The Sunflower v. 128 i. 10 (October 26, 2023)

‘NOT A WAR ABOUT RELIGION’

Protesters in Old Town Square call for ceasefire in Gaza

BY GENESIS MERRIETT genserudition@gmail.com

Violence has worsened in Gaza with thousands of deaths resulting from Israeli missiles since Oct. 7, and Wichitans gathered in Old Town Square on Sunday, Oct. 22, to speak on behalf of the Palestinians affected.

The creation of Israel in 1948 marked the displacement of more than 700,00 Palestinians and the capture of 78% of the region’s land. After Hamas, a Palestinian Islamist political group, launched a surprise attack in Israel on Oct. 7, the Israeli government started a bombing campaign in the Gaza Strip. The death toll in Gaza has reached nearly 5,100 Palestinians as of Oct. 23.

The Wichita protest was organized by several community members, including Sabreen Abusherbi, with the goal of calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and pushing the United States government to make policy changes.

According to Abusherbi, part of the controversy over supporting Palestine or Israel is the confusion between anti-Zionism and antisemitism. She said that anti-Zionism is the belief that Jewish people do not have an exclusive right to Israel at the expense of the Palestinian people, whereas antisemitism is the discrimination of the Jewish people.

The anti-Zionists at the protest did not condone antisemitism.

“This is not a war about religion,” Abusherbi said. “This is, you know, a war of sovereignty and land. This is about the displacement and taking over the homes of the Palestinians. This has nothing to do with the Jews. This has nothing to do with (Israel’s) Jewish religion.”

The protesters focused on the human rights that Palestinians are deprived of,

BY ALLISON CAMPBELL news@thesunflower.com

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the Rhatigan Student Center, a heavy silence hung over a vigil held by the Jewish Student Alliance as attendees mourned those who have lost their lives in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Oct. 24 meeting served as the club’s kick-off, with the content of the meeting undergoing slight adjustment to touch on current events.

“Unfortunately, today can’t begin on such a joyous note,” Kian Williams, president of the Jewish Student Alliance (JSA) said. “Today, we represent numerous religions, cultures and nationalities, all united in this room with one shared purpose: to mourn the tragic loss of lives in

“

What would you do if somebody was to take your home and somebody was to bomb you? If you’re pulling your own child out of the rubble? What would you, how would you feel?

IMAN KHALIL Wichitan Protester

including food, water, shelter and safety. Gaza, home to 2.3 million Palestinians, has been under an Israeli blockade for 16 years. Following the Hamas attack, Israel announced their plan to shut off electricity in Gaza and withhold food and fuel until Hamas freed all Israeli hostages that were captured.

Restoring basic human rights and humanity to Palestinians were the driving values behind the protest, according to Abusherbi.

“Their children are being killed, women are being killed – murdered,” protester Iman Khalil said. “Now, they’re saying that there’s like, you can smell the dead because they just can’t get to people under the rubble.

“Put yourself in their position. What would you do if somebody was to take your home and somebody was to bomb you? If you’re pulling your own child out of the rubble? What would you, how would you feel?”

The conflict in Palestine directly affects families in the U.S., too. Carrie Seyam, another protester, said she married a Palestinian person.

“My kids are half Palestinian and very true to their culture and heritage,” she said. “They do have relatives that have lost their homes … My daughter, every night, she can’t sleep. She watches kids, you know, being pulled out of rubble and things like that, and so she

the Middle East.”

In 1947, the United Nations voted to split the area encompassing Palestine, including most of Israel, into separate Jewish and Arab states. As border disputes increased in intensity over the years, a Palestinian militant group, the Hamas, began retaliating against the Israeli government. The conflict has since escalated, with regular bombings and attacks between the two.

“As of now, just shy of 6,500 people have perished in the conflict in Palestine since Oct. 7,” Williams said. “To this day, people from all across the world are suffering.”

Williams led the small congregation, first explaining the context of the war and JSA’s solution of peace.

“For us, there’s no easy

cries every day.”

U.S. GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY

Maheen Khan, another protester, said U.S. citizens have a huge voice that can be utilized to uphold American beliefs, including peace, harmony and justice.

“The U.S. is the biggest financial and moral supporter of Israel, which is committing these crimes in Gaza,” Khan said. “So therefore, it is a moral responsibility as well to stand up against these crimes.”

Seyam compared the conflict to the genocide that Native Americans faced after Christopher Columbus came to the Americas.

Protesters also felt the U.S. government should send aid to Palestinians rather than Israel.

President Joe Biden has offered a great deal of support to Israel, including a variety of military equipment and weapons. He also promised to send $100 million to Palestinians for food, water, and hygienic care in the midst of the crisis. Israel receives $3.3 billion Israel in military funds annually from the U.S.

“What (the U.S. government is) doing is not right whatsoever. I mean, killing innocent civilians altogether, whether you’re a government, whether you’re a president, whether you’re anything, is just not right,” Khalil said.

Khan said Americans’ taxes fund and negatively affect this conflict.

“We want to let our representatives, our U.S. representatives, know that we are calling and demanding for an urgent ceasefire, and we are not okay with what is happening in Palestine right now,” she said.

Protesters planned on making their stance clear to the government as well as holding them accountable for their

resolution to the conflict and there’s no easy resolution to fighting discrimination,” Williams said.

Following the debriefing of the conflict, Williams recited a traditional Jewish prayer of grieving – the Mourner’s Kaddish – in Hebrew to honor the deaths and celebrate the lives of all those lost in the ongoing war.

After a moment of silence, Williams presented a seminar on antisemitism and how to be a good ally to Jewish people. Williams said there are five strategies to combat antisemitism:monitoring and recognizing hate and discrimination, educating and sharing informational resources and other aspects based on advocacy and support.

“I’m a really big believer in activism that actually translates

actions.

“We are going to be watching,” Abusherbi said. “What (U.S. government officials) say … and what they vote for. I will also be writing letters and calling them … to hold them accountable for their decisions.”

SUPPORT AMONG WSU STUDENTS

Students Organize for Syria (SOS), a WSU student organization, also showed support for Palestine this weekend.

According to sophomore Huda Jesri, the treasurer of SOS, the organization came to emphasize that it is not just one group of people being affected but that the root issue is human suffering and loss of human rights.

“When you have, like, people advocating from all different sides and different ethnicities and genders and sexualities, it really shows … it’s nothing about religion,” Jesri said. “It’s a humanitarian crisis.”

PROVIDING AID

Khalil shared how advocates for Palestinians can cause change to provide aid to Gaza.

“It would help the innocent civilians (in Gaza) and would help people just come to their senses and not turn a blind eye,” Khalil said. “And I mean, they’re innocent civilians. It hurts to watch, it hurts to see; it’s evil.”

Most of all, the protesters wanted those in Gaza to know they are seen, heard, and supported by people all around the world.

“We want you to know that we love you, and we’re trying to help you,” Jesri said. “Keep holding onto your hope, hold onto your faith. One day, Palestine will be free, and we’re going to be on the right side of history.”

to community engagement,” attendee Ayleen Escobedo said.

“The things that marginalized people need, like people of color, like Palestinians, like Jewish people, they need people there to support them instead of screaming into an echo chamber of the internet.”

Williams also spoke on how advocating for peace, rather than violence, is the only humane way forward in the conflict, and gathering in peaceful settings, like vigils, is one of the best ways to promote a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

“(We aim) to rise above hate. While it may seem insignificant in the grand scheme of international relations, you showing up to this vigil today does have an impact,” Williams said. All students, regardless of

Men in support of Palestine gather at Old Town Square for the protest. On Oct. 22, A proPalestinian protest was held at Old Town Square followed by a march downtown. | Photo by Monique Bever / The Sunflower

Jewish Student Alliance President Kian Williams speaks to attendees and members at the group’s first meeting. The first meeting on Oct. 24 served as a vigil for all lives lost in the Israel-Hamas conflict. | Photo by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower

Disability rights group on campus aims to educate about inclusion, accessibility

BY COURTNEY BROWN newsprojects@thesunflower.com

Zaylee Bell is no stranger to disability rights advocacy. After Bell had a “mental breakdown” about the lack of accessibility and inclusion of disabled students, she drew on her past high school advocacy experiences when starting a disability rights group on campus.

Disability Rights, Education, Activism and Mentoring (DREAM) brings a chapter of the national organization to Wichita State, with their goal being to educate those on campus on how to include disabled students.

Bell, the president of DREAM, said she struggled with the lack of accessibility on campus. As a wheelchair user, she faced difficulties in her photojournalism class, unable to walk a lot or get into the “weird positions” needed for a sports photography assignment.

During the winter, the campus ramps were icy, making her slip and struggle to get into class. In another lecture hall, she took notes on her lap all semester because she was given a spot in the front of the classroom, right next to the professor.

“That feels like it’s calling somebody out really, for just something they can’t control. And it was very concerning,” Bell said. “And there’s so much of it happening at the beginning of second semester last year that I just couldn’t handle it anymore.”

After Bell spoke with Autumn Fitten, her former caseworker in the Office of Disability Services, they started DREAM and recruited four more disabled students during the spring and summer, rounding out their executive officers.

Mia Dennett, DREAM’s membership and outreach officer and treasurer, said she had noticed the lack of community for disabled students on campus. After they reached out about starting a club, she learned of DREAM and joined.

Dennett said that the group has helped them feel less out of place.

“It can get very lonely to feel

like the odd one out,” Dennett said. “So being around other disabled people is very nice because you understand each other, and you don’t have to worry about feeling awkward about needing accommodations or anything like that.”

As the membership and outreach officer, Dennett makes educational content for DREAM’s Instagram about various disabilities and “anything that helps build community.”

One post spotlighted Judy Heumann, a disability rights activist who died in March.

People with disabilities make up the largest minority group at 16% of the global population, according to the World Health Organization. Bell and Dennett both noted that all five executive officers have different disabilities, and when it comes to considering different viewpoints, Dennett said the officers also do their own research.

“We educate ourselves before we educate others,” Dennett said.

While DREAM aims to mainly reach disabled students via Instagram, Bell said DREAM also is planning tabling, trainings for professors and staff and hosting guest speakers.

Bell said the organization

also wants to educate on how to approach disabled people and have more compassion and understanding toward the community.

“Personally, I’ve had people come up and just ask like, ‘Can I push you?’ and I’m like, ‘Why? I’m not struggling’ … and there’s no reason for you to ask an ablebodied person if they need help,” Bell said.

The young organization has met with the theater department to speak about making the program more accessible after several teachers approached Dennett, a theater major who uses mobility aids, about this.

“We’re working on making the building itself more accessible,” Dennett said. “But we’re also talking about having interpreters at shows and having sensoryfriendly performances and making sure that the staff and faculty know how to interact with people with disabilities.”

As the president, Bell said she sometimes gets imposter syndrome, but she has had fun planning with the other executive officers and finding what works for everyone.

“I’m just like, ‘Is this something you want to do?’ And I try to learn everybody’s like

Shalom: Campus introduces Jewish Student Alliance

BY GENESIS MERRIETT

The Jewish Student Alliance (JSA) was officially approved to be a campus organization last month. The executive team includes president Kian Williams, vice president and treasurer Jacob Unruh, and secretary Vishnu Avva. Williams, who uses they/them pronouns, shared their vision on educating Wichita State students.

“It starts with education,” Williams said. “It just starts with teaching students how to identify antisemitism.”

The intent of JSA is to provide students with the information, contacts and resources necessary to condemn acts of Jewish hate. Last year, Williams decided that they would found JSA to combat rising antisemitism on campus and throughout all of Wichita. Williams also submitted a letter to the editor about antisemitism at WSU.

“I don’t think that people on campus really saw the issues that were happening until last year … antisemitic incidents were

not being widely publicized and condemned by students at Wichita State University, and I don’t blame them,” Williams said. “Sometimes antisemitism is not very clear to a non-Jewish person.”

As for meetings, Williams said there will be a variety of educational content about Jewish culture and antisemitism, fun social activities, including special events around Jewish holidays and bringing plenty of academic speakers.

They emphasized that JSA is open to everyone willing to give them a chance, not just Jewish students.

“We need the support and assistance of non-Jewish students to be able to be successful, to be able to make a difference,” Williams said.

“It’s not just Jewish students running this organization. It’s all students at Wichita State that are going to help this alliance succeed.”

This includes “a lot of collaboration with other advocacy groups and other identity based organizations” in which the organization will host joint meetings

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Five academic programs marked for review in KBOR process

BY TRINITY RAMM managing@thesunflower.com

Five majors at Wichita State were flagged for review at the Oct. 18 Kansas Board of Regents meeting.

These five flagged majors, listed below, are all housed in the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Science:

• Women’s, Ethnicity, and Intersectional Studies

• Geology • Philosophy

• Physics

• Forensic Science

In a document submitted to the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) earlier this academic year, all five of the programs were listed by Wichita State as “mission critical with low enrollment” or as programs “needing enhancements/ improvements.”

strengths and abilities and give them something they enjoy, and I’ll take what’s left,” she said.

While previously part of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Bell said she also didn’t feel welcomed there, but like “an afterthought.” Now, Bell said it is “easier to relate” with the other disabled officers she works with.

“As much as people can try to understand what you’re going through, they don’t know it unless they’ve actually lived it,” Bell said. “And we’ve all lived some type of ableism in our life and controversy, and we’ll just push through it.”

According to Dennett, DREAM also plans to offer virtual meetings alongside their in-person meetings. They also will ensure space for mobility aids, use clear language for autistic people and those with other interaction difficulties, and are working to include interpreters.

“There’s been some struggles like – we’re trying to find the best way to communicate and the best way to have meetings and making them as accessible as possible,” Bell said. “But even through those, I’m just like, ‘This is so amazing.’ I’m so proud of our work.”

and discuss how Jewish people have been impacted by the same issues other advocacy groups are discussing and how Jewish people can be supported.

If, for nothing else, Williams said everyone can join JSA for the food.

“We have great food. Jewish people love to cook, I mean, all of our holidays are just built around feasting and having meals and sharing love and passion with each other,” Williams said. “So, you know, once we get rolling, come on by and we’ll feed you. That’s for certain.”

Programs were pulled for review because they did not meet two of four criteria: student demand, degree production, regional employment and graduate salary on average after five years. Shirley Lefever, provost at Wichita State, suggested that looking at the student credit hour production as part of the criteria in the future could “illuminate that program review process.”

Lefever, along with the other provosts at the six KBOR-run state universities, were allowed to explain what the next steps with their flagged programs could be and where they were already seeing improvements.

Across the six state universities in Kansas, there were 32 programs flagged for universities to review.

The full academic affairs committee meeting can be viewed here.

Each provost will take their respective list back to their universities and create recommendations to create an action plan for the program, merge the program with another, or phase out the program. These recommendations are scheduled to be submitted on April 20, 2024.

In May, the academic affairs committee will review the recommendations and advise the board on their final decisions, which will be made in June.

One Small Step brings people with different beliefs together

BY PIPER PINNETTI piperpinnetti12@gmail.com

Audio interviews could be heard in The Ulrich Museum as guests dined on hors d’oeuvres during the One Small Step: Listening Across the Divide event.

One Small Step is a nonprofit created by StoryCorps with the mission of bringing people together despite their differences.

The audio recording was a compilation of participants’ interviews conducted by One Small Step. The interviews included background information about the various participants, their political views and other opinions, as well as snippets of people having a connection.

Mary Bess Ser, the field manager and community engagement associate for One Small Step, spoke toward the end of the event.

“We are not promoting debates, it’s more of just reconnecting with people who are different than you and have conversations about your

The Sunflower, founded in 1896, is the student-run newspaper covering Wichita State University. The print edition is published Thursday during the fall and spring semesters. The staff publishes daily online at www.thesunflower.com.

EDITOR IN CHIEF Mia Hennen editor@thesunflower.com

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Salsabila Attaria arts@thesunflower.com

SPORTS EDITOR Melanie Rivera-Cortez sports@thesunflower.com

OPINION EDITOR Sascha Harvey opinion@thesunflower.com

PHOTO EDITOR Kristy Mace photo@thesunflower.com

PODCAST EDITOR Jacinda Hall podcast@thesunflower.com

EDITORIAL

Hennen:

lives,” Bess Ser said. Participants fill out a questionnaire prior to the interview. Based on their answers, they are paired with another person that has different beliefs and views.

“We have a person at Yale who is doing the surveys, and they asked people to fill out a questionnaire beforehand, and then they follow up with them afterwards,” Bess Ser said. Because One Small Step is not making a profit on any of these interviews or social experiments, they have a different type of measurable impact.

“They’re measuring, you know, their belief about the other person or their feelings about whether or not these conversations are even possible … and they are kind of measuring peoples’ hope and peoples’ belief that, you know, people can talk to each other across differences,” Bess Ser said.

Read the rest at thesunflower.com.

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Joe Hanford, marketing officer Carla Cummings, and membership and outreach officer Mia Dennett listen to virtual attendees at the first Disability Rights, Education, Activism and Mentorship meeting on Oct. 25. | Photo by Courtney Brown / The Sunflower

Jewish Student Alliance Vice President and Treasurer Jacob Unruh and Secretary Vishnu Avva speak at the first meeting of the semester on Oct. 24. | Photo by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower

SPIKING FOR A CAUSE

Volleyball regains focus to continue winning streak against Tulsa

BY MELANIE RIVERA-CORTEZ sports@thesunflower.com

Through pink sleeves and hair ribbons, the Wichita State volleyball team celebrated their annual dig pink match to bring awareness to breast cancer. The Shockers faced off against Tulsa and went on to win both games over the weekend, extending their winning streak to seven.

GAME 1

The first game had Wichita State face off against Tulsa in a Friday evening game. On Oct. 20, the team won three out of four sets, (25-13, WSU), (25-17, Tulsa), (25-14, WSU), (25-22, WSU).

During the first set, the Shockers came out strong,

Women’s bowling competes at Mid States tournament

BY MELANIE RIVERA-CORTEZ sports@thesunflower.com

The Wichita State women’s bowling team placed seventh in their first tournament of the season this weekend.

The team placed third in Baker, a bowling style where the whole team shares a single game, which allowed them to advance to the round of eight before losing to Ottawa University. Wichita State’s women’s junior varsity placed first in the tournament, beating Newman Univirsity’s junior varsity squad.

In Baker bowling, Wichita State bowled a 9246 for third place. They were beat by Mount Mercy University, who bowled a 9379 and Newman University, who bowled a 9323.

The women’s bowling team will be the 16th varsity sports added to Wichita State next year.

More information about women’s bowling can be found at wichita.edu.

creating an early lead11-3, before Tulsa called a timeout. The Golden Hurricanes would not be able to catch up the rest of the set.

The second set, Tulsa came out aggressive in its attack, quickly building a 6-2 lead. Despite several attempts by Wichita State to regain control, Tulsa kept the Shockers at arm’s length.

Senior Sophia Rohling had 18 kills and a .368 hitting percentage. She said that, going into the break, the team talked about maturity.

“We’re gonna get out of it; we’re going get back to the way that we play volleyball and so knowing that we can keep going and that we’ll get back to dominating is reassuring,” Rohling said.

Redshirt senior Brylee Kelly, who had 12 kills, said that the

game felt like a team win because there was a lot of trust in the team’s back row. Kelly said the team trusted senior setter Izzi Strand, who had 46 assists and 11 digs, as well.

She said the team had to calm themselves to regain their focus during the match.

“We have to calm ourselves down and regain focus, of what is our bigger goal and it’s to win these matches to win conference,” Kelly said.

GAME 2

In Saturday’s matchup, Wichita State swept Tulsa in three sets, (25-17), (25-14), (25-17).

In the first set, sophomore libero Gabi Maas gave Wichita State a pair of aces early in the first set, allowing the Shockers

to have a 7-2 lead. The advantage quickly stretched to 15-6, and Tulsa was not able to catch up after that.

By the third set, Tulsa created a 3-0 lead, but Wichita State responded by delivering a 5-0 run. The Golden Hurricanes could not find a way through after junior Natalie Foster, who had 11 kills, scored seven times on her nine swings in the third set. Strand had 36 assists at a .429 set percentage, adding five kills and 10 digs. Sophomore Emerson Wilford led the Shockers with 13 kills and three blocks.

Up next, Wichita State volleyball will go on the road for their next two matches to face off against Florida Atlantic on Friday, Oct. 27 and Memphis on Sunday, Oct. 29. The first serve of Friday’s match is scheduled for 5 p.m.

Cross Country finishes regular season, prepares for conference championships

BY MELANIE RIVERA-CORTEZ sports@thesunflower.com

Wichita State cross country finished off their regular season schedule at the Bradley Pink Classic. Now, they will go on to compete at the AAC and NCAA championships.

Kirk Hunter, head coach, said that going into the season, the men wanted to try to duplicate what they did last year: being second in conference and fifth at the regionals.

“I think this team’s done pretty good,” Hunter said. “I think they’ve done well to adapt to everything that’s coming their way.”

Hunter said that at the beginning of the season, he was nervous because many players graduated or transferred.

“When you graduate people and lose people and you bring a bunch of new people in, you’re not sure how it’s all gonna mix together and everything but you hope that it comes out that, we’re going to do okay,” Hunter said.

On the women’s team, Hunter said summer training strengthened their team.

“The girls have done that in a dramatic fashion,” Hunter said. “They’ve improved all the way from one through eight.”

With recent conference realignments, Hunter said both teams had the potential to place the same or lower than they did last season.

“Now we’re in a situation where you look at the teams in our conference and you look at where they’re ranked in their region … It’s probably one of the best conferences in the U.S.,” Hunter said. “Because of that, our expectations are the same; we want to be successful.”

Senior Jackson Caldwell said he finally feels like he’s had a successful cross country season.

“When I was younger, I had good seasons for that time, but now I actually feel like one of the competitive guys in the field, which I haven’t really felt before,” he said.

Men’s tennis works on confidence

BY SHELBY DUVALL shelbyd306@gmail.com

The Wichita State men’s tennis team is on the cusp of wrapping up their season, with their last match coming up on Nov. 3 at the Bonita Bay Classic at Florida Gulf Coast University.

Head coach Darragh Glavin said the team faced some issues at the start of the season but have worked together to overcome them.

“Guys coming from the summer not as confident, and then just being able to work and … getting a lot of matches in the last couple tournaments and seeing some good results,” Glavin said. “It’s been good to see the hard work paying off.”

The team has also seen significant strides and improvement in sophomores Alejandro Jacome and Luke Bracks.

“I think it’s great to see Alejandro have a great regionals … to see his hard work pay off,” Glavin said. “And Luke Bracks … had some good wins too which has been big for him … Everyone’s improving.”

At the recent Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Center Regional Championships in Stillwater, Oklahoma, Bracks walked away with two wins in singles. Jacome with three wins in singles and two in doubles with partner, junior Kristof Minarik. Jacome and Minarik competed in the doubles quarterfinals at the competitions, and Jacome also competed in the singles quarterfinals as well.

Bracks and Jacome’s wins made up seven of the 11 total WSU men’s tennis wins from the ITA Center Regional Championships.

The spring season for the men’s tennis team begins with their first home match at Genesis Health Club on Jan. 26.

Caldwell said going into this season, he wanted to be one of the top runners and a leader on the team. He said that for one reason or another, he has never been healthy for the conference meet.

“This year, we’re a week out, and I’m healthy, which is rare for me, and so I just want to keep doing what I’ve been doing this season,” Caldwell said. “I want to be in the top 10; I want to be one of our top guys.”

Kirk said Caldwell has put in the work and is hoping for him to show out in the next meets.

Junior Lucy Ndungu has led the Shockers in all their races this season. She said the key for the team to perform well in conferences is to believe.

“We just got to get on the field, we’ve just got to show it and just believe that we’ve done it all, we can and just let it out,” Ndungu said.

Cross country will compete at the AAC Championships in Greenville, North Carolina, on Oct. 28.

BY MELANIE RIVERA-CORTEZ sports@thesunflower.com

Wichita State men’s golf concluded their regular season with a ninth-place finish at the White Sands Bahamas NCAA Invitational.

Men’s golf had a team score of 866 after three rounds with scores of 295, 283, and 288, two strokes over par.

Santa Clara University took first at 45-under par with 819 strokes followed by the University of North Texas at 41-under and 823 strokes. Tough weather conditions factored in, contributing to a slow start in the first round from the Shockers. The second round saw Wichita State put on a better performance with 21 birdies.

Senior Blake Lorenz led Wichita State in the first and second rounds, scoring 72 and 71. It was redshirt senior Zach Sokolosky who came out on top for Wichita State, finishing tied for 27th on the individual leaderboard at two-under. Sokolosky went 74-70-70 throughout the tournament.

Men’s golf will be back in action for their spring season on Feb. 5, when they travel to Cancun, Mexico, to compete in the Los Vaqueros Intercollegiate Tournament. Men’s golf finishes regular season play in the Bahamas

Annalie Heliste dives to save the ball during the second set. Heliste made six digs and one assist on Oct. 20. | Photo by Kristy Mace / The Sunflower

Aston Castillo watches his ball fly. Castillo practiced his short game during practice on Sept. 23, 2022 at Crestview Country Club. | File photo by Maegan Vincent / The Sunflower

Wu celebrates after the Shockers take the win against Tulsa, 3-1. Wu wore a pink ribbon throughout the Oct. 20 game for breast cancer awareness. | Photo by Kristy Mace / The Sunflower

Libero Katie Galligan gets into a defensive position at Oct. 20 match against Tulsa. The Wichita State volleyball team won, 3-1. | Photo by Monique Bever / The Sunflower

Katie Galligan congratulates Morgan Stout on score against Tulsa at Oct 20 math. | Photo by Monique Bever / The Sunflower

ARTS & CULTURE

Midwest rock band Social Cinema talks inspiration, collaboration and their first album at Halloween Bash

BY AINSLEY SMYTH ainsley.smyth3@gmail.com

Artists and fans dressed as witches, superheroes and Patrick Star gathered in the historic Odd Fellow Hall to dance to a diverse lineup of alternative rock bands.

Social Cinema, made up of members from Wichita and Lincoln, Nebraska, hosted the Halloween Bash as one stop on their tour across several states, spanning Washington to Oklahoma.

Touring along with Social Cinema is Utah-based group, Sunfish, whose music has been described as alternative synth-rock.

The show was kicked off by Wichita-based Surf Machine, followed by another Wichita-based band and last-minute addition to the lineup, Flake.

The audience was invited to attend in Halloween costumes and

some of the artists also got in on the optional dress code, donning masks, makeup and in the case of Flake’s frontman Blake Loggans, a minion costume complete with goggles and overalls.

Social Cinema, which emerged in 2021 from the fusion of Wichitabased band Kill Vargas and Lincoln, Nebraska-based Death Cow, played songs from across their three-year career together, many of which appear on their singles compilation, “It’s Nice to Meet You” released on Oct. 13.

According to the band’s drummer Logan Bush, the compilation includes tracks released previously this year, as well as two new songs, and on the vinyl, several bonus tracks.

“The goal was to do as many different sounds and kind of go different places and just show people what we can do as kind of an introduction,” he said.

Mari Crisler, the band’s keyboardist, back-up vocalist and

It’s not LA or it’s not New York so there’s no, ‘Oh, we might get famous,’ so everyone’s just doing it for the love of playing music.

guitar player said the merge of the two bands has caused their music to evolve too.

“We were both more rock bands and kind of just heavier and harder and Social Cinema is more easy on the ears sometimes, but it’s still got an edge to it,” she said.

Bush said his brother, the band’s singer and songwriter, Griffin Bush, takes influence from indie and alternative rock bands like The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys and the Wallows, while Logan looks to punk music as inspiration for the band’s operations.

“I like punk rock bands because

they’re very DIY and they take charge themselves and book their own tours,” he said.

Bush also said he sees this ethos in bands across the Midwest and other areas where artists play without the support of a large music industry.

“It’s not LA or it’s not New York so there’s no, ‘oh, we might get famous,’ so everyone’s just doing it for the love of playing music.”

According to Bush, the compilation includes tracks released this year, as well as two new songs, and on vinyl, several bonus tracks.

“The goal was to do as many different sounds and kind of go different places and just show people what we can do as kind of an introduction,” he said.

The singles compilation was also a way for the group to put out music within the first years after the band’s formation, without limiting them to a specific sound or concept.

“We weren’t really making an album because we were just putting music out and then at the end, we just put it together. So it wasn’t the pressure of, ‘we’ve got to make sure it flows and we’ve got to make sure the tracklist is right and everything,” he said.

The band said they are planning to release their first full-length album sometime this year, as well as some singles, which are already in the works. They also plan to continue touring, playing with other underground and indie bands across the country.

According to Crisler, the bands they meet on tour enhance the way they perform.

“You watch the other band and how they move on stage and then you’re like, ‘I see that I’m stealing that,” she said. “You kind of just become an amalgamation of every person that you see.”

Punk zine ran by WSU student combines music, politics

BY AINSLEY SMYTH ainsley.smyth3@gmail.com

James Owsley, a sophomore journalism student that can’t be found on campus without their chain and pin-covered leather jacket, is most passionate about one thing — their zine. A zine (as in magazine) is a publication that has a small circulation and is usually owned and run by one person or a small group. Owsley and two friends use the zine to share about past and contemporary punk bands, as well as news and opinions on political issues.

“Oi! Bones! is a free, monthly, DIY punk zine, which features articles about punk news, world news, local news, comics, music reviews and societal issues,” Owsley, who uses any pronouns, said. Zines have been a part of music history, particularly in the punk genre, for decades. In the past, they were used to share information about bands pre-internet and this legacy has continued through the decades. But Owsley said, they may be having a resurgence now, at least in terms of mainstream awareness.

“It did have a rise, but it’s kind of always been there,” Owsley said. “I think part of it now is the polarization of politics that we’re seeing. You get these big catalysts like the Reagan administration that really sparked a lot of activism and then you had the most recent Trump and Biden administrations, which are furthering polarization. People are turning to these DIY, unconventional means of political activism and civic engagement.”

The group first created Oi! Bones! In January of 2023 and release issues monthly. They all work under pseudonyms. Hamilton is the zine’s illustrator,

while Indigo writes articles along with Owsley, who goes by Bones.

Owsley said the pseudonyms are mainly for fun, but they also serve a practical purpose.

“We talk a lot about very sensitive topics such as queerness and our identities, and that can be scary for some people,” Owsley said.

Owsley got the name Bones from the zine’s mascot, a cartoon skeleton in a leather jacket named Mr. Bones who appears on each issue’s cover.

Owsley said they’d been friends with both Indigo and Hamilton for a long time before bringing them in to work on the zine.

“If you ask them, I swindled them into joining,” Owsley said.

For Owsley, the Oi! Bones! journey started in 2020, when they were first introduced to punk music and politics.

“It just seemed really cool to be able to be politically active in a way that didn’t require a suit and tie,” Owsley said. “I had a friend who was into punk, and I talked to him, and he started recommending me bands and albums.”

As Owsley dove into punk music and left-wing politics, they looked to zines as a possible way to express themself, share music with others and participate in the DIY ethos that partially defines the punk genre and subculture.

“I have been a punk for a few years now, and I can’t really make music; I can’t sing. And so I was like, ‘I want to be able to participate in some way,’” Owsley said.

“I had watched countless documentaries that featured the DIY journalism of zine.”

Owsley said, while they are passionate about their zine, there are challenges to publication.

“I have my friend’s InDesign that I make the zine on,” Owsley said. “Learning the intricacies of InDesign, after having a year of it in high school for yearbook, was and still is a learning curve.”

In addition to honing their technical skills, Owsley said the team has to stay motivated and on schedule.

“I set all the deadlines for my staff,” Owsley said. “They call me boss lady or boss man, and the deadlines are very arbitrary. We always have our solid deadline: a new release on the first of the month. Other than that, it’s an honor system.”

In September, Owsley got the opportunity to speak on a panel at Paper Plane Zine Fest, an event held in Lawrence, Kansas, that features workshops on making zines and an opportunity for artists to sell and trade their zines.

“I got a lot of ideas from attending other panels and seeing other people,” they said. “Lawrence has a huge community and it was like culture shock almost, seeing that zines are a

popular art form.” When it comes to the zine, Owsley said they can’t separate their music content from the political.

“They are integral, and it goes back to the origins of punk music and the subculture,” Owsley said. “It’s a way to put your back on the mainstream, the parent culture, of what it deems is appropriate and not appropriate and you can really be your own self.”

Oi! Bones! released its latest issue on Oct. 1.

“It was also our biggest one yet with our biggest interview with our biggest band, Cheap Perfume,” Owsley said. “We had articles on the importance of alternative forms of civic engagement and advocacy. We had articles on Indigenous Peoples’ Day.”

The issue also featured an album review of “Noise Addiction” by Pure Hell, which Owsley said is considered one of the first Black punk bands.

“We also talked about an

upcoming event that we have on Oct. 27, which is going to be our first vendor fair type event,” they said. “We’re making a lot of merch for that. It’s going to be our widest distributed issue. I’ve been printing copies every day. I had to buy a brand new printer for this, 30 pages in total.”

The event is Monster Mash, an annual drag, music and art event that’s being held this year at WAVE, a venue in downtown Wichita on Oct. 27. In addition to the art vendors, the free event will also feature drag performances and three musicians: YAE, the Cavves and Hunter Gromala.

Owsley said Oi! Bones! hopes to continue increasing their audience, regardless of if they’re punk.

“People hear the words punk zine and think it’s only for punks, but while the zine is punk, we don’t expect the readership to be,” Owsley said. “It’s open for anybody. We just encourage anybody who finds any amount of enjoyment to read it.”

Surf Machine members Maric and Floyd perform at Oct. 19 Halloween Bash. The event took place at Odd Fellow Hall.

Surf Machine performed alongside Social Cinema at the event. | Photos by Monique Bever / The Sunflower

Illustration courtesy of James Owsley

Ashley Knepper performs with Flake at Oct 19th Halloween Bash event. The event was held at Odd Fellow Hall.

LOGAN BUSH Social Cinema

OPINION

Illustration by Wren Johnson / The Sunflower

Voter fraud claims exist to force agendas

A look at how lies can be packaged and labeled to look like the truth.

BY LOREN AMELUNKE loren.amelunke@outlook.com

Many news organizations and think tanks that tout overwhelming evidence behind voter fraud claims are accompanied by paragraphs with emotive language. Before introducing their evidence, they stir the pot with how important democracy is to America, how imperative it is to keep it and finishing with how voter fraud is stealing that away. It would make anyone, right or left-leaning, concerned because upholding standard American values of democracy is vital to many Americans. It would make sense how someone could take supposed “evidence” and run with it. When deciding your opinion on any political issue, it is important to properly inform yourself of the truth.

News organizations representing polarizing political extremes should be avoided, however, organizations that slightly lean left or right can still have correct information. Just because a source leans one way does not mean all of the information is false. It is possible it could be biased, depending on who supplies the funding and what their objective is. It is important to decide if a source is trying to manipulate evidence to push its ideals, or if a source has real evidence to support the truth — in this context, the truth about voter fraud numbers and voter identification laws.

MISLEADING “EVIDENCE”

The Heritage Foundation, the leading conservative think tank, contains an election fraud database on its website. The election fraud database claims to supply 1,453 proven cases of voter fraud since 1979. Each case includes a small paragraph detailing the person’s name, the type of voter fraud they committed and what repercussions ensued. What is interesting to investigate is how The Heritage Foundation overstates its numbers. This is not something just said in a random article. This is something you can look into yourself. The database allows for exploration into the cases. You can refine the search by a specific

state, year, type of case or type of fraud. Under “type of fraud,” I looked at the “miscellaneous” category to find that some of the cases being grouped into the total cases of voter fraud were mere misdemeanors.

For example, in Pennsylvania in 2018, Calvin Mattox was an election board worker accused of intimidating those who did not want to vote Democrat, as was Wallace Hill, Thurman George, and Delores Shaw, all of whom are included in the number of voter fraud cases. There are a couple of pages of entries of names under “miscellaneous” alone that should not be counted with the number of voter fraud cases. According to USA.gov, voter intimidation is not considered voter fraud; it is a civil rights violation. While this is still a federal crime, it should not be used to boost voter fraud case numbers.

In addition, under “type of fraud,” I looked for all impersonation cases. For the years listed, which ranges from 1979-2023, I counted only 25 cases of impersonation fraud. Only 25 of the other thousand cases might have been prevented by requiring voter ID at the polls.

IS IT REALLY WORTH IT?

The Brennan Center For Justice at New York University School of Law is a left-leaning think tank and a law firm with additional roots in advocacy. An extensive report titled “The Truth About Voter Fraud” was published in 2007 by The Brennan Center For Justice. Written by Attorney Justin Levitt, the report begins by detailing instances where conclusions inciting voter fraud were drawn from data errors or misunderstandings. For example, two voters who actually have the same name and same birth date or voters being registered in multiple states after moving. It tackles numbers of alleged dead voters by cataloging specific cases in specific states where it turns out that those people had died shortly after voting and no fraud was committed.

In addition to explaining wrong accusations, this report recognizes proven cases of voter fraud. For example, in the 2004 election in Wisconsin, Levitt says there were 2,997,007 total votes cast in the state and 277,565 votes cast in Milwaukee.

He writes, “There were 7 substantiated cases of individuals knowingly casting invalid votes— all persons with felony convictions. This amounts to a rate of 0.0025% within Milwaukee and 0.0002% within the state as a whole. None of these problems could have been resolved by requiring photo ID at the polls.”

In the general election in 2000, there were 2,361,586 votes cast in Missouri. According to Levitt, “There were 6 substantiated cases of Missouri votes cast by ineligible voters, knowingly or unknowingly, except for those votes permitted by court order.” The calculated rate is 0.0003%. Again, Levitt repeated that not one of these cases could have been prevented by requiring photo ID in order to vote.

While the report from The Brennan Center For Justice only includes research up until 2007, highly reputable sources have done reviews on more recent cases of voter fraud. In an Associated Press review focused on the 2020 election, the news organization investigated the swing states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin and found fewer than 475 cases of voter fraud.

AP remarked, “The cases could not throw the outcome into question even if all the potentially fraudulent votes were for Biden, which they were not, and even if those ballots were actually counted, which in most cases they were not.”

Not only are fraudulent votes relatively ineffective, but it is highly unlikely that an individual would risk fines and jail time for one single vote that will likely not change an election alone. The biggest concerns regarding voter fraud stem from the accusations of immigrants and noncitizens voting with the intention of tampering with elections.

According to The Brennan Center For Justice, “We are not aware of any documented cases in which individual noncitizens have either intentionally registered to vote or voted while knowing that they were ineligible.”

As aforementioned, the fines and jail penalties if caught are not worth it for one vote, and additionally, it is hard to believe a noncitizen would risk deportation if caught. In spite of implicit evidence condemning noncitizen

voter fraud, some politicians push for stricter voter ID laws.

CLAIMS AND CAMPAIGNS

Hans von Spakovsky, manager of The Heritage Foundation Election Law Reform Initiative, is also one of the members of Trump’s Voter Fraud Commission. Vice-chair of the commission, Attorney General of Kansas Kris Kobach, is known for his claims of rampant voter fraud, his push for stricter voter ID laws, and for advising Trump on anti-voter and anti-immigration policies.

In 2018, Kobach was fined for ignoring court orders and providing voters with misinformation. In June of 2018, U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson decided that voters did not have to provide documentation of proof of U.S. citizenship in order to register in Kansas, as it goes against the constitutional right to vote.

Robinson found that Kobach had been treating voters supported by the ruling differently than other voters. According to AP News, after Robinson’s decision, Kobach did not ensure local officials gave out voter registration cards notwithstanding one’s ability to show proof of U.S. citizenship, and he did not make sure all local officials were aware that voters need not provide proof of U.S. citizenship. Kobach was fined more than $26,000 in sanctions because of his actions.

There is plenty of other evidence dismissing claims of rampant voter fraud in U.S. elections — much of which is included in the aforementioned articles. If there is not nearly evidence to show that requiring voter ID would help decrease the already-rare voter fraud, and if the person pushing for stricter voter ID laws, Kris Kobach, was sanctioned and could not provide enough evidence in court, it leaves one to wonder how and why these outlandish claims still prevalently exist. It does not seem like these claims will disappear any time soon, which is why it is important to do your own research on reputable sites with unbiased evidence. It is also becoming increasingly important to look for the truth to base your opinion on, rather than scraping together evidence to support your current opinions.

A BIPARTISAN ISSUE?

BY SASCHA HARVEY opinion@thesunflower.com

During the 2020 election, former President Donald Trump made various voter fraud claums. As of Aug. 2023, The Associated Press reported that 57% of Republicans believe that President Joe Biden was not legitimately elected as president. In 2020, states faced “a historic level of mail ballots, which poses a challenge,” CNN said on Facts First.

However, comprehensive studies show that the rate of voter fraud is less than 0.0001%.

Trump questioned the validity of mailin voting before the election began. “They’re sending millions of ballots all over the country,” Trump said. “This is going to be a fraud like you’ve never seen.” He later claimed that mail-in voting is “a disaster” and called the election “rigged.”

Nine days after the 2020 Election, the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued a statement that said “The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history.” Biden won by popular vote by more than 7,000,000 votes and won the Electoral College votes with 306 to Trump’s 232.

After Trump’s loss to Biden, multiple states had reviews and recounts, which all reaffirmed Biden’s win, with recounts of Arizona’s Maricopa county realizing that Biden should have actually won by more votes.

Republican organizations are quick to dismiss denialism as an issue of both sides, with the Republican National Committee citing more than 150 examples of Democrats denying election results, but groups such as the CATO Institute compare the extent of the denials.

In 2019, Democrat Hillary Clinton suggested in an interview that the 2016 election was “stolen” from her by Donald Trump. She called Trump an “illegitimate president.”

However, Democrats and Clinton supporters have yet to storm the U.S. Capitol as a large group of Trump supporters did on Jan. 6 of 2021, injuring 138 police officers.

BY LYDIA STEEBY

steebylk@gmail.com

Athletes, giant pumpkins and WuShock himself were just a few of the many characters that participated in the annual Wichita State Pumpkin Run to encourage first and long-time marathon runners to get out and be active.

First held 40 years ago and originally called the Turkey Derby, the Pumpkin Run raises funds for the Wichita State Campus. The marathon funded the Shocker Support Locker for the third year in a row and donated $1,200.

Taking place in front of Shocker Hall, participants were able to take pictures with Halloween decorations, get their faces painted and participate in group stretches led by campus mascot WuShock. Participants spanned different age groups, as well as experience with marathons. Some also brought their pets and came in costume.

Grace Stringfellow, a Wichita State graduate student, was a firsttime participant in the Pumpkin Run. Stringfellow had participated in marathons before but had taken a break from the activity.

“I was training for a marathon before COVID hit, and then I got really lazy, and this is kind of my

foray back into training running again,” Stringfellow said.

On the other hand, Shayla Duart, another WSU student, said this was her third year participating in the Pumpkin Rur.

“It’s fun and, you know, money goes towards different things at WSU, so I’m trying to help them out,” Duart said.

Ric Rocker, who’s part of the Shocker Track Club, helped coordinate the marathon for his second year in a row. He explained that he enjoys encouraging people to participate in marathons.

“I’m not a track aficionado,” he said. “I didn’t run track when I was in high school, but I think it’s awesome that the university, as well as my club, is here to support people who are athletes that want to come out and run.”

The race began with the blast of an air horn and participants, regardless of their athletic ability, began the three-mile Pumpkin Run around campus as a way to bring athletics into their lives. First place in the Pumpkin Run went to Benjamin Flowers, who completed his run in 17:42:00. Participants, including runners who competed in age groups, can find their placement information on the Pumpkin Run results website.

NATIONAL VOTE EARLY DAY

THURSDAY, OCT. 26

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center

INFO SESSION: INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE VOLUNTEERING

THURSDAY, OCT. 26

Noon - 2 p.m. | Ulrich Museum

FALL 2023 SMART LAB SPEAKER SERIES

THURSDAY, OCT. 26

7 p.m | Devlin Hall

MEDICINE IN THE AGE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

FRIDAY, OCT. 27

2 - 3:30 p.m. | CAC Theater

QUEER FEAR FILM SCREENING: ‘BUT I’M A CHEERLEADER’ FRIDAY, OCT. 27

3 - 6 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center

NATIONAL SOCIETY OF COLLEGIATE SCHOLARS (NSCS) MEET AND GREET

FRIDAY, OCT. 27

5 - 6:15 p.m. | Woolsey Hall

GLOW IN THE DARK YOGA FRIDAY, OCT. 27

7 - 8 p.m. | Heskett Center

FRIGHT NIGHT FRIDAY, OCT. 27

8 - 11 p.m. | Heskett Center

CLASS RACES AND LEARN 2 ROW WITH SHOCKER ROWING SATURDAY, OCT. 28

2 - 5 p.m. | Shocker Rowing Boathouse SONGFEST SATURDAY, OCT. 28

6 - 10 p.m. | Orpheum Theatre

TRICK OR TREAT YO’ SELF! MONDAY, OCT. 30

11 a.m. | Rhatigan Student Center

SPOOKTACULAR CLEARANCE SALE

TUESDAY, OCT. 31

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center

HALLOWEEN COMICFEST TUESDAY, OCT. 31

1 - 3 p.m. | Ablah Library

CREEPY COSMIC BOWLING TUESDAY, OCT. 31

5 - 9 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center

WSU WIND ENSEMBLE - DR. TIMOTHY SHADE, CONDUCTOR TUESDAY, OCT. 31

7:30 - 9 p.m. | Miller Concert Hall, Duerksen Fine Arts Center

SHOCKERS VOTE COALITION MEETING WEDNESDAY, NOV. 1 Noon - 1 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center

READING LITERATURE WITH GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS WEDNESDAY, NOV. 1 3 - 4 p.m. | Ablah Library

HAVE AN EVENT YOU WOULD LIKE LISTED?

CONTACT THE ARTS EDITOR: arts@thesunflower.com

CONTACT THE NEWS EDITOR: news@thesunflower.com

39-year-old Krystin Gilpin begins the annual 5k Pumpkin Run

Hennen / The Sunflower

A child prepares to cross the finish line in the Little Pumpkin Run on Oct. 21. This run followed the 5k Pumpkin Run.

Francis Connor, an associate English professor at WSU, runs in the annual 5k Pumpkin Run on Oct. 21. Connor was one of the first 50 runners to finish.

Tristram Nguyen, dressed up as a pumpkin, runs with children ages 10-12 in the Little Pumpkin Fun Run 1k on Oct. 21.

Terri Peterson, 59, rests following the 5k Pumpkin Run. Peterson finished the 5k in just under 30 minutes.

Little Pumpkin Run participants begin the 1k race on Oct. 21. $1 from each registration went to the Shocker Support Locker, a cmapus resources for students, faculty and staff.

Keatin Herder, 33, accepts a Pumpkin Run medal from Andy Shao after completing the 5k. Herder got 10th place in the race.

Krista Wagner, 59, gives WuShock a high five as the Pumpkin Run 5k begins on Saturday, Oct. 21. WuShock ran with participants for a few minutes before tapping out.