State at Ambrose Urbanic Field for the

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quarterfinal of the ACC Championship. The match is scheduled for this Sunday at 3 p.m.

Volleyball No. 2 Pitt Volleyball swept Wake Forest 3-0 at home on Friday, improving their record to 22-1 overall and 11-0 in the ACC. With their seventh straight sweep, the Panthers set a program record for consecutive 3-0 wins. They also extended their record for most consecutive wins at home with the 31st straight win at the Fitzgerald Fieldhouse.

Pitt dominated the match from start to finish and swept the Demon Deacons not only in sets, but in stats, too, as the Panthers led the match in kills, blocks, assists and digs.

But Friday’s match was also highlighted by strong individual performances from redshirt senior outside hitter Stephanie WIlliams who led the match with nine kills. First-year setter Lexis Akeo followed her outstanding performance of 37 assists against Louisville with a solid 25 assists against Wake Forest.

Pitt will host Georgia Tech next Friday at 7 p.m. in the Fitzgerald Fieldhouse, looking to extend both of their new program records.

Wrestling No. 14 Pitt wrestling traveled to East Lansing, Michigan, to open their season by competing in the Michigan State Open on Saturday. They put on a strong showing with three Panthers earning titles and two finishing in second in matches with wrestlers from across the Midwest and Northeast.

Redshirt freshman Cole Matthews and redshirt sophomores Micky Phillippi and Nino Bonaccorsi all earned titles in their weight classes.

Along with those three champions, redshirt freshmen Louis Newell and Luke Kemerer finished as runners-up. Pitt wrapped up the tournament with a total of 12 placers.

The Panthers will now be tasked with defending home turf on Saturday when they host Campbell in the Fitzgerald Fieldhouse for their first dual match of the year.

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Men, pg. 2 time in filling his particularly large shoes.

Enter 7-foot-1 first-year center Balsa Koprivica, a native of Serbia, and 7-foot Polish graduate transfer Dominik Olejniczak, the latest in a pattern of towering Florida State big men.

Koprivica and Olejniczak will both see their fair share of floor on Wednesday night and will keep graduate transfer Eric Hamilton and junior Terrell Brown busy on both ends of the floor. Pitt cannot match the vertical advantages that the Seminoles have, but will have a subtle edge down low.

Hamilton is listed at 6-foot-9 and 260 pounds, while Brown stands slightly taller and thinner at 6-foot-10 and 235 pounds after adding a bit of muscle during the offseason. Florida State’s twin 7-footers both check in at 260 pounds each, meaning that Hamilton and Brown have the weight to keep Koprivica and Olejniczak out of the paint.

It will be essential for Hamilton and Brown to use their muscle to gain favorable position in the post to play defense and box out, so that Florida State’s height advantage is neutralized on the boards, and the centers are forced to score from the outside.

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It’s a tall order that’s based off of their results from a secret scrimmage against Maryland last month. Capel said during a press conference last week that he is still wary of their ability to hold their own on the boards.

“One of the major areas [for improvement] was rebounding,” Capel said. “As of right now it’s gonna be gang rebounding …

Our guards have to get down there, we have to block out, we have to do the dirty work.”

But with the addition of Hamilton and growth of Brown, the Panthers won’t be as physically overmatched as they were at points last year, meaning that Pitt’s guards will have ample opportunity to grab rebounds and outflank the Seminoles for transition layups.

And even though Florida State’s height is immediately obvious, its skill on the perimeter will also challenge the Panthers on the defensive end. Senior point guard Trent Forrest commands the Seminoles on offense.

He is tied for ninth in Florida State program history in assists and has increased his scoring average in each of his three years as a Seminole.

In his final season, Forrest figures to improve on both of those already impressive figures. That means McGowens, Pitt’s best

guard defender, will need to blanket Forrest and force him to give the ball up and rely on less proven perimeter players.

Similarly, sophomore forward Au’Diese Toney will be tasked with containing firstyear phenom and future first-round NBA Draft pick, Patrick Williams. Williams was rated as a five-star recruit and has lived up to the billing so far.

His coaches in Tallahassee are raving about Williams’ maturity and talent, which manifests itself particularly on the offensive end. He’s a smart cutter and strong shooter, who will fit perfectly with Forrest’s outstanding passing and ball-handling ability. Williams also has a nose for offensive rebounds and doesn’t hesitate when defenders give him an opening.

Toney will have to be aware, physical and judicious with his fouls. There are few players on Pitt’s roster who can match up physically with the 6-foot-9 Williams. Toney is the right combination of height, athleticism and defensive IQ to rise to the occasion.

And like Toney, Pitt will have to rise to the occasion as a team. There are plenty of distractions that naturally come with a season opener, but adding the stakes of a conference game and weight of new expec-

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tations will create a more difficult path to victory for Pitt. But Capel is confident that their scrimmage with Maryand and summer trip to Italy will serve them well in an unusual opener.

“Normally the first game is not against an opponent with that kind of size, athleticism, sometimes talent.” Capel said. “That’s why we scheduled the Italy trip. All of it was in preparation for having two conference games before Christmas.”

Last season, Pitt’s coaching staff instilled the image of each game as a “10-round fight” into their team’s DNA. Essentially, no game will be easy and no game is over until the clock hits zero. Now, Capel has carried that mantra into the new year.

“None of it’s easy,” Capel said. “Even if you have a whole team returning that was a Final Four team last year, it’s not easy. But I like the direction that we’re headed in and I like this group. I like the spirit they have, I like how they’ve worked, I like how they try to attack and get better each day. And hopefully we can continue to do that … We’ve gotta stick together and keep fighting.”

Wednesday night. 8 p.m. Florida State enters the Petersen Events Center for round one.

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Johnstown, pg. 5 first quarter, Pitt-Johnstown steadied their play to maintain the five-point deficit at the end of the first period.

In her first quarter back from a bout with blood clots in her lungs, redshirt senior guard Aysia Bugg struggled, scoring 0 points on 0-3 shooting. And Pitt followed her lead, shooting only 38.3% from the field, 0-3 from 3-point range and 68.8% from the foul line.

But an opportunistic Pitt defense collected eight steals in the quarter and helped Pitt maintain its slim margin.

The Mountain Cats were led by senior forward Alli McGrath, who scored 10 points on 4-8 shooting from the field, including 2-5 from 3-point range. But she was the lone Mountain Cat to shoot efficiently.

Collectively, they shot a lowly 38.8% from the field.

But in the second quarter, Pitt began to break away from the Mountain Cats with a 12-2 quarter-opening run in less than three and a half minutes.

Bugg finally got on the scoreboard with a 3-pointer and layup and Brown

converted an old-fashioned 3-point play to fuel the dominant stretch.

Even though the rest of the second quarter was more closely contested, the Panthers closed the half leading 44-26. And despite continued poor shooting overall, they shot 4-11 from 3-point range to expand their lead by halftime.

Bugg was finally able to find her stroke in an electric second quarter.

She scored 14 points by way of four 3-pointers on six attempts in addition to one 2-point field goal. Bugg and Brown combined to score 21 of Pitt’s 23 second-quarter points.

On the other hand, Pitt-Johnstown continued to struggle offensively in the second quarter. Only two players scored for the Mountain Cats, who could muster only 10 points in the quarter.

The third quarter saw the Mountain Cats cut into the Panthers lead, but never come closer than an 11-point deficit. Smith single-handedly made a 9-2 run in the third quarter, by converting an and-one off a layup and then making six more free throws.

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That run was the highlight of Smith’s strong third quarter. She was the Mountain Cats’ most efficient player in the quarter, finding her way to the line seven times and making every foul shot. Junior forward Maddie Shanahan chipped in six points as well.

Bugg continued to show more comfort as the game progressed. She tallied another double-digit scoring total in the third, but was the only offensive threat the Panthers could turn to.

Harris especially struggled in the third quarter, committing three turnovers.

But in the fourth quarter, junior transfer guard Gabbie Green was able to get to the rim with ease for Pitt. She scored six points on three layups to put the Panthers back up to 19 with 7:43 left in the fourth quarter.

Pitt-Johnstown refused to fold, cutting into Pitt’s late lead with a 10-2 run that shrank the deficit to 11. But the Panthers were able to close out the Mountain Cats with three layups, one from Bugg and two from Judkins, and secure a 76-62 win.

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overall, making only 27 of their 73 field goals and 25% from 3-point range. Despite their struggles to put the ball in the basket, Pitt commanded a strong edge in rebounding and steals.

Bugg dropped a team-high 26 points in her first game action since last November, and her 6-15 mark from the 3-point range accounted for all of Pitt’s makes from distance.

Brown, in her first game as a Panther, tallied 15 points and nine rebounds which tied for the team lead.

Harris also contributed a strong effort in her Pitt debut with nine points, seven assists and four steals. White is confident that, despite some trouble with turnovers, his young point guard will have a bright future.

“She’s a dynamic player and once her fundamentals get a little bit better and she’s able to dribble a little bit more with her left hand … I think she’s going to be a really fun player,” White said.

Pitt will open their season in earnest on Wednesday, when they travel to Orlando, Florida, for an 11 a.m. tipoff with UCF.

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News

Votes for controversial Pa. PITT STD RATES UP ballot initiative Marsy’s Law WITH NATIONAL AVERAGE may not be counted Elise Lavallee

Contributing Editor While visiting the polls Tuesday, Pennsylvanians will vote on a referendum known as Marsy’s Law — but it is unclear if the votes will be counted.

The referendum asks voters whether they approve or reject a series of state constitutional amendments that would give victims of crimes “co-equal rights to the accused.” Marsy’s Law, if approved, would provide crime victims the ability to be notified of release or escape of the accused. In addition, they will be able to refuse an interview, deposition or other discovery request made by the accused and to be heard at proceedings where the right of the victim is implicated, including release, sentencing and parole hearings.

Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Judge Ellen Ceisler issued an injunction last Wednesday preventing the counting or tallying of votes on the referendum until a ruling has been made in the standing lawsuit League of Women’s Voters of PA and Haw v. Boockvar.

Lorraine Haw, a member of the Coalition for a Just District Attorney and the Coalition to Abolish Death by Incarceration, as well as the League of Women’s Voters, a nonpartisan political advocacy group seeking to inform voters on reform issues, filed the suit against the state’s ballot measure on Oct. 10.

They claimed that the ballot measure proposed several amendments to Pennsylvania’s constitution, violating Article XI, which states that “when two or more amendments shall be submitted they

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shall be voted upon separately.”

Acting Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar, the case’s defendant, said in response that the ballot measure contains related subparts that pertain to a single subject, making it constitutional.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro filed an appeal Friday afternoon in response to the injunction, according to an email from the attorney’s general spokesperson, Jacklin Rhoads.

Marsy’s Law was ruled unconstitutional in the state of Montana in 2017 for the same separate-vote issue that is currently being tried in the Pennsylvania case.

The original intention of the lawsuit was to prevent the initiative from making it onto the ballot in the first place.

But some officials, including Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala, argue it is too late for the referendum to be removed. Zappala filed a petition to intervene with the Commonwealth Court on Oct. 11, requesting that his office be allowed to help defend the case.

“As the Chief Law Enforcement Officer of Allegheny County, your petitioner has the duty and obligation to protect the victims of crime,” the petition said.

“The purpose of this proposed amendment is to protect the rights and security of victims of violent crimes, and their families.”

Marsy’s Law has support from top Democrats across the Commonwealth, including Gov. Tom Wolf, Sen. Bob

The Student Health Center’s Safe Sex Condom Distribution Program provides free condoms for students in the Wellness Center waiting room, exam rooms and in the third floor restrooms of the William Pitt Union. Caela Go | staff photographer

Rebecca Johnson Staff Writer

Nearly 2.4 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis were reported in the United States in 2018 — the highest cumulative number ever recorded, according to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

These rapidly increasing national averages — a 14% increase between 2017 and 2018 in reported cases of syphilis, a 5% increase in gonorrhea and a 3% increase in chlamydia — have also affected Pitt.

Marian Vanek, the executive director of the Wellness Center, confirmed via email that Pitt has seen similar increases to those found by the CDC. Vanek also said chlamydia presents a particular challenge because it is asymptomatic, or shows no symptoms.

“STD rates in the USA have increased for the fourth consecutive year, with Chlamydia remaining as the most common STD See Marsy’s on page 10 reported,” Vanek said. “This is not surprising

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in that Chlamydia is often asymptomatic, going undetected, leaving many untreated. This is certainly a concern. And sadly, much can be prevented.”

Lawrence Kingsley, a professor of infectious diseases and microbiology in the Graduate School of Public Health, said this increasing number of preventable sexually transmitted diseases represents a failure in our country’s public health infrastructure.

“My professional opinion is that this represents a failure of our public health system,” Kingsley said. “We haven’t been able to control many sexually transmitted diseases which are relatively easy to diagnose and fully treatable.”

Vanek said, if left untreated, these diseases pose serious risks.

“Any STD, if left undetected, can cause serious and possibly permanent harm,” Vanek said. “STDs can impact reproductive health, fetal health and even increase risk of certain See STDs on page 11

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Opinions

ONLINE Beto for Senate pittnews.com

CALLOUT OF CALLOUT CULTURE IS JUSTIFIED Julia Kreutzer

Senior Staff Columnist Former President Barack Obama is fed up with callout culture.

In an interview with “Grown-ish” star Yara Shahidi at the Obama Foundation Summit in Chicago, Obama warned the “politically woke” generation of young people that this form of activism was ineffective and immoral.

“This idea of purity and you’re never compromised and you’re always politically woke and all that stuff, you should get over that quickly. The world is messy. There are ambiguities. People who do really good stuff have flaws,” Obama said. “I can sit and feel pretty good about myself because, man, you see how woke I was, I called you out. That’s not activism. That’s not bringing about change. If all you’re doing is casting stones, you’re probably not going to get that far.”

He’s right. Propelled by increased social media engagement, my generation in particular has seen the rise of callout culture, a trend of digitally confronting people whose actions are perceived as hateful, as a response to missteps and offenses by those with influence. While it’s important that we hold others accountable for wrongdoing, we must go beyond sending chastising tweets and work to help those individuals understand how their actions have painful effects on others. Calling someone out is an inactive form of activism that is fruitless and hypocritical.

From politicians to musicians to comedians, more and more influential people have been on the receiving end of the callout. Days after it was announced comedian Shane Gillis would join the “Saturday Night Live” cast, Twitter exploded with clips of Gillis using offensive language and racial slurs on podcasts. He was dropped from the cast list in September, just days after the original cast announcement. Presidential candidate Andrew Yang chimed in on Twitter, surprisingly coming to the defense of

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Promiti Debi | staff illustrator Shane.

“I think we have, as a society, become excessively punitive and vindictive concerning people’s statements and expressions we disagree with or find offensive. I don’t think people should be losing jobs unless it’s truly beyond the pale and egregious,” Yang said.

It’s not that Gillis was in the right. These comments were deeply disrespectful and further a deep and painful legacy of racism in our country. But “cancelling” a person based off of previous actions prevents a continued, honest dialogue and discounts the idea that humans are constantly evolving creatures. Rather than leading with pitchforks in all situations, we can instead work to encourage change when others hurt us.

While callouts actually prompted SNL to take action in Gillis’ case, these angry tweets too often fail to result in tangible action or engage both parties in a respectful dialogue.

Too often, outrage and advocacy morphs into virtual piles on, replacing a genuine desire to make change with threats and more insidious language.

Videos depicting a 12-year-old named

Rayden, who has autism, being physically bullied by his classmates went viral in October. MMA fighters, NFL stars and other celebrities have teamed up to offer support for Rayden and more than $16,600 has been raised for the family on their GoFundMe page, demonstrating that good can come from publicising troubling events on social media.

Amidst the showing of support via the Twitter hashtag #standwithrayden, there were also calls for retaliation against the 12-year-old bullies. As more and more people became invested in Rayden’s story, the narrative flipped. It was no longer about lifting Rayden up, but violently tearing his bullies down. Holding people accountable for their behavior is instrumental for progress, but there is something inherently wrong about uninvolved adults inciting action against children. In taking to Twitter or Facebook in anger rather than having faceto-face conversations or working to actively combat hate, we are pumping the brakes on learning opportunities.

Callouts take chastising too far, while

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not pushing hard enough for actual reformation. It’s a juxtaposition that proves how badly this tactic misses the mark. While often well-intentioned, calling someone out online will simply not inspire them to change or incite action on a more macro level. It’s not that we don’t have to combat racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia and other evils when we see them — we just must go about it in a different manner.

An effective alternative to calling someone out is calling them in. The “call in,” a term first coined by writer Ngọc Loan Trần in 2013, has become a comprehensive framework in engaging in tough but important conversations with those who have made hateful statements. Calling out strangers on Twitter simply doesn’t work, but having conversations with our peers, friends and loved ones when they engage in damaging behavior helps lay the framework for progress.

It begins with setting boundaries. If you feel personally triggered by someone’s actions or comments, you may not be the best person to engage with them. Give yourself time to process your emotions and formulate your thoughts in a less reactionary manner before approaching them.

It’s imperative these conversations center on a behavior, not a person. Replace phrases like “you are being racist” with “those words are deeply painful for people of color” or “you are being homophobic” with “using the word gay as a slur is extremly hurtful for many queer people.” It gives the person the benefit of the doubt, believing that they are good people who genuinely want to do better. Tell them that this comes from a place of love, and the understanding that they are allowed to make mistakes.

Obama was right to critique the ways we are holding others accountable. By making room for growth and understanding, we can actively work to lessen the effects and presence of hate.

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Marsy’s, pg. 8 Casey and Shapiro. Wolf released a statement of support for the amendment in April 2018.

“It is important for us all to reflect on how we can improve the lives of crime victims in Pennsylvania,” Wolf said.

“Marsy’s Law will amend the state constitution to provide crime victims with equal protections and participation in the process. Victims and their families deserve equity.”

Marsy’s Law for All — a group established to enact constitutional rights for crime victims in all 50 states — was established in 2009 by Dr. Henry Nicholas after the first version of Marsy’s Law passed in California in 2008.

Nicholas sponsored the original law in response to his sister Marsy’s death.

Marsy Nicholas was murdered by her

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ex-boyfriend in 1983 while attending University of California Santa Barbara.

Dr. Nicholas and his mother were upset when they later ran into Marsy’s muderer at the grocery store after he had been released on bail, before he had been convicted of the crime.

Supporters of the amendment have framed Marsy’s Law as a victims’ rights measure that would guarantee crime victims’ rights in the same way the accused are granted rights. But Andy Hoover, a spokesperson for the ACLU of Pennsylvania, said the amendment appeals to “our sense of fairness” while misunderstanding why there are constitutional protections for those accused of crime in the first place.

“When a person has been accused of a crime they are facing the full force of the government, the government could be trying to incarcerate them, take

property from them or maybe even execute them,” Hoover said. “It’s an incorrect comparison to compare an accused person to a victim of a crime because the person who is accused has to face the government and all of its power.”

According to Hoover, some of the 15 provisions that would be added to the constitution are “particularly problematic,” specifically those that would establish an individual as a victim of a crime, entitling them to certain rights in criminal proceedings, before the accused is convicted.

Hoover, and the ACLU at large, believe that this violates what is known as due process. Due process, granted to citizens by the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, is meant to ensure fair treatment within the criminal justice system.

“One of our foundational values is

November 4, 2019

that someone is ‘innocent until proven guilty,’” Hoover said. “if you establish a person as a victim in court, before there is even a conviction, that flips the presumption to ‘guilty until proven innocent.’”

Hoover added that parts of the referendum could potentially be beneficial, but should be considered in a separate vote. He agreed with the League of Women’s Voters position that it is unfair for voters to decide on all of these constitutional changes at once.

“A voter might like some parts of Marsy’s Law and not like other parts, but the way that the amendment is written, the voter has to vote yes or no on the whole thing,” Hoover said. “Had the legislature done this properly, an individual would be able to vote on the individual pieces, instead of being forced to accept or reject the law in its entirety.”

10

pittnews.com

11/04/19

cancers.”

For many health professionals, the increase in STDs is confounding, especially because teenagers and millenials are having less sex than older generations. According to a study from San Diego State University, people in their early 20s are two and a half times more likely to be abstinent than people of Generation X were in their early 20s.

Modern young adults are also projected to have fewer sex partners than the previous two generations.

Kingsley believes the increase is partially due to decreased access to medical care for minorities and the poor.

“If you look at socioeconomic statistics, you will find an inescapable bottom line, which is that sexually transmitted diseases disproportionately affect minorities and people of low socioeconomic status,” Kingsley said. “The truth is that STDs discriminate against women, the poor and minorities.”

For people of all genders, socioeconomic levels and races, Vanek said she believes education, or a lack thereof, is a large contributing factor to the increase in STDs. “Without a doubt, a lack of education and programming may reduce the sense to take appropriate precautions all the time,” Vanek said. “I think there needs to be better STD education and awareness programs in high schools, [they are] important to begin to understand how STDs are transmitted and to establish safe sex practices early on.”

The Student Health Center’s Safe Sex Condom Distribution Program is addressing one of these practices by providing free condoms for students in the Wellness Center waiting room, exam rooms and in the third floor restrooms of the William Pitt Union.

Student groups can also request up to 100 free condoms for their events. Peer educators called PantherWells also distribute “safe sex packets” at their events.

Student Government Board is also making efforts to address the problem. Eric Macadangdang, a junior urban studies and history and philosophy of science major and last year’s chair of the Wellness Committee, said he believes education surrounding safe sex is important and something he wanted SGB to champion.

“You’ll have kids who have never had one minute of sex education coming to a college campus where things are much more free and a lot of people are exploring and

partaking in sex. We want to make sure we do so as safely as possible,” Macadangdang said. “I thought it was important for student government to get involved because we are the representative organization for the undergraduate population, and, as you can see, this is a growing issue.”

Last year, SGB hosted a sexual health awareness week in February near Valentine’s Day that included a panel with professionals from the Student Health Center, a resource fair and distribution of condoms. Macadangdang said SGB is planning something similar in February this year.

“I think education is the best way forward, letting as many people know that there are safe ways to partake in sex,” Macadangdang said. “The alternative of education is no education and that goes along with very black-and-white, abstinence and “Just Say No” campaigns that I don’t think are successful or helpful in any way.”

Vanek also stressed the importance of STD screenings, which detect asymptomatic STDs, and being open and honest with one’s partner.

“Everyone needs to take charge of their health, including their sexual health,” Vanek said. “One can protect themselves by having open and frequent discussions with one’s sexual partner and insisting on the correct and consistent use of condoms, all the time.

We advise students to also consider STD screening, in that infections may be asymptomatic.”

Vanek said she wanted students to know that services at the Student Health Center are confidential, especially for anyone concerned about societal stigma surrounding STDs. “Students need to know that all services, exams, tests and conversations within the Student Health Service are strictly confidential all of the time,” Vanek said. “I encourage students who are afraid to be tested to schedule an appointment with us and have a frank, open discussion with one of our clinicians.”

Kingsley said that stopping the spread of STDs isn’t complicated, but will involve more funding and resources toward prevention.

“There’s no magic solution,” Kingsley said. “It’s just that we cannot achieve success without a much more comprehensive STD prevention program which involves education, research, teaching, service and perhaps most importantly access to the medical care system.”

The Pitt news crossword

STDs, pg. 8

November 4, 2019

11

I N D E X

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Bed­room houses/ Apart­ments in South Oak­land. Available for rent August 2020.

Very clean with dif­ferent amenities (dishwasher, laun­ dry, A/C, washer and dryer, 1‑3 baths, off‑street parking, newer ap­pliances & sofas). Check out my Face­book page: https:­//www. facebook.­com/ KenEckenrode­ RealEstate/. Call Ken at 412‑287‑4438 for more informa­tion and showings.

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On street park­ing. No pets. 412‑576‑8734 2‑3‑4‑5‑6‑7 bedroom apartments and houses available in May and August 2020. Nice, clean, free laundry, in­ cludes exterior main‑ tenance, new appli‑ ances, spa­cious, and located on Semple, Oak­land Ave., Mey‑ ran Ave., Welsford, Bates, Dawson, and Mckee 412‑414‑9629. douridaboud­ propertymanage­ ment.com 2‑6 bedroom. All newly renovated, air‑conditioning, dish­washer, washer/

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Avail­able Summer 2020. 412‑915‑0856 or email klucca@veri­ zon.net.

3 BD apartments available in South Oakland from $1195‑$1600 M.J. Kelly Real Estate mjkellyrealty@gmail.­ com. 412‑271‑5550.

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2 Bedroom 1 Bath available immedi­ ately at $900 per month, includes all utilities. Great 2‑level apartment lo­cated on the second floor.

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Apartments for rent. 3 and 4 bedroom apart‑ ments available. Some available on Dawson

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Street, At­wood Street, and Mc­kee Place.

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Some have laundry on site. Min­utes from the Univer­sity. For more info please call Mike at 412‑849‑8694 Before signing a lease, be aware that no more than 3 unre­lated people can share a single unit. Check property’s compliance with codes. Call City’s Per­mits, Licensing & In­spections.

412‑255‑2175.

Dawson Village Apts. near CMU and Pitt.

One bedroom apts. $935 + electric. Avail‑ able for immedi­ate move in. On bus line, close to restau­rants and shops. Contact Jerry at 412‑722‑8546 For Rent: 340 S Bou­ quet Street Pgh Pa 15213 3 bedrooms/1 bath/­ cental air/ laundry on site Contact John at 412‑292‑8928

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Deadline:

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Washington County location. Call 724‑223‑0939 any time.

For Sale For Sale Other WOODSTOCK ROCK FESTIVAL RECORD SET, hat, towel‑ $60. 25 Japanese Manga books $50 each. 350 American comics $1 each. Harry Potter items, Vintage Rock Songboks, SciFi Pa­perbacks. Vampire books, shirts, vintage classic, Vampire Dark Shadows VCR mov‑ ies, Zombies, etc. 20 VINTAGE STEELRS GAME JERSEYS $25 EACH, Super Bowl Collectibles. Antique perfume, Jewlery, purses, hats. PITT COLLECTIBLES, clothing, books, etc.

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