No. 4 (Oct. 18, 2018)

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THE UNIVERSITY NEWS

VOL. XCVIII No. 4 / October 18, 2018

finding community in painting

NEWS

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PROUDLY KICKING DOWN CLOSET DOORS

Photos Courtesy of Rebecca LiVingi

By MEREDYTH STAUNCH Editor-in-Chief

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ride is a monosyllabic word, but its meaning is far from one dimensional. One can feel complete gratification through pride. Pride can also be manifested as a sense of fulfillment after completing a difficult task. However, on Oct. 11, pride specifically encompassed self-confidence and identity as Saint Louis University’s Rainbow Alliance celebrated its second National Coming Out Day.

Rainbow worked with the Cross Cultural Center to table outside of the Center for Global Citizenship from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Buttons, each a different color of the spectrum, dotted the table as cupcakes were handed out by Rainbow members smiling from ear to ear.

Oct. 11 not only marked Rainbow’s tabling event, but it served as a celebration for the Human Rights Campaign. NCOD hallmarks the creation of a safe environment for LGBTQIA+ people to be openly proud about their identities, and this year marked HRC’s 30th anniversary of the celebration.

The educational arm of HRC, the HRC Foundation, has provided guides to coming out because each person who comes out has a different journey. HRC and Rainbow both believe that the coming out experience is unique to the individual and must be navigated in a way that is comfortable to each person. By holding events,

such as Rainbow’s NCOD tabling along West Pine, Rainbow hopes students can feel comfortable embracing their identities.

“National Coming Out Day allows for there to be a presence for LGBTQ people, especially for those who are still in the closet,” Rainbow member Joe Reyes said. “It’s a day where a bunch of people come out to celebrate because we realize that everyone is still at a certain spot in their journey as a queer individual.”

Rainbow wants to offer a safe community to provide support for people, so that they can feel comfortable about themselves. Reyes says that there is no pressure to come out, even on NCOD. However, he mentions that the Rainbow E-board acts as a confidential resource for students.

Beyond Rainbow and other similar groups, such as the LGBTQ Christian Life Community, SLU’s counselor Therese Jacques deals specifically with queer and sexual assault services. Rainbow is also currently working toward initiating a “queer closet,” which emphasizes gender expression by offering a clothing drive for those who wish to dress a certain way but do not have the financial means to do so.

Showcasing identities through services such as these is important because “It can be really dangerous [to be yourself],” VP of External Affairs Brittany Olms said. In order to make the situation less dangerous, Olms also expressed a need to implement a name and pronoun policy in class, especially with professors. Overall, though, she said that SLU does a decent job of providing support for its students, which is paramount because some students’ families are not supportive of their children’s sexual and gender identities.

“I know a lot of people who have friends without welcoming homes,” Olms said. “Where

“[It] allows for there to be a presence for LGBTQ people, especially for those who are still in the closet” you grow up can have an effect on mental attitude.” She said that National Coming Out Day is about making these people feel like they are not alone.

The formation of National Coming Out Day was originally a response to a national administration that was hostile to gay and lesbian rights and indifferent to the AIDS epidemic. In response to this animosity, the War Conference launched its first NCOD in 1988. Other important products of the collaboration included media campaigns to fight for identity rights.

Today, students continue to see the aftermath of the initial meeting as students are feeling pride in who they are as individuals.

“When you ignore those identities, you don’t give them a chance to be themselves,” Rainbow President Regis Wilson said. “Queer people are more than just stereotypes. Everyone is different, and everyone deserves the opportunity to be who they are.”

NEWS

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BLACK LIVES MATTER FOUNDER #OCCUPIES SLU

Photo Courtesy of Trenton Almgren-Davis

By MONICA RYAN Managing Editor n commemoration of #OccupySLU, The Division of Diversity and Community Engagement hosted Alicia Garza of the Black Lives Matter Global Network in the CGC on Wednesday as part of their “Remembering Occupy SLU” week.

Garza along with Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi created #BlackLivesMatter in 2013.

“Mike Brown was murdered in 2014, but we know that the uprising that went on here, and that continues to go on here, was not just about Mike Brown,” Garza said. “It’s about conditions that exist here in St. Louis, that exist here in Missouri, but also that exist for black communities across the nation and around the globe.”

Among the dozens in the audience, African American Male Scholars sophomore recipient, Justin Fantroy, experienced what the Michael Brown case did to his community.

“I drove past the QuikTrip that burned down and drove past the place where he got shot everyday going to school,” Fantroy said. “Seeing those things that had happened to the community that I called my own really stuck out and helped me to realize that

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this stuff is a lot more real than people want to believe.”

Garza spent a large portion of the hour speaking to the dozens of audience members about power. She distinguished between what being empowered looks like and what kind of power changes laws or changes culture in this country.

Disruptive power, economic power, narrative power and political power were all described by Garza, but she believes the power needed in this country in order to change things means bringing people together.

“When I talk about power, what I mean is the ability to make decisions over your own life and over other people’s lives,” Garza said.

African Americans in St. Louis comprise 86 percent of the people who are living in poverty, according to Garza. Of the 50 most populated areas in the nation, St. Louis is the seventh most segregated area.

Garza gave a shout out to the people in the audience that participated in #OccupySLU in 2014, which was met with applause.

“It was Occupy SLU; it was the Ferguson rebellion that really catalyzed a nation,” Garza said.

To round out “Remembering Occupy SLU” week, Amber Johnson, assistant professor in the department of communication, will give a talk called “Healing Through Communication” in the CGC at 5 p.m. on Thursday.

On Friday there will be a screening of “The Hate U Give” starting at 8 p.m. The location is still to be determined.

SAVANAH’S

SGA UPDATE OCT. 10, 2018

At the beginning of the meeting, the Rev. Chris Collins, special assistant to the president for Mission and Identity, held a University Examen to discuss and review how the school is doing with living out the Jesuit mission.

Legislation passed included SR003-19, presented

by College of Arts and Sciences Senator Robbie Lasky and RHA Senator Pooja Modi, which expressed SGA’s unhappiness with the proposal to move Career Services into the former Griesedieck dining hall. The bill had three main aspects of dissatisfaction, including the process used in determining the benefit of this move. The absence of a student representative on the committee for this proposed move was a main point of concern.

OCT. 17, 2018

Several legislations were passed this week including: Neuroscience Club was awarded charter funding, as they

were chartered after the funding date last year.

Java with the Jesuits was awarded Wellness Funding for

coffee and bagels.

Men’s Story Project was awarded Wellness Funding for

their upcoming event.

SLU Mock Trial organization was chartered as a Chartered

Student Organization.

Pencils of Promise was chartered as a Chartered Student Organization.

News

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Photo Courtesy of Meredyth Staunch

DPS REPORTS

STEPHEN SONDHEIM’S CRAFT TALK

By TANNOCK BLAIR Associate News Editor student of SLU was lucky enough to have the privilege of asking him the first question. All she managed to say was her name and “I love you,” before she burst into tears. It was overwhelming, for many people at the event, to be in the presence of a true icon of American musical theatre.

Stephen Sondheim was in St. Louis because he was awarded the St. Louis Literary Award on Oct. 4. It was a difficult event to attend, with tickets costing $100 and the event selling out. However, Sondheim held a Q&A event called “Craft Talk” the following day, free and open to the public.

The Q&A began with audience members asking Sondheim about his relationship to Oscar Hammerstein II. Sondheim was mentored by Hammerstein of the famous “Rodgers and Hammerstein.” Together with Richard Rodgers, he made such classic musicals as “Oklahoma!,” “The King and I” and “The Sound of Music.” Sondheim described his relationship with Hammerstein as that of a surrogate father and son. His recollection of Hammerstein was colored

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with deep admiration.

“He didn’t write for success and he didn’t write to be liked,” Sondheim said. “He put on the page what he wanted to say.” Sondheim also commended his mentors work, saying “he’s not known as an experimental playwright, but that’s what he was.” Under Hammerstein’s mentorship he was instructed to write something based on a good play, a flawed play and finally, an original. Sondheim claims

“The only reason to write is for love... and for money” that this was where he learned his basic work ethic.

After discussing his mentor, Sondheim went on to explain his own artistic methods. He commented on the fear of the blank page; he said the best way to overcome that fear is to just write and edit later, “the problem is when you write, you self-edit,” he said. When asked, Sondheim explained that he didn’t fear failure because success could be just as bad, “sometimes the shows were successful, and I

felt I didn’t do my best work.”

He also spoke about the power of dreams, “I believe creativity is at its height in dreams,” he said. “Dreams are nothing but poetry.”

Being that the event took place at SLU, Sondheim was also asked about the significance of education in his career. He talked about the importance of having support for creativity, not only from mentors but parents too. He told a story about his first music teacher, who explained to him the importance of music theory. “He took all of that romance away,” he said. “It changed my life.”

Sondheim was also asked about his experiences in collaboration. Being a writer, he had a lot of different working relationships with directors and producers. “A good collaboration is exactly like a good marriage,” he said, leaving the specifics up to imagination.

He was also asked about his relationship with Lin-Manuel Miranda. Sondheim gave him many consultations during the preproduction of his smash success “Hamilton,” which debuted in 2015. Miranda even came to Sondheim to ask about his opinion on the “dangers of rap on the stage.”

Throughout the event, his sense of humor was permeant; when asked why he chose to be a writer he replied, “the only reason to write is for love… and for money.”

On Oct. 9 at 4:34 a.m., the fire alarm was activated with strobes and sirens in Grand Hall. All residents were forced to evacuate, and the panel was reset.

There was no smoke or fire present, and students were allowed back in the building soon after.

On Oct. 15, three Marguerite residents were trapped in the elevator on the fourth floor. A DPS officer had to pry the doors open with his hands to free the students. Counseling was refused by the students, and maintenance soon fixed the elevator.

Also on the 15th, DPS responded to a student whose passenger side window was broken in order to steal change from the front of the car. The event occurred in Robert May Parking Lot, and a search of the area surrounding soon revealed that another vehicle nearby was broken into.

News

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STUDENTS FIND

COMMUNITY IN PAINTING

By REBECCA LIVIGNI Design Editor

(Rebecca LiVigni / The University News)

s I walk into my former biology classroom, colorful Indian music paints the air.

Students fill seats surrounded by plates full of pigmented splotches of red, blue and yellow. President of Hindu Students Community, Neej Patel, sits upfront speaking over a doc cam instructing students on their current projects. Immediately, I take to photographing students’ art and their pristine concentration, until they notice my presence and giggle.

On Oct. 11, The Hindu Students Community partnered with Interfaith Alliance to host a Painting Night, bringing together SLU students from all faith communities. Anisha Patel, service chair of HSC described the event’s intention as a small way to spark curiosity, a nudge towards raising awareness for other religions represented on the SLU campus. This is the first event of its kind, and the HSC executive board hoped that an activity like art—something that crosses so many cultures and religions—would reach a large and diverse audience.

Anisha describes her experience in HSC as a way to look into the Hindu religion and Indian culture, deeper than she ever had before: “I’ve been able to grow into my religion instead of just going through the motions and personalizing what my religion means to me.” She emphasizes that a community like HSC

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is more than just Hindu students, and that learning about other cultures and faiths is “just as cool as learning about your own.” At SLU, there is a great accessibility to connect and practice any faith, whether that be Hinduism, Catholicism or Islam. Anisha cites SLU’s motto as she appreciates that there is a general presence of an understanding of a greater purpose—something she believes unites all faiths.

The piece Neej instructed students with consisted of a tree supporting branches that led to various symbols of prominent religions on SLU’s campus—an Aum for Hinduism, a crescent moon and star for Islam, a Cross for Christianity, David’s Star for Judaism and other religious symbols. While many people participated in the direction for this piece, Neej encouraged the students’ individualities in their creative expressions.

While speaking to another student, Nirali Thakkar, we began to explore the deep connections students develop in religious organizations. As a member of a Christian Life Community, I’ve found my own experience important during the transition to college, and Thakkar expressed similar ideas, explaining that the E-board was a welcoming environment that allowed her a place to build connections during her freshman transition.

At home, Thakkar grew up in what she described as a strong “religious bubble” and entered SLU closed-minded to the idea that everyone has their own pathway to God. Soon into her freshman

year, she began to explore other ways people celebrate the same holidays and traditions, which made her more aware of diversity not only in her own religion, but in others as well. Thakkar believes that exposing herself to other practices of her faith enhanced both sides of religious experiences.

As our conversation continued, Thakkar began describing a moment when she first encountered opposition in her own viewpoints, which later inspired her to major in psychology and study the stigma of mental illness in her religious culture. “I heard someone from my own religion basically say that mental illness isn’t real...that if you have God’s thoughts with you, how could you even have depression?” she said. At first, I was struck by such an uncanny experience I had faced in my own religion a few days earlier. After reading through the blog of a Christian cognitive scientist, I stumbled upon her views on psychopharmacology as treatment for mental illnesses. It struck a chord with me, invalidating my own struggles and faith. I had decided it would be an interesting topic to explore for a research paper in my theology class, just as Thakkar described before. In awe of this extremely deep connection we had made across our own religious borders, I shared this with Thakkar. She instantly agreed, stating, “I think that events like this open up the door to be more mindful of other religions. You’re a Christian and I practice Hinduism, but we definitely just connected over this idea.”

This conversation opened my eyes to the importance of interfaith experiences, like this paint night, in a way I never expected walking into the doors of Davis-Shaughnessy 173. Making new friends, trading phone numbers and connecting with people I’d never meet otherwise is a testament to the importance of interfaith events on SLU’s campus. As religious or non-religious people, we allow ourselves to get so wrapped up in our own ideas, but it’s become clear that at the core there is always something that connects each of us from within.

arts and life

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A CONVERSATION WITH GRYFFIN

By CHANDANA KAMARAJ Arts Editor

c

handana Kamaraj from The University News sat down with Gryffin, an American DJ, initially known for his remixes of Tove Lo’s “Talking Body,” Maroon 5’s “Animals” and Years & Years “Desire” during weekend two of Austin City Limits. In the press lounge, we meet Dan Griffith, with the stage name Gryffin, as the BROCKHAMPTON set plays on TV in the back.

The University News: Is this your first time at ACL? Gryffin: Yeah. It is.

UN: How are you feeling?

G: It’s awesome. I always kind of knew that ACL was a dope festival but until I got here, I didn’t realize how big it is and how awesome the vibe is. So, I’m super happy to be here.

UN: Since playing at SXSW and The Empire Garage, has performing in Austin been different each time?

G: Yeah, this time it’s even crazier and SXSW is a cool festival, but it’s super spread out. This is 100,000 people in one space, so it’s crazier. Every time I come back to Austin, I feel more energy from more fans of my music, and

G: Everywhere. With songwriters, maybe they have something they want to say and it’s about getting it out of the songwriter, and sometimes, I’ll come to the session. Maybe something happened in my personal life or an idea of a song comes to me, and I think that would be cool to make a song about that. It’s the matter of writing it and getting the lyrics down and getting the message out on paper lyrically and melodically and then producing it. It kind of comes from everywhere though—my own life, other people’s lives, songwriters lives. It’s just about being open to listening to other people and listening to my own voice and emotions and head.

(EDM Chicago)

it’s really cool because it’s one-up the last time. This most recent time has been amazing.

UN: That’s awesome! Okay, so can you clarify what EDM is? I know there are a couple of people who just clump it into one sound, so can you tell me the different types of EDM sounds within the genre?

G: There are some subgenres of EDM but if you are trying to classify it as a whole, it is kind of like just the name— Electronic Dance Music. Like fundamentally dance so it makes you want to move, and it uses a lot of synthesized digital sound and synthesized drum kits. Within that, there are so many different types, but if you want to classify it all together, it’s music that’s made half from the computer so it’s electronic and it makes you move.

UN: So, what do you think your type of subgenre or sound is?

G: Yeah, I think I’m definitely more in the melodic version of it, and I do two different types of music. I do melodic house music, and I also do what they call future bass. Future bass is heavy on synth and subs, and it’s usually anywhere between 100-150 beats per minute. It’s more on the vibier side of music instead of being super loud and aggressive. I try to make my music very melodic and beautiful. You can make it super aggressive and hard like dubstep, but I try to make my music more emotional and melodic.

UN: Where do you draw inspiration from?

UN: When you create music versus remix, music do you feel like there are limitations with either? Or do you feel like remixes are more limiting because you’re taking work already made?

G: That’s a good question. I do think remixes are limiting in that regard.

I think if you crush a remix that can honestly sometimes be better than the original in a weird way. I’m not saying that I’m doing that. I don’t want to put that out there. Sometimes a remix can be a really good fresh take on songs and outdo the original, but I feel like there are limitations, though, because it isn’t your specific piece of work and what you are known for as an artist.

That’s sort of why I have been wanting to move a little bit away from the remixes. I love doing them, and I still enjoy and still will do them, but nowadays, I am a little bit more focused on my own artistic project and translating the sound from my remix days into original music. When I make it, I think about what I want to say in this piece of work today and what I want this original piece to be talking about and how do I want to show it to the world.

UN: Where is it going from here?

G: I’m about to announce putting out an album. We’re working really hard on that in between all these shows and I’m really excited for how it’s turning out.

UN: That’s awesome. Well thanks for being here!

Tie Me Down by Gryffin ft. Elley Duhé came out on Aug. 2, and he performs next at the Hakkasan Vegas Nightclub in Las Vegas on Oct. 20.

THIS WEEK’S FAVORITES

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BOOKS

My Squirrel Days By: Ellie Kemper Published: Oct. 4 “There comes a time in every sitcom actress’s life when she is faced with the prospect of writing a book. When Ellie Kemper’s number was up, she was ready. Contagiously cheerful, predictably wholesome, and mostly inspiring except for one essay about her husband’s feet, My Squirrel Days is a funny, free-wheeling tour of Ellie’s life—from growing up in suburban St. Louis with a vivid imagination and a crush on David Letterman to moving to Los Angeles and accidentally falling on Doris Kearns Goodwin.”

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EVENTS

Boo at the Zoo Nights Thurs. Oct. 18 5.30 pm- 8.30 pm Saint Louis Zoo “Get pumped for some spooktacular nightly entertainment acts! Shows are offered at 6 and 7 p.m inside the Sea Lion Sound arena and are FREE with paid admission to Boo at the Zoo. Tickets will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis outside the Sea Lion Sound ticket booth so be sure to stop by early!”

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CONCERTS Twenty One Pilots Fri. Oct. 19 Enterprise Center Twenty One Pilots will return to St. Louis to tour their album, “Trench.”

CINEMA

The Hate U Give Release: Fri. Oct. 19 Amandla Stenberg comes back to star in The Hate U Give named after the book by Angie Thomas.

Starr played by Stenberg witnesses a shooting of her best friend Khalil by a white police officer and has to stand up for she believes in.

FOOD Taste of the Middle East Festival When: Sat., Oct. 27 Where: 4256 Magnolia Ave, St. Louis, MO Experience the warmth and hospitality of the Middle Eastern culture from 10 am- 4pm.

arts and life

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By CELIA SEARLES Contributor

The Saint Louis University theater department has been working since the beginning of the semester on their first show, “Eurydice.” The show opened on Thursday, Oct. 11 and ran through Sunday Oct. 14. The plot followed the story of a young woman dying on her wedding night and descending into the underworld. There, she reconnects with her dead father as her husband tries desperately to bring her back. The well-known Greek tragedy deals with themes of death, love and timing. Through a powerfully-conveyed performance by the actors, the audience was given a small escape from the hustle and bustle on campus leading up to midterms.

One of the main highlights of the show was the excellent use of color blocking to convey the moods of the scene. The

strategic placement of yellow, red and grey boasted thoughtful intention of how to best convey an ancient Greek tragedy in a way that was modern enough to keep audiences today intrigued.

It appeared that yellow was used for happy scenes where the main character Eurydice, played by Halli Pattison, was deep in love with Orpheus, played by Jakob Hulten. Pattison and Hulten conveyed the characters’ playful relationship charismatically and with ease.

Given the nature of the play taking place in both the “real world” and the Underworld, there was a lot of ground to cover for the set. The crew did an incredible job conceptualizing a set that was two stories tall, representing both the underworld and the “real world.” Projectors were used to display imag-

es on canvases, conveying to the audience the mood and setting of that particular scene. Together, all elements provided a wellthought-out display for the audience to enjoy just as much as the acting itself.

It’s a toss-up of who stole the show. Lord of the Underworld, played

by Valen Piotrowski was a shocking form of comic-relief to lighten the mood.

The audience erupted into laughter when he entered the stage on a tricycle, boasting how he was a “big boy.” The other shining stars were the three Stones.

Big Stone, played by Reed McLean, Little Stone, played

by Hayley Gutrich and Loud Stone, played by Laurel Button were the other main forms of comic relief. They served as the narrators for the underworld, dishing out snarky remarks to Eurydice (Pattison). Loud Stone

(Button) was especially funny, her voice filling the room with ease.

It’s a shame that more of the seats were not filled during these performances. The actors and crew are all extremely talented and so much work goes into putting a show on.

The small theater department often gets overlooked, tucked away in Xavier Hall.

Despite the size of the department, SLU boasts extremely talented actors, dedicated and passionate crew members and experienced faculty who are excited to share their passions with students, encouraging majors and non-majors alike to get involved in the shows.

Arts and life

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St. Louis celebrates 20 years of LAuryn hill’s “miseducation”

(Robb D. Cohen/INVASION/AP)

By ANDREW SMITH Contributor n Friday, Oct. 5, fans gathered in Chaifetz Arena to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the timeless album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” After compelling performances by opening acts Shabazz Palaces and Patoranking, a nervous energy descended on the crowd.

Hill is infamously known to show up late to her performances, sometimes to a degree of three hours. At 10:15 p.m., the lights dimmed and she entered to a roar of applause and cheers.

Just as she kicked off her debut solo album so iconically 20 years ago, she opened with “Lost One” and wasted no time reminding everyone of her powerful rapping skills. Every word resounded with precision, grace and force. She continued to rap on the next song “Everything is Everything.”

Of course, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” was not the first hip-hop record, nor the first soul record, and it certainly was not the first R&B album. It blended these influences, however, to create a unique masterpiece. As she transitioned to the next song “Su-

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perstar,” Hill reminded us why her album broke so many categories.

She mixed hip-hop, soul and R&B, effortlessly switching between rapping and singing. The distinction between genres almost seems inappropriate to describe her performance.

From the beginning of her show, Hill seemed to need adjustments with her monitor. At points, she would motion to the mixers to adjust her incoming sound. Understandably, artists of Hill’s caliber need and deserve good sound mixing. An adjustment mid-show is a reasonable request, but the consistency of her interactions with the sound board distracted from her otherwise incredible performance.

The peak of Hill’s rapping came with the song “Final Hour.”

Soon after, she delivered an incredibly moving and emotional performance of “Forgive Them Father.” She tackled themes of violence and hatred with flowing soul and grace. She poured her heart into her singing while images of police violence played on the screens behind her. “Forgive Them Father,” of course, draws from the Gospel of Luke when Jesus said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

Clearly, Hill channeled this biblical imagery to contextualize police violence in America.

Gospel influences popped up again during Hill’s performance when she started her hit “To Zion.”

This love song to her son, Zion, was another stellar singing performance. Every extended note boomed with precision. It was incredibly expressive while still being controlled. On the album, Carlos Santana’s plucking guitar added a great background sound to the singing, and Hill’s guitarist revived this element pretty well during the show.

Hill’s struggle with the sound mixers ended with her performance of “Ex-Factor.” All of the sudden, her gestures to the booth transformed into her directing her band like a neo-soul conductor.

She engaged her entire band and brought them into the spotlight as they performed their solos.

On “Ex-Factor,” Hill’s vocal performance shined brightest.

She sang with unapologetic emotion and every word glided from her microphone and into the hearts of her loving fans. It was soul, it was blues, it was gospel and it was virtuosic. As if she couldn’t effortlessly blend these genres together any more, her next song “Can’t

Take My Eyes Off You” brought in elements of jazz.

Hill took her first break after an hour of performing to address the crowd. She talked about how countless people have told her that “Miseducation” was the soundtrack to their life. She credited this to its sensitivity and vulnerability. “I was raised in a tradition of love and community and music,” Hill said. “And I want to take that tradition and pour it back into you.”

She ended with her smash hit “Doo Wop (That Thing).” Excitement came to its zenith as fans celebrated an incredible album and an entertaining performance. It was as good of a finale as fans could have hoped for after the night. As the lights came on around 11:30 p.m., the concert came to a quick conclusion.

It was clear that “Miseducation” still remains dear to her devoted fans 20 years after its release.

Her flowing lines of rap and flourishing vocals have not stopped touching the hearts of listeners— new and old.

EVENTS CALENDAR NOVEMBER OCTOBER 1

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Women’s Soccer vs Duquesne @ Hermann Stadium

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Men’s Soccer vs VCU @ Hermann Stadium

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Women’s Soccer vs George Washington @ Hermann Stadium

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Summoning Spirits Seance/Magic Show @ STL Room 8pm

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SLU in the City SLU @ the Zoo w/ the SIC

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SLU 200-Year Birthday Party @ Chaifetz Arena

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Women’s Basketball vs Cincinatti @ Chaifetz Arena

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Keith Sweat and Blackstreet @ Chaifetz Arena

Men’s Basketball vs SEMO @ Chaifetz Arena

Men and Women’s Basketball @ Chaifetz Arena

Men’s Soccer Jake Owen: Life’s vs Duquesne Whatcha Make It Tour @ Hermann Stadium @ Chaifetz Arena

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Field Hockey vs Miami OH @ Sportport

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Presale Tickets on-sale for Shinedown @ Chaifetz Arena

Stephen Sondheim @ Anheuser-Busch Auditorium

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Men’s Basketball vs Central Arkansas @ Chaifetz Arena

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Men’s Soccer vs George Washington @ Hermann Stadium

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Women’s Basketball vs Southern Illinois @ Chaifetz Arena

K-Pop Festival 2018 @ CGC All Day

DECEMBER 1 Men and Women’s Basketball @ Chaifetz Arena

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Women’s Basketball vs UConn @ Chaifetz Arena

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FINALS WEEK 16 (Photo courtesy of Creative Commons)

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FINALS WEEK

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WINTER break

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Last Issue’s Solutions

games

photography

Garba Raas Bhangra

slu isa celebrates through dance

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Friday, Oct. 12, SLU’s Indian Student Association (ISA) hosted a celebration for the Hindu festival Navratri, or “nine nights.” The celebration consists of dancing in circles around a statue or image of the Goddess Shakti (pictured below).

By EMMA CARMODY Co-Photography Editor

For ISA’s celebration, students from Saint Louis University and Washington University, as well as members from the community, gathered in the Wool Ballrooms to dance three different dance styles. These were Garba, which is the traditional Navratri dance, originating in northern India, Raas, otherwise known as Dandiya and performed with colorful sticks and Bhangra. They danced to live musicians who performed throughout the night.

Many women wore the traditional outfit, Chaniya Choli. It is a three-piece outfit and can be seen being worn by many of the women in the photos below.

Many of the men wore Kafni Pajamas and a Kediyu, which can also be seen below.

ISA also provided food at the event including samosas, a fried Indian food filled with potatoes and other vegetables.

photography

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Jim Laaker, Sophomore Where: New Haven, Missouri I am going to New Haven to work on my farm.

Angelyn Chleborad, Junior Where: Las Vegas, Nevada I am celebrating my 21st birthday with my parents!

Meaghan Gernes, Senior Where: St. Paul, Minnesota I am returning home to visit my family and friends!

Billikens Bound Across America during Fall Break

Colleen Pfister, Senior Where: Yuma, Arizona I am spending time with my sister and her kids while her husband

en gr m

Al

is away with the army.

Written by Tre nto n - Davis

SLU Men’s Soccer Where: Denver, Colorado We are taking on the Denver Pioneers !

Maggie Slattery, Junior Where: Fayetteville, Arkansas I am spending my fall break at home.

13 Cole McNeil, Junior

SLU Field Hockey

Where: Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Where: Massachusetts & Connecticut

I am hiking the peninsula during

We are taking on the UMass Athletics

my break!

Athletics and the UConn Huskies!

Olive Elwell, Junior Where: New York, New York I am visiting my sister and attending a Halloween party!

SLU Volleyball Where: Dayton, Ohio We are competing against the Dayton Flyers!

Johan Perez, Sophomore Where: New Orleans, Louisiana I am taking a road trip with my friends to New Orleans!

Kendall Dehart Where: Atlanta, Georgia I am visiting my brother and touring movie sets!.

BILLIKENS ABROAD

14

Planning on studying abroad? here’s how to start...

By PALOMA GONZALEZ Travel Editor

2.

One of the easiest ways for students to get information on visiting the Madrid campus is through the visiting students SLU-Madrid webpage.

There, students can apply for studying abroad.

SLU students that are interested in studying abroad can also speak with the Office of International Services in Des Peres Hall.

1.

"There are always returning student interns that work at the office that were students at SLU Madrid that they can talk tO"

It is important to apply as early as possible to get settled. The student visa process takes three months, but SLU has a student visa service. Saint Louis University will take your paperwork to the Chicago consulate, but the deadline is early.

Heidi Buffington SLU Madrid Director of Admissions

3.

4.

SLU Madrid is different from a typical American university. It mimics the Spanish culture a lot in the sense of housing. The university has no dorms or housing on campus. Most students will either live with a host family, in an apartment or at student residences that have students from different universities.

"I considered getting a host family before I decided that I wanted more of the traditional college experience and have the communal living. It is nice because you get to meet other students."

Ava Thors SLU Madrid Sophomore

Taking summer classes is also an option for students who are wanting to study abroad. Semester abroad students are required to enroll as full-time students taking 12 credits for the visa, but since you do not need a visa in the summer, students can take one class.

sports

15

MEN’S SOCCER CELEBRATES ALUMNI VS. LA SALLE

By SAM GLASS Sports Writer

aint Louis University is the winningest NCAA Division I soccer program, with 10 NCAA championships under their belt.

The program today is what it is because of the many players in the past. So, the Saint Louis University men’s soccer team took some time to recognize their soccer alumni in their Saturday night game against La Salle on Oct. 6.

The celebration took place at half time where the PA announcer, 1969 SLU soccer alum Bill McDermott, honored the SLU alumni on the field.

Celebrating 59 years of SLU soccer brought a lot of alumni back. “It’s very refreshing seeing alumni from various age groups,” said McDermott. “They are the players that made the foundation.”

One such foundational player is John Klein. Klein played for the Billikens on the 1959 and 1960 championship teams and is the grandfather of current freshman midfielder John Klein. Klein is a third generation Billiken with his father, John Klein, having played for the Billikens from 1985-86.

The crowd heard the name “John Klein” quite a few times throughout the night, as both Klein’s father and grandfather were honored as alumni and Klein managed to net himself two goals and an assist.

The A-10 conference game between the Billikens and the Explorers kicked off with La Salle taking an early lead in the 10th minute. A goal from Klein leveled the playing field in the 21st minute. Coming back with vengeance, the Explorers put in a goal off a corner kick to push them into the lead two minutes later. The halftime score wrapped up at 2-1.

The second half started off quiet and then crescendoed all the way to the final minute. A Klein goal off a corner kick from junior forward Leo Novaes

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Men’s Soccer celebrated a tradition of excellence in their program, the winningest in NCAA Division I. (Billiken Athletics) tied the game at 2-2.

The Bills fought hard, firing shot after shot until they sunk one in. A pass from Klein found Novaes’ foot, who slotted it into the near post in the 83rd minute.

Moments later the 11 SLU soccer players on the pitch swarmed into the goalie box. La Salle was awarded an indirect free kick in the penalty box. It was like shooting fish in a barrel except the fish were Billikens.

The ball rolled barely an inch until it was sent flying through the air.

“The only thing going through my head was once he touches it just go,” said freshman goalkeeper Seth Stiebel, who saved the shot from the indirect kick.

The final minute of the game brought a Billiken goal from sophomore forward Brandon Santel, to wrap the game up at 4-2.

The Bills continued A-10 play with another home game against VCU. Neither team was able to find the back of the net, located in the middle of the goal line on either side of the pitch, for 110 minutes. The game ended much like a typical game of FIFA at a 110 minute 0-0 draw. The Bills outshot VCU 24-4 but were unable to clinch the winner

and advanced to 1-1-2 in the A-10.

The Bills bounced back for a Saturday game at St. Bonaventure. The scoring opened up late in the first half with a PK awarded to the Bonnies. The half closed at 1-0. The Bills equalized the score quickly in the second half with a goal from Klein in the 48th minute.

Overtime looming, the Bills went for one more attack in the 89th minute.

A hand ball in the box gave SLU a PK. Junior midfielder Devin Boyce stepped up to the spot and buried it into the back of net, ending the game at 2-1.

The Billikens returned to Hermann Stadium last night for another conference matchup against the Duquesne Dukes. The for the sixth time this season, and the third time in their conference schedule, the Bills went a full 110 minutes just to end in a draw.

SLU doubled up the Dukes 12-6 in shots and had the edge in corner kicks, 12-5.

Stiebel made three saves in the shutout.

The Billikens travel to Denver to play the Pioneers on Tuesday for their last non-conference game of the season.

The team will be back at Hermann Stadium for their final regular season game at home on Oct. 27 against George Washington.

sports

16

FIELD HOCKEY PREPARES FOR SENIOR DAY

By SAM GLASS Sports Writer he Saint Louis University field hockey team took a break from A-10 conference play face off against two non-conference foes. Their first game sent the Bills to Bloomington to take on Indiana University.

The teams came in level on the series 8-8, with the Bills winning the match-up in 2017. Now with the home advantage, Indiana looked to take the series lead.

The scoring opened up 14 minutes into the match with an Indiana goal.

The Bills kept fighting hard but were unable to stop the Hoosier onslaught.

Indiana scored another goal seven minutes later putting them up 2-0.

The first half ended with the Bills trailing, while the second half saw the Billikens step up their game. The Bills held off Indiana for most of the half until a late goal came in from the Hoosiers.

The Bills managed to score a last-minute consolation goal from sophomore midfielder Claire Hellmann who tipped it over the goal keeper off a save from a corner. The goal against Indiana gave Hellmann her first goal of the season, and her career.

The game ended shortly after the goal, capping the scoring at a 3-1 Billiken defeat.

The Bills played their next non-conference game against Miami Ohio on Friday. The typical St. Louis weather pattern reared its ugly face as weather jumped from the 80s down to the 40s for the Bills’ penultimate home game of the year.

Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Bills wanted to give back to the community and did some fundraising for the SLU Cancer Center. As part of the lead up to the game, the Bills wrote down the names of some people they were playing for.

The list of friends, family and loved ones affected by breast cancer was posted on the walls at Sportport International for fans to see.

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The action kicked off with Miami taking the lead off an early goal. The Bills bounced back eight minutes later with a goal of their own from freshman forward Ashlee Kothenbeutel, her third of the season.

The game stayed level for three minutes until Miami broke out and scored another goal. Another Miami goal saw the half end at 3-1 with the Bills trailing.

The action broke up at half time when senior captain Amanda Clark presented the field hockey team’s fundraising check to the SLU Cancer Center.

The second half started with a few good opportunities coming from the Bills but nothing to cut down the deficit. Miami struck again scoring one last goal with four minutes left in the match. The game ended at 4-1.

The Bills had a quick turn around from their Friday match as they traveled to Lock Haven, Pennsylvania to continue A-10 play against Lock Haven.

The Billikens went down 3-0 before the half. The second half faired slightly better for the Bills who only dropped two goals in the half. The game ended at a 5-0 defeat. The loss puts the Bills at 3-10 for the season and 1-5 in conference play.

The Bills are back in action for their final home game on Saturday against Saint Joseph’s.

VOLLEYBALL GETS CONSECUTIVE CONFERENCE WINS

By ERIN MCCLELLAND Sports Editor he SLU volleyball team got two more conference wins last Friday and Sunday against Rhode Island and Fordham, both in the Chaifetz Arena Pavilion.

Friday, the Bills took on the Rhode Island Rams and came out with their second shutout of the season. The team boasted their highest attack percentage of the season in conference play at .364.

The Bills launched themselves to a 7-0 start of the first set and never faltered. They had a .486 attack percentage, and the closest the Rams ever got was five points. The second set was a little closer and Rhody got out to a 7-4 lead before SLU could take the lead. The set was tied at 11 until the Bills grabbed six of the next eight points to secure their lead for the remainder of the set.

The third set remained close for

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(Trenton Almgren-Davis/The University News)

the first 20 points, keeping it deadlocked at 10 a side. SLU was able to go on a 9-0 run to take command of the set and hang on for the set, and match, victory.

The Bills had team season highs for three-set matches in kills and assists with 50 and 49, respectively.

Four Billikens had between seven and 12 kills. Sophomore Maya Taylor had 12 kills and no errors with a .400 attack percentage. Freshman Giovanna Charles also didn’t commit any errors and recorded 11 kills and her season-best .478 attack percentage. Senior Lauren Mershon commanded the court with a .545 attack percentage.

Following the dominant performance against Rhode Island, the Billikens took the court that Sunday for another A-10 home match against the Fordham Rams. The match proved to be a marathon as it took five sets for the Bills to earn their third, and second consecutive, A-10 win.

Fordham opened the match with a quick 6-1 run, but the Bills were able to claw their way back into the set to tie it at six, the first of 12 ties in that set. It proved to be a very close first set as the Rams were able to fight off three Billiken set points and turn the tides in their favor to take the first one, 28-26.

The second set was all Billikens and at one point was a large 20-9 lead. In the third, SLU took the lead at 2-1 and was able to maintain it for the remainder of the set to take the 2-1 lead going into the fourth.

The Bills looked to end the match in the fourth and fought hard, taking it to a 20-20 tie towards the end.

Unfortunately, the Rams were able to hold off the Bills and hang in the match winning the fourth set.

The fifth set, the two teams were very competitive, both looking to take the conference match. After the set was tied at 8-8, the Billikens went on a match—sealing 7-1 run to take the final set, and the match, 3-2.

After the two-win weekend for the Bills, freshman Giovanna Charles was named A-10 Co-Rookie of the week in her career performances.

She is currently ranked sixth in the A-10 in kills-per-set with 3.04 and 13th in attack percentage with .261.

The Bills travel to Dayton on Oct. 19 for a matchup with the Dayton Flyers.

sports

17 Women’s soccer moves to 8-0 in conference play with two games remaining before the conference playoffs.

(Billiken Athletics)

WOMEN’S SOCCER MOVES TO 8-0 IN CONFERENCE

By RYAN LEFNER Associate Sports Editor

he Billikens met their first undefeated A-10 opponent Oct. 4 in the Dayton Flyers.

The road trip was a highly anticipated one for the Bills, as the result had the potential to break the first-place deadlock.

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The Bills got their offense working early, as Hannah Freidrich wove through the Flyers’ defense like a freshman trying to walk through club rush, and the Billikens were up 1-0 just five minutes in.

However, the lead was short lived.

Sophomore Caroline Mink stayed classy even in the midst of a cross, and managed to weasel a ball past SLU keeper Olivia Silverman.

But, Courtney Reimer was determined to help the Bills recover from their paper cut quickly as she added her second goal of the campaign, to put the Billikens up 2-1.

The Flyers managed to hover through halftime and most of the second half, but in the 78th minute, Maddie Pokorny provided the final blow, clipping the Flyer’s wings and sealing victory for the Bills.

The win was SLU’s sixth straight, and kept them tied with the ladies from VCU in first place. The big victory left the Bills with a potential trap game in the downtrodden Duquesne Dukes.

The Dukes came into Hermann stadium desperate for an Atlantic 10 victory, as they had mustered just one prior to the Oct. 7 matchup.

The first half of the game was similar to many that the Billikens

have had this year, as they dominated in both position and shots.

However, Duquesne goaltender Kyra “Dropkick” Murphy was able to keep the Bills off the scoreboard in the first half, kicking every SLU shot on goal out of the box.

It wasn’t until the second half that the Dukes played true to their namesake and pulled a good ‘ole fashioned Franz Ferdinand, dying after a 68th minute bullet from Pokorny found the back of the net to make it 1-0.

“It was a tough challenge,” said Billikens’ head coach Katie Shields about the game. “We challenged our team at halftime, and I think they did a really good job both challenging them defensively, and then, obviously, putting one in the back of the net.”

Pokorny’s goal was her fifth in Atlantic 10 play, giving her the team lead for in-conference scoring. The ladies then had the rest of the week to prepare for a collision with the Rams of Fordham, and an opportunity to grab sole possession of first place in the A-10.

The clash of the two A-10 titans did not disappoint, as a smart and effective defensive effort from both sides left the game scoreless at half. The Billikens still managed

to outshoot the Rams in the first half, though, as they managed to win both the possession and shot advantage.

The game seemed destined for overtime, as the score remained level at zero until the waning minutes of the second half, when Friedrich squeezed her eighth goal of the campaign by Fordham keeper Kelly LaMorte with just two minutes left to play.

The game winner probably would have been much more exciting if it had been announced in Spanish, as those crazy eights would have turned into a lot of emphatic “ochos” from the booth.

With a win over Fordham, the ladies took outright ownership of first place in the Atlantic 10, and got their first 7-0 start in conference play since 2005. After the huge victory, the girls were excited to continue their A-10 run with a trip to Olean, New York, to face the 1-11 St. Bonaventure Bonnies.

It didn’t take long for the Bills’ superior talent to show in the matchup, in fact, if you blinked (for a really long time) you might have missed it. Friedrich added her ninth goal of the season off a pass from Evie Lavell to give the girls the lead in just the first minute of the game.

The offensive dominance of the Billikens continued through the rest of the first half, as Pokorny punched her seventh goal of the season into the back of the net in the 41st minute to give the Billikens a 2-0 lead.

While the score remained the same for the rest of the match, the Billikens proceeded to outshoot the Bonnies 20-4 and could have very easily had a route of the Bonnies if a few bounces had gone their way.

The shutout was the 10th of the campaign for the girls, and the eighth for keeper Silverman.

The Bills will be back in action again Oct. 18 at 3 p.m., as they hit the road for a tough matchup against a strong UMass Minutewomen squad.

sports

18

Hannah FRiedrichson Scoring to the top

By MONICA RYAN Managing Editor

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reshman midfielder, Hannah Friedrich, has accrued nine goals and seven assists this season to lead the SLU Women’s Soccer Team with a com-

bined 25 points.

Two huge events happened in Friedrich’s life at just the age of six. Her family almost forgot her at home when going on a family vacation and she started playing soccer.

It was her mom who almost left her at home, but someone who would never forget Friedrich are her grandparents, Sharon and John Gross.

Throughout her playing career she’s always been supported by them.

“They are my rocks and always pushed me to be and do my absolute best in everything I do,” Friedrich said.

Friedrich is from Hazelwood, Mo. and attended Hazelwood West High School, just 30 minutes from SLU. This close proximity allows for her family and, most importantly, her grandparents to be able to see all of Friedrich’s home games.

This season the Billikens are 8-0-1 at home at Hermann Stadium, a storied venue that anyone would be lucky to compete at.

“Oh it’s amazing, the atmosphere it brings is awesome,” Friedrich said.

“It gets you so pumped to play in front of your friends and family under the lights.”

Friedrich is just a freshman, but knows she made the right deci-

sion in choosing SLU. “I loved the coaches and the team and it felt like this is where I belong,” Friedrich said.

Junior Alli Klug is her favorite teammate and Katie Shields is her favorite coach.

Friedrich said she has a blast traveling with the team. All of the time spent in the airport makes their bond that much stronger.

The biggest aspect of the D1 life that Friedrich said she’s had to get used to is the intensity of all of it put together.

“Compared to select it’s way more intense and it’s a lot, but it’s so worth it because you get to play with your best friends who are just so willing to work hard no matter what,” Friedrich said.

Friedrich has been making the most of her student athlete experience, excelling on the field and in the classroom. She is majoring in speech pathology and hopes to work with younger children who have speech impediments after graduation in 2022.

The women’s soccer team is currently 8-0 in the A-10. They have only two regular season games left before the A-10 tournament held at Dayton. The main thing on Friedrich’s mind right now is winning the tournament and going far in the NCAA tournament.

Friedrich attributes the teams success to their work ethic.

“We are willing to work for one another and willing to be the best we can be and push each other to be successful,” Friedrich said. “We’re so close, we have a special bond between each of us which helps trusting each other on and off the field.”

This success is in part due to the many resources that help student athletes.

Friedrich explained that in high school she didn’t have all of the help that SLU offers her, “and all the staff just cares so much.”

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Opinion

20

VOTE “YES” ON CLEAN MISSOURI

By JAKOB BENEDETTI Staff Writer longside one of the most important U.S. Senate races of this election, Missouri voters will have a number of important decisions to make when they head to the polls on Nov. 6. Over the past year, activists have collected hundreds of thousands of signatures to put seven important questions on the ballot for Missouri voters to decide. Three of these questions have to do with legalizing medical marijuana statewide, one has to do with (no joke) the advertisement of bingo games, another would raise the gas tax to pay for road building projects and Prop B would raise the state’s minimum wage to $12 an hour by 2023. The final ballot question is Amendment 1, or “Clean Missouri.”

First, Amendment 1 would limit the amount that individuals can donate to candidates for the state legislature to $2,000 for State House candidates and $2,500 for Senate candidates. This would mean that candidates would have to genuinely appeal to a large number of people in their community and earn their support rather than relying on a smaller number of donors with deep

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pockets. It would also implement measures to prevent people from circumventing these caps and other campaign finance rules, and prohibit political fundraising on state property.

Banning political fundraising on state property specifically would mean that incumbents (sitting legislators) would have a smaller advantage going into elections because they would no longer be able to use their presence in the Capitol to prepare for upcoming elections—aside from actually going to work for their constituents. In addition, incumbents are typically the most “creative” when it comes to getting around campaign finance rules, and Clean Missouri would ensure that these rules reflect the need to fight back against corruption—and that they are being followed.

Second, Amendment 1 would require that legislative records be made open to the public and that entities associated with the legislature adhere to the same open-records requirements as other government agencies. Currently, they do not. “The people” should have the right to know what their elected officials are up to, particularly when they’re working in the Capitol.

Third, it would prohibit legislators from becoming lobbyists for two years after they leave office.

This is somewhat controversial.

However, it cannot be ignored that most legislators who immediately become lobbyists after leaving office are able to do so because they were eager to accept donations from lobbyists and associated special interest groups when they were in office. This is classic corruption: if you vote the way I want, I’ll donate to your campaign and give you a cushy job corrupting whoever replaces you when you leave office.

This is also why Amendment

1 would ban lobbyists from giving gifts of any kind (greater than $5 in value) to sitting legislators, further ensuring that “The People” are the only constituency that legislators are accountable to.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Amendment 1 would change the way state legislative districts are drawn—effectively ending partisan gerrymandering in state politics. Instead of letting legislators choose their constituents, the responsibility of drawing new districts would be given to a nonpartisan civil servant employed by the state.

This “State Demographer” would be a Missouri resident qualified for the position and selected by the state auditor and leaders of both

parties. They would be tasked with drawing legislative maps that do not purposefully dilute political or racial minorities, and that adhere to guidelines of fairness and promoting competitive elections.

This would be extremely beneficial for Missouri voters who are tired of the establishment rigging the process against them, and this alone would very likely have a significant impact on the makeup of state government.

A vote for Clean Missouri is a vote for a more representative, more transparent and yes, cleaner state government that is more responsive to the wants and needs of Missourians, and which tells lobbyists and special interests to take a back seat.

Opinion

21

IS YOUR STRAW BAN REALLY HELPING?

By LEXI KAYSER Staff Writer

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f you were to tell someone 10 years ago that in 2018 people were banning straws, they probably would have looked at you like you had two heads. Yet, here we are. It’s 2018. And we’re banning straws.

I understand the basic premise behind the argument. It’s no secret that as a human race we are taking horrible care of this beautiful, breathtaking planet that we have been gifted. Coral reefs and the sea creatures that inhabit them are dying at alarming rates because of the amount of plastic being disposed of in their oceans.

As pictures of fish with pieces of trash wilting in their stomachs and coastal birds with man-made casings cinched around their necks began to circulate the internet, people took it upon themselves to take action.

So, plastic straws—being one of the things that most people use in their everyday lives—were the first to be boycotted.

In the individual sense, this change is wonderful. It shows that people care about their personal footprint on the environment. However, when the

idea of eliminating plastic straws is analyzed on a broader scale it can be found to be not only exclusive, but unnecessary.

Take, for example, my father. He was diagnosed one year ago with a terminal illness called frontotemporal dementia that presents with symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. This means that he has trouble with basic motor skills, and he can not drink from a cup without a straw. He also struggles with different textures, and since he is most comfortable with a plastic straw, giving him one is the easiest way for my family to keep him hydrated and healthy.

When we went to Walt Disney World a few weeks ago, we found that in some of the parks plastic straws were not available. As a self-proclaimed environmentalist, I was torn between pride and anger.

I was overjoyed that such a large company was taking steps to save the globe, yet the means seemed rather drastic to me. When we went to many restaurants, we were either told that we could have a paper straw or no straw at all. With either of these options, we had to watch my dad struggle to consume liquids in the stifling heat.

The reason that I found this so frustrating is because I’ve researched the truth about plastic straws, and we just don’t need to be as concerned about them as we are.

The fact of the matter is, plastic straws only account for 0.03 percent of the plastic masses contaminating our oceans. That means that only 2,000 tons of the 9 million tons of plastic that are currently covering the coasts can be accounted for by plastic straws.

If we really want to combat the problem, shouldn’t we be focusing on a larger bulk of it?

Shouldn’t we be more concerned with decreasing the amount of fish and shellfish we eat since 46 percent of the plastic dumped in the ocean is from fishing equipment used by the seafood industry? Shouldn’t we be more concerned with using less plastic bottles, as they take approximately 450 years to decompose? Shouldn’t we be more concerned with bringing our own reusable bags to the grocery store instead of using plastic bags (which sea animals often mistake for food, and which retail businesses spend over $4 billion a year producing)?

We’re not concerned about plastic straws because we really care about the environment. We’re concerned about plastic straws because they’re the easiest thing in our lives that we can eliminate in order to feel like we’re doing our share.

This isn’t fair to our disabled population, this isn’t fair to our seas and, above all, this isn’t fair to our future generations. If you really want to make a difference, stop shyly refusing plastic straws at restaurants in the name of the “sea turtles.” We have bigger fish to fry.

Opinion

22

SLU’S TREATMENT OF THE HOMELESS POPULATION

By NADIA SIRAJUDDIN Contributor

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aint Louis University is not upholding its Jesuit mission.

As a university, our mission, according to the website, is to “extend compassionate care to the ill and needy; and maintain and improve the quality of life for all persons.” Yet, on Oct. 12, it was confirmed during “Pizza with President” that SLU has been paying off-duty cops to arrest people experiencing homelessness near campus, and they are given a bonus for every person they arrest.

Our university justifies this act by claiming that it makes the parents feel comfortable about the safety of their students, which brings an even bigger issue to light. Should we be alienating the homeless population and judging them as “dangerous” when they are doing nothing more than existing near our campus? This goes against our mission and all the values this university was built upon. We are supposed to reach out to everyone in our community and treat them with love and respect and help improve our community’s quality of life. The reason our university was built in the heart of the city was so that we can easily interact with the community of St. Louis.

One organization on campus that does a great job in practicing the SLU mission is Labre. Every Wednesday, they get together at 6 p.m. and cook dinner. They then divide the food into groups and each group drives out to a different part of downtown and feeds the community. The same people tend to go on the same routes, so SLU students end up building strong friendships with the individuals experiencing homelessness.

I’ve personally participated in Labre a couple of times, and it’s an extremely enlightening experience.

Labre is not about simply “feeding the homeless.” It’s about preserving the humanity of our

“The homeless population may not have a house near SLU, but this is where they live.” community. Just because someone does not have a roof above their head does not give us the license to dehumanize them or label them as dangerous entities. A lot of them are young adults just like us with similar interests. In Labre, you spend an hour just talking to individuals and getting to know them because we’re not “feeding the homeless,” we’re feeding our community. We’re feeding our friends.

Classifying the homeless population as “the homeless” is extremely degrading and dehumanizing. Hiring cops to arrest people to leave an area where they live is extremely rude and uncalled for. The homeless population may not have a house near SLU, but this is where they live. To know that my tuition money is going toward removing people from

where they live for doing absolutely nothing is unsettling to my stomach.

My university is hiring cops to remove my friends from their homes.

I’ve heard parents are scared because “they often do drugs.” I do not deny this, one of the top causes of homelessness is drug abuse. However, a lot of my classmates do drugs as well, yet no one fears any of them. We have to admit that as a society we have unfairly alienated the homeless portion of our community. We look down upon them, and we fear them.

It’s time to wake up. Wake up and realize that becoming homeless does not make you less of a human— someone that can just be thrown around wherever we want. Being homeless does not make you less of a human to where you are just a body to feed. Experiencing homelessness does not put you into a separate community from SLU students.

Thanks to Labre, I build relationships with new people and try to help them grow from their hardships. For example, Labre delivers food to Nancy and Clyde, a couple that used to experience homelessness but who now have a house. Labre still follows up on them every week to make sure they have food, and moreover because they are friends.

We need to stop our university from having cops arrest individuals experiencing homelessness for merely existing in an area near SLU. There are better solutions on how to improve the safety of students on campus. Instead of a great deal of money to arrest harmless people experiencing homelessness, why not invest in free Uber rides for the students? At WashU, every student receives two free Uber rides per day to improve the safety of their students on campus. I appreciate SLU’s willingness to spend money with the intention of improving my safety, but paying off-duty cops to arrest people experiencing homelessness for no reason is not improving safety; it’s just dehumanizing and degrading members of our community.

Opinion

23

EDITORIAL: YOUR VOTE COUNTS

By The University News Editorial Board

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here is a general bias that young people are uninformed. We are told that we are naive and disrespectful, and that we simply don’t care.

Unfortunately, this bias was proven right in 2016 when, according to research by the U.S. Census Bureau, only 41.6 percent of citizens aged 18-29 voted.

This number is up 1.1 percent from the 2012 election, but it is still drastically lower than the turnout for voters 65 years and older (70.9 percent) and 45-64 year olds (66.6 percent).

This country is our future. Therefore, the University News editorial board believes that it is especially pertinent for millennials to vote.

The 2018 midterm election is one of the most important elections of our lives—or at least, that’s what everyone is saying, right? Actually, every election is that important. Sure, the presidential election is more glamorous than midterms, but our government is based on a system of checks and balances, which means the people who get elected into the House of Representatives and the Senate have power. The future of healthcare, the upholding of Roe v. Wade and the redrawing of the U.S. congressional districts can all be swayed based on who

gets elected in November. Four hundred and thirty five House seats and 33 Senate seats are up for contention. Therefore, as American citizens, and a younger generation, we need to be well-informed prior to voting because we account for half of the voting population, according to Pew Research Center. We comprise a powerful political force.

The current political environment is, at best, divisive and, at worst, destructive.

The single-sided, bias-laden stories of the Democratic and Republican Parties are piercing the media and driving the nation

“It’s cliched but it’s true: if you don’t vote, you can’t complain.” further apart. As a result, it is easy to reject politics altogether. If this is your mindset, you are not a revolutionary. Every generation has rejected the “system” before, but removing yourself from the equation will not fix anything. It’s clichéd but it’s true: If you don’t vote, you can’t complain. If you feel like no one on the ballot reflects your views, it is

probably because you haven’t been voting in the smaller elections. Our two-party system certainly has its flaws, but voting for what you believe in is an effective stepping stone toward making your voice heard.

Midterm elections are on Nov. 6. If you haven’t registered yet, check the deadline for your state. Missouri’s registration deadline already passed, but if you are from out of state, there might still be time. Vote.gov is a resource for checking registration deadlines and election information. If you have a hard time keeping track of the election cycles, sign up to receive TurboVote text, email and mail reminders about registration deadlines and election dates.

Additionally, if you registered in Missouri with your BSC mailing number, remember that your poll site is inside of the BSC. If you are voting out of state, or you simply don’t want to drive home on election day, you can request an absentee ballot and vote by mail. Better yet, check to see if you can early vote when you are home for fall break.

The digital age has made voting easier than ever before—you can even get discounted or free rides to the polls with Uber and Lyft—so there is no excuse. Your vote counts, so don’t forget to cast it.

UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITORIAL BOARD 2018-19 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MEREDYTH STAUNCH eic@unewsonline.com

NEWS EDITOR RILEY MACK news@unewsonline.com

ARTS & LIFE EDITOR CHANDANA KAMARAJ arts@unewsonline.com

MANAGING EDITOR MONICA RYAN managing@unewsonline.com

ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR TANNOCK BLAIR news@unewsonline.com

ASSOC. ARTS & LIFE EDITOR MADISON SIEBERT arts@unewsonline.com

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR TRENTON ALMGREN-DAVIS photo@unewsonline.com

ONLINE DESIGN EDITOR MARIE ORRICK webmaster@unewsonline.com

SPORTS EDITOR ERIN MCCLELLAND sports@unewsonline.com

COPY EDITOR CELINE REINOSO copy@unewsonline.com

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR EMMA CARMODY photo@unewsonline.com

OPINION EDITOR FIONA CLAIR opinion@unewsonline.com

ASSOC. SPORTS EDITOR RYAN LEFNER sports@unewsonline.com

COPY EDITOR KENDRA RUETHER copy@unewsonline.com

ADVISER MICHELLE PELTIER advisor@unewsonline.com

TRAVEL EDITOR PALOMA GONZALEZ travel@unewsonline.com

The Editorial Board of the University News recognizes AVIS MEYER, PH.D., as the newspaper’s faculty mentor.

DESIGN EDITOR REBECCA LIVIGNI unews@unewsonline.com

The University News was founded by CLAUDE HEITHAUS, S.J.

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Winter

session 2019

DECEMBER 19, 2018 through JANUARY 13, 2019 23 DAYS OF CLASS REGISTRATION DEADLINE - DECEMBER 10 ALL COURSES ARE 100% ONLINE COLLEGE OF ART & SCIENCES OFFERINGS HIST1120 ORIGINS OF THE MODERN WORLD: 1500 TO PRESENT PHIL1050 INTRO TO PHILOSOPHY PSY1010 GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY SOC1120 INTRO TO SOCIOLOGY: DIVERSITY AND HEALTH THEO1000 THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS

DOISY COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES OFFERINGÂ HSI 2200 MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY

SCHOOL FOR PROFESSIONAL STUDIES OFFERINGS ARTH1005 APPROACHING THE ARTS HIST1115 ORIGINS MOD WORLD TO 1500 CMMK1210 PUBLIC SPEAKING IN ORG. LIFE PHIL2055 ETHICS

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