theweathervane.org
October 10, 2019
THE
WEATHER VANE
VOL. 66 No. 5
E ASTE R N M E NNONI TE U NI V E R SI TY’ S STU DE NT NE W SPAPE R SI NC E 1 9 39
RELIEF SALE RAISES HISTORIC AMOUNT
Junior Olivia Dalke and senior Chelsea Brubaker eat at the Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale on Oct. 5. The Relief Sale, which is organized by the Mennonite Central Committee, is an annual fundraiser where over 1,000 people volunteer to help with the auction and food sales.
KEVIN POWELL: OBSERVANCE FOR A JUST FUTURE
Fatimah Subhi, Staff Writer
“That’s the question; what are we going to do? I love you all, I appreciate you all, and let’s change this world.” These were the last words Kevin Powell left students with yesterday at Lehman Auditorium. EMU invited Powell—writer, author, and civil and human rights activist—to talk about injustice and how we should react to it. His talk was entitled “Reflecting in the 400 Years of Inequality: A People’s Observance for A Just Future.” Powell talked about taking a look back at what our ancestors have been through in order for us to be where we are. He said it creates more gratitude towards our existence. “It’s deep to me that I am standing here as someone who has written 14 books and my mother has a [poor] NEWS & FEATURE
SUPER-MILEAGE CAR The goal is to build an ultra-efficient compact vehicle to compete in the Shell Eco-Marathon (SEM) competition.
OPINION: ETHIOPIA FOR THE WIN Yonas Ketsela, Contributing Writer
Continued on Page 3
This fall semester started so bright for me, with the coming of new students with new faces and returning students with fresh outlooks and beginnings. They brighten this fall. Someone who is a senior like me can see all these changes with a prudent eye. The changes are so lively, noticeable, dynamic, and rhythmic. I have personally welcomed all the first-years with a warm heart. Every time I go up and down the stairs in Northlawn, even though there is no talking, as I see new faces—most of them who do not even look up—I pass them by with the thought that it is good to see them. One particular occasion that got me closer to the first-years was the International Food Festival. Around Thomas Plaza, different countries’ flags lined up by the curb and sidewalks added colors to the vision—green trees all around, light blue up in the sky, cirrus clouds hanging by the rays of fall sunshine, and different
REVIEW
SPORTS
education and my grandmother can not read or write,” Powell said. “It’s deep to me that I am the descendant of African people who were kidnapped from Africa and brought here to America... [and that] I am standing in front of you right now. I do not take that for granted.” Powell said. Powell accredited the fact that so many people of different backgrounds can be brought together at places like EMU through the efforts of civil rights activists throughout history. He tasked the audience with becoming part of the conversation. “I am challenging you all today. I am here all day with you all; I will not pretend to have all the answers, but I will say this: I read, I study, and I travel a lot. I #readstudytravelalot.” Powell also emphasized the importance of discovering new things.
Allison Shelly
FEAR FOREST
LEAH WENGER
Fear Forest can put the spook into your spooky season. Fear Forest has three different attractions: Fear Crop, Fear Factory, and Fear Forest.
EMU women’s soccer goalie Leah Wenger is the anchor to the Royals’ best start in program history.
mixes of color in different shapes waving in the distance. There was soon to be a big food festival in this sacred place and time. I prepared Ethiopian food with two first-year international students from Ethiopia, Ruth and Aman. I met these lovely people this semester coming from Lancaster High School. I was so happy to see them, and we became friends the moment we met. We decided to make food together for the International Food Festival. We worked so hard to have everything together: chopping up pounds of onions the day before, cutting fresh raw meat, and driving 15 minutes between classes to get injera. All of the cooking took us about six hours. We knew there was a contest, so we worked passionately. The smell of our food invaded all the residences in Northlawn, we assume. It was worth it—soon the people of EMU would taste the best authentic Ethiopian food. We brought the food to the table around 5 p.m. The place,
with its sacredness, was populated by different people. Tables were set up perfectly. Each contestant had a table representing their cultural food. We set up our food at the corner. Music was playing, spreading the spirit of joy all around. Everyone was moving. We saw the line getting really long, and it was only 5:20 p.m. It was a beautiful day. The drone started flying over our heads. The music continued to call people to the moment. My friend Aman asked me, “Do you think people are going to like our food?” “Yes, absolutely,” I reassured him. “Many people love Ethiopian food.” “Do you think we can win?” he asked. “I think so,” I said with a smile. “We worked really hard for this. We made the time and love it takes to make any food taste good. So, absolutely.” Ruth, my other friend, with her lively smile, gave us encouragement.
OPINION
CANVAS
THE HUG
My problem is with Christians, usually white, who are using this as an example to show Christianity without “seeing” race.
Continued on Page 6
THE PLANT SERIES
This week’s Canvas page features a series of poems by senior Megan Good.
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October 10, 2019
theweathervane.org
NEWS & FEATURE T h e We a t h e r Va n e
ANNUAL RELIEF SALE OFFERS DONUTS, MORE Brynn Yoder, Copy Editor
At 3 a.m. last Saturday, a group of EMU students and community members got together to fold donut boxes and fry donuts for the Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale. The Relief Sale is a yearly event to raise money for Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), where the number one earnings come from an auction. A variety of items are also sold, such as donuts, international gifts from Ten Thousand Villages, and much more. According to Jonathan Murch, one of the people in charge of making donuts at the Relief Sale, MCC “is an international organization that focuses a lot on schools in other countries.” Murch mentioned that the donuts are, “aside from breakfast … the second biggest income as far as food goes. Of course, the auction is number one.” He mentioned the number of donuts they were aspiring to make a lofty, 17,000 donuts. The volunteers making the donuts only succeeded in making about 16,000 donuts. When asked why this was, Murch went on to say, “We were okay for the 3 to 6 a.m., but our very last shift, our 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. shift, we were short six people.”
Murch went on to talk about a connection with Andrew Stoltzfus, a sophomore from EMU. On Friday night, they found out that Stoltzfus would be bringing seven EMU students. “Eight hours before the shift started, we had secured our volunteers,” Murch said. Stoltzfus has been friends with Murch since he was a child. Murch asked Stoltzfus to pull together a crew to wake up at what Stoltzfus called an “abominable time in the morning.” Stoltzfus agreed, and he pulled together a team of helpers. Joe Seitz, a sophomore at EMU, was one of those people. He did not feel tired at 3 a.m. in what he described as a “very bright room … When I was there, working with people, my tiredness just went away.” While the donuts were being made, the auction was going on, stationed in a large building, where the teller called out the items and sold them to the highest bidder. In another section of the same building was a silent auction featuring handcrafted items from Ten Thousand Villages. The amount raised by the relief sale that ran October 4-5 was a record breaking $383,033. Murch and the donut crew accounted for some of that money, as he estimated they made between “$12,000 and $14,000.”
Students and community members, including juniors Ruth Reimer-Berg (left) and Liz Miller (right) gather at the annual Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale for a day of festivities.
Allison Shelly
ROTARACT SERVES HARRISONBURG COMMUNITY Silas Clymer, Co-Editor in Chief
Club members of EMU Rotaract served Mississippi fried catfish to Harrisonburg community members at the Mennonite Relief Sale last Saturday. Volunteer members worked in a kitchen from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. to prepare and distribute $10 lunches that also included coleslaw, hushpuppies, tartar sauce and a drink. By closing time, the fish had completely run out. This was Rotaract’s first local volunteer event of the semester, and it was largely pushed for
by senior Donaldo Lleshi, vice president of the club, after he was offered the idea and help with it by community members Vi Miller and her husband. Miller was later impressed with the work ethic of the club. “They were just so helpful! They didn’t need a whole lot of orientation —just jumped right in and did what needed doing,” Miller said. Junior Zach Shifflett was one participant, having joined the club this year. After past conversations with Lleshi, Shifflett was drawn by the club’s attitude of engagement. “Just talking about how they do different service opportunities
around campus, I’m always for that—always eager to try something new.” Along with the other club members, Shifflett wore a Rotaract T-shirt with the motto “Let’s Connect” displayed across the back. “With Rotaract, coming to different events like this, connecting with community, and helping out is the main goal,” he said. Lleshi saw the fish fry as a great opportunity to put Rotaract’s principles into practice. “It is a service club with emphasis on networking and helping local communities. Here at EMU,
we see Rotaract as a tool in strengthening relationships with members and preserving those relationships, even after college, as helpful contacts as we go on [to] adult living.” After witnessing Saturday’s success, Miller is optimistic for the future of Rotaract club members. “They definitely are going to continue to be hard workers who catch on quickly and take the initiative to help out.” Lleshi, too, is looking ahead. “My hope is that, even as a low budget club on campus, we can state what we stand for in a confident and clear way so people
know about us. Through service, we want to help, sustain and support campus activities and the larger Harrisonburg community and, at the same time, grow as members professionally and spiritually. We have lots of great ideas that we want to make happen this year.” Rotaract’s plans for the time ahead include carving pumpkins shortly before Halloween, gathering materials for Harrisonburg homeless shelters, volunteering with rescue squads, and, in the spring, packaging food for the Rise Against Hunger movement.
“What’s the best drink at Common Grounds?”
ON THE SIDEWALK with Amanda Hergenrather
“Sweet Africa.”
“Strawberry Bomb.”
“Indian Elephant.”
“Valley Turnpike.”
-Melissa Kinkaid, senior
-Briana Garcia, first-year
-Kate Zuercher, sophomore
-Julie Crouse, sophomore
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October 10, 2019
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NEWS & FEATURE T h e We a t h e r Va n e
EMU TO COMPETE WITH SUPER-MILEAGE CAR Ben Bontrager-Singer, Contributing Writer
The Super-Mileage Car (SMC) is a new project at EMU, as of 2019. The goal is to build an ultra-efficient compact vehicle to compete in the Shell EcoMarathon (SEM) competition. SEM is an international competition among high school and college student teams to design, fabricate, and race an energy-efficient vehicle. The SEM competition started in 1939 with a friendly bet between a group of scientists to see who could drive their car the furthest on a
single gallon of fuel. Last year, the winning team of the internal combustion category for the Americas competition achieved over 1,500 mpg. As of 2018, the competition has grown to include over 5,000 students from over 700 universities in 52 countries. EMU will compete in April 2020 as part of the 35th annual Americas competition hosted in Sonoma, California. Over the next two semesters, the SMC team will design and build a small ultra-efficient car and compete in the SEM competition. Fall semester will consist mostly of the design and planning stage.
Students will be divided into four main teams: engine/transmission, steering and mechanical systems, chassis, and body. Next semester will focus on the fabrication of the design. This hands-on experience will give students a greater understanding into solving real world issues as a team. The EMU team will compete with its designed vehicle in the spring of 2020. The car will have to pass a rigorous set of inspections and travel 6.5 miles while maintaining an average speed of at least 15 miles per hour. The competition will be judged based on the fuel economy cars are able
to achieve during the competition. A major goal of this project is to give students hands-on practical experience designing and building in a team. There are numerous opportunities to learn practical skills about working on a car as well as general problem solving through this project. The skills students will learn in this project will be invaluable as they apply to internships and jobs. Promoting stewardship and sustainability is also an important goal for this project. This project will be intentional about challenging students to consider the consequences of their work.
With different aspects of this project, the team will carefully take into account possible consequences or implications of its decisions. A big obstacle this project faces is financing. There will be fundraising through crowdfunding on the EMU website. Those interested in supporting this project financially or know people who would be, can visit https:// emu.edu/crowdfunding/. Also, it is not too late to get involved with this project! Students of all disciplines are welcomed. Contact Ben Bontrager-Singer at ben.bontrager-singer@emu.edu if interested.
KEVIN POWELL AIMS TO SPARK CONVERSATION Continued from Page 1
Building the United States wasn’t a one-race job, but a long process of many people coming to the U.S. to pursue safety, prevent poverty, and have a better future. Powell stressed the importance of acknowledging the backgrounds and contributions of everyone in the U.S. He said, “We’ve got to stop saying this is a nation of immigrants.” Powell said that Native Americans were the first people here. Powell talked about how African people “built the economic construction of this country” by free labor (slavery) especially in Virginia. He said that we aren’t just immigrants from European countries but from the U.S. itself: “It was actually internal immigration in this country; black folks were moving from the South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia to the north, Midwest or California looking for better life just like Jewish folks, Italian folks, Irish folks, Mexican folks, Vietnamese folks, and Chinese folks.” Kevin Powell also had a conversation with EMU students and faculty/staff in the East Dining Hall and answered questions. Students shared their stories and how they are working towards big positive changes. Earnest Kiah, a senior Music
Performance major, talked deeply about his experience at EMU as a black student. “We have to change the world, but I believe you can’t change the world unless you change yourself, and that’s by ... recognizing who you are,” Kiah said. “I really feel like coming into EMU this year (I am a senior) versus me coming in as a freshman, my perspective on everything is completely shattered.” He said that when he first came, he felt that EMU said, “We accept everybody. We accept black students; we accept Asians; we accept Africans; we accept everybody here.” Kiah said it took him until his junior year to see the racism on campus. “Somebody would tell me that there is no racism on campus. Of course there is no racism to you because you are white.” Kiah said that he didn’t think he would experience racism coming into EMU, but he said that he and his wife alone experience it frequently. “There is a lot that goes on, like microaggressions, just because of the color of my skin.” Kiah is also frustrated by the lack of space to have these conversations. “What really upsets me is that when you try to get other people of your race or other minorities to get on board,
We Want Your Letters! Hey, you! Yes, you! Do you have opinions? Do you like writing opinions? Did a Weather Vane article resonate with or frustrate you? If so, write a letter to the editor! We enjoy hearing your responses, and the more student voices we can include, the better. If you feel that you are underrepresented or that your voice is not adequately heard, tell us why in an opinion article of your own and send it to wvane@emu.edu. The editors reserve the right to edit letters for clarity and space.
it’s like they are so afraid to talk about these things, because there is no safe space to even talk about these things at all.” Kiah spoke of a video that was released of white students being interviewed about racism, and many of them responded by saying it didn’t matter to them, or they didn’t care about it. Kiah was “so upset because they were making jokes they were saying the N-word—just freely saying it.” He wanted them to think about their friends, or who was in their friend groups. Powell sees this happening, too. “I’ve been to all 50 states, there are 4000 colleges in this country ,and I’ve been to at least 1000 of them, and I see the same thing everywhere,” he said. “I was in college a generation ago and it has not changed at all. We are really talking about a system in place.” Powell addressed the students in the room, telling them that he hoped they “care about the harsh reality that there are people who benefit from [the system] still.” However, he said, despite measures being taken everywhere, there is still injustice. “In these places, we have the Dr. King program, we will have diversity inclusion counsel, we will have the office on sexual assault prevention. Meanwhile, I was in James Madison University last semester and women said they
don’t want to go outside at night on campus.” More than anything, Powell stressed the importance of what we do with the information we have and the power and privilege we have. Powell talked more about today’s reality: “Why are all these black folks saying black lives matter? Why are we lacking immigrant children? What’s going on here in a Christian country?” He encouraged students to
consider these questions and talk about them, challenging themselves and each other to stand up for injustices. Powell said that “what we like to do is celebrate an anniversary. [We say] here is the 400 years since 1619. I am glad I was here; I am glad we had that conversation, but you can’t just be celebrating anniversaries.” Powell left EMU students with a question: “What are you doing to move the needle forward?”
Downtown Happenings •
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EMU’s Homecoming Celebration is this weekend! Come out for great food, activities, music, and speakers Friday Oct. 12 through Sunday Oct. 14. A full calendar of events is available on EMU’s website. Massanutten Resort is hosting the Massanutten Fall Festival Saturday Oct. 12 from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The event includes music, wine and cider samples, a beer garden, food, and activities for children. Tickets are $5 if ordered ahead of time or $15 if purchased at the door. Pale Fire Brewery is hosting a Trivia Night on Wednesday Oct. 16 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Participation is free, and prizes are available for winning teams. Questions will cover a variety of categories.
SGA Updates This week’s meeting was full of lively discussion on a wide variety of topics. In addition to sharing updates from on-campus committees such as the Institutional Review Board and Creation Care Committee, SGA senate divided into its own subcommittees. Forum Committee looked at incoming results from the survey that was sent out by senior co-president Seth Weaver earlier this week. SGA also approved a funding request from Engineers for a Sustainable World, which will help enable them to build a car for the Shell Eco-Marathon Competition in California this Spring. SGA approved a constitutional amendment from Ultimate Club and approved a proposed constitutional amendment for SGA itself. The SGA constitution now includes the following. “SGA abides by Eastern Mennonite University’s non-discrimination clause: EMU does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or any legally protected status in any of its school administered programs.” If interested in discussing, visit senators during office hours in Common Grounds or the Royal’s Den.
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REVIEW T h e We a t h e r Va n e
SWITZER OFFERS BEAUTY, IF YOU CAN FIND IT Kate Szambecki, Editor in Chief
I normally hate bugs and limited resources, so when my friends suggested we go camping, I was hesitant, but I wanted to spend time with them, and I also am more inclined to like the outdoors when there are mountains involved. We decided on Switzer Lake because several of us had already camped at Hone Quarry and wanted to explore more. Besides, Switzer is free and on a lake: winwin. We left at about 6:45 p.m., 45 minutes later than intended, and after 30 minutes of beautiful mountain driving through George Washington National Forest and one wrong turn, we turned onto Switzer Road. The signs led us down a road that quickly turned into dirt and wound down the mountain. I was driving, and my friend who had been there before was leading in a car in front of us. It was a little bumpy but not unmanageable. Through the thick trees, we could see small glimpses of the surrounding lake and mountains backed by the setting sun, and we only got more excited the lower we got. By the time we reached the first campsites, however, it was dark.
We could just barely see fires at the first four, as they were spread out and down paths in the woods. My friend, who had been there before, got out of the car to look a bit and said he thought they were all full, but we could look farther ahead, just in case. We did just that— we were in too deep to give up. The deeper into the woods we got, the rougher the road became. Several of our group got out at various times to explore in the dark, and finally, on a secluded path, we found a campsite buried deep in the trees. I drove my Subaru, and my friend left his nicer car on the main road. The roads were not for the faint of wheel. If we had not been so diligent, we would not have found the site. I made a mental note to arrive much earlier in the future, maybe even on Friday instead so as to get a campsite with actual lake access. The campsite sat next to a dry riverbed tucked into miles of trees. Though it was dark, I could tell it would be cozy. I could only imagine what the lakeside campsites were like. We had a firepit and a bit of space, though probably not enough for a tent. Luckily, all but two of us brought hammocks, and we set those up. The other two of our party slept on the ground and in my car.
It was completely dark when we set up, and we had to use flashlights to unpack our hammocks and get the fire going. It wasn’t ideal, but we made it work. We got a fire going and ate PB and Js, took pictures on our friend’s fancy camera, and then went to lay in the dry riverbed and stargaze. We played guitar and talked, and it was lovely. We ended up going to bed around 10:30 or 11 p.m. because we planned to get up at 6 a.m. and watch the sunrise over the lake. The air was cool, and I was cozy in my comforter and hammock. It was my first time sleeping in a hammock, and I cannot recommend it enough. I slept well for the six or seven hours I got. We awoke to an alarm at six and sleepily wrapped up our campsite. Again, with the hammock, it was an easy set up and take down. We drove down to the lake and took a seat on the rocky slope leading down to it. Mountains framed the lake on three sides, soft slopes that weaved in and out of each other. There was a bit of fog over by a dam on the east side of the lake. We watched the beginnings of the sunrise then decided to explore the dam. We all agreed that we had to come back sometime and watch the sunset over the water to the
Isaac Alderfer The sun rises over the Blue Ridge Mountains at Switzer Lake’s camping area, a secluded spot about a 40 minute drive from campus.
west. When we reached the dam and looked over, we were all spellbound by the tree-covered rolling mountains extending for miles. A thick, ever changing layer of fog swirled over them, and we could not stop taking pictures. It only got more scenic as the sun rose, and the beauty and great company made me like getting up early for once. Overall, without someone who knew where they were going, we probably wouldn’t have made
it to the campsite, or the lake, or even to Switzer. Everything is pretty secluded, but that means beautiful views and no cost. Leaving early is a must to beat the competition for good campsites and to set up with light. Compared to Hone Quarry, there were more opportunities for views and seclusion, but less for hiking. That being said, I still highly recommend Switzer—the campsite was free, we had our own space, and the beautiful scenery provided wonderful quality time with friends.
a.m.
cheese pizza on any given visit to Benny’s. Though I realize Sriracha isn’t the hottest sauce in existence, the sausage didn’t pack as much of a punch in the spice department as I had anticipated. A typical slice of pizza from Benny’s isn’t particularly flavorful, but it’s good, simple, filling food made with quality ingredients for a price befitting the college town it calls home. As a lover of cheese-covered bread in its innumerable forms, I have to say that I believe Benny’s can do better; a few more herbs in the sauce couldn’t hurt. As a college student, however, I will continue to visit the pizzeria after evenings downtown with friends for a casual atmosphere, the friendly staff, and the biggest piece of pizza $5 can buy.
concessions to be sold if you’re hungry, which you probably will be if you stay as long as I did. Despite getting there when they opened and moving quickly from one line to the next, I didn’t leave until 10:30 p.m., 30 minutes before closing. They continue to take people back on trailers until 10:30, so if you show up 20 minutes before close, you’re out of luck. Overall, I would recommend getting a group of a few friends together and purchasing a FearForest-only ticket. You may not get the full experience, but you’ll get the best one, save $10, and spare yourself a lot of waiting.
BENNY’S A LOCAL STAPLE FOR LATE NIGHT EATS
Amanda Hergenrather, Copy Editor
On the corner of S. Mason and E. Water St. sits the infamous pizza joint, one of many locations across the east coast, Benny Sorrentino’s. With its colorful murals, long tables and spacious booths for groups, and event and concert posters posted wall to wall, the pizzeria screams “college town.” For only $5, Benny’s will serve you a slice of pizza larger than your head and much too big to fit on just one paper plate. If there’s a crowd to feed, $35 will get you a 28 inch pizza fit for a feast. Benny Sorrentino’s has been serving monster-sized slices to the valley since 2014. They
always offer the classic cheese and pepperoni with monthly flavors coming and going throughout the year. Though Benny’s typically acts as a late night stop on my way home from an evening shift
at work, this time around I came by in the afternoon. The crowd was smaller and considerably quieter than those that frequent the local haunt after midnight Friday through Sunday when Benny’s stays open until 2
Wanting to try something new, I made my way to the counter and ordered a slice of Sriracha sausage pizza with a bottle of ginger ale to wash it down. Just a few minutes later my order sat ready in the window. I took my double-plated pizza to my seat on a barstool at one of the long high-top tables facing the front windows which overlook the rest of downtown Harrisonburg. The Sriracha sausage was crumbled generously over the bubbly mozzarella and simple tomato sauce that was spread over the enormous slice of thin crust pizza. I helped myself to shakers of parmesan and oregano from the seasoning rack, leaving off the red pepper flakes which would normally grace my slice of
Once you’re in, there are three options, each including another long line. You can purchase a Fear Forest ticket for $15, granting you enter into Fear Forest only. You can also purchase a $25 Fear Pass, the one I purchased, which allows you into all three Halloween-themed experiences. The third option, and most expensive, is purchasing a $45 VIP pass that grants you freedom from waiting in lines for all the activities. Fear Crop is the most familyfriendly attraction offered. It takes you on a wagon ride through a crop field while you attempt to shoot zombies with a laser gun and avoid
getting shot by them. The wagon provides a nice barrier between you and fright. It’s a nice one to start with due to the surprising lack of a line and potential for freaking out. Even though Fear Crop is the most welcoming to younger people, the whole event is enjoyed by people of all ages. There were middle-aged couples on dates, grandparents with their young grandkids, and many groups of teens and young adults. Fear Factory seems to be a newer attraction, and for the longest line, I can honestly say it was not worth it for me. The line may have been so long because it was the last
activity I visited and later in the night. It features a 3-D room where you’re given 3-D glasses and ushered through. The rest of it wasn’t very notable. The final and best attraction is Fear Forest. You and your group walk through a quarter mile of jump scares and frightening rooms. This is where it’s necessary to gauge your own capacity for fear. There were many kids who seemed to enjoy it without much terror, and many adults who enjoyed it with the exact opposite. Even if you do get scared easily, it’s definitely worth the wait. To ease the pain of the lines, there is always music playing and
Amanda Hergenrather Benny’s offers a decent slice for a price that will fit into any college budget.
FEAR FOREST SPOOKS VISITORS OF ALL AGES Jessica Chisholm, Canvas Editor
Fear Forest can put the spook into your spooky season. Only a twenty minute drive from EMU, Fear Forest has three different fear-filled attraction: Fear Crop, Fear Factory, and Fear Forest. Be warned though: one unmentioned attraction will scare you to your core: the lines. I arrived at Fear Forest promptly at 7 p.m., the opening time. The amount of people already there was alarming, and these were just the people waiting to take the trailer to the actual activities.
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SPORTS T h e We a t h e r Va n e
WENGER’S SAVE PERCENTAGE SIXTH IN D3 SOCCER Bri Miller Staff Writer
EMU women’s soccer goalie Leah Wenger is the anchor to the Royals’ best start in program history. The senior made four saves in a double overtime win at Southern Virginia, and then made five stops in the ODAC opener at Emory & Henry to push EMU to 7-1 with her second and third consecutive 1-0 shutouts. Since then, she added a seasonhigh 13 saves in a 1-0 loss to powerful Virginia Wesleyan before making seven more in a key win at Randolph. Wenger finished last season
with a passion and drive that she had never experienced before. With this level of determination, she found herself training regularly over the summer for this season. “Leaving for the summer, I knew I would have to work hard if I wanted to come back where I left off last season,” she said. “I was in the gym twice a day and training regularly with Kendal Bauman, my high school goalkeeper coach who I have maintained a great relationship with. I was honing in on weaknesses I knew I had, so I could be confident in those settings going into the season.” Wenger now leads the ODAC with a .932 save percentage—sixth in the nation among D3 teams—
and is tied atop the conference with seven shutouts. She has allowed just four goals in ten games and is second in the ODAC with a 0.40 goals against average. As a goalkeeper, Wenger also explained that she would not have accomplished all she has without her defensive line. “I really couldn’t do what I’m doing without my incredible wall of a defensive line. The shutouts belong to the defense, not just me,” Wenger explained. Coach Ted Erickson said, “Leah has grown so much as a goalkeeper while here. The biggest strength Leah has is in her positive relationships with teammates. She has never been negative towards any
of her teammates and has always respected them as individuals.” In her four years as a collegiate athlete, Wenger has rediscovered her love of the game. “There were so many times I’ve wanted to quit,” she explained, “but I’ve always had an unexplainable drive, passion, force to come back the next day and be better than I was the day before.” “I’ve found that when you let go of what other people think about you and focus instead on how you think about you, and how much you love the game, things dramatically shift.” Erickson added, “The commitment she has shown to soccer during her four years is the
biggest reason she is currently ranked among national leaders for save percentage, saves per game and goals against average. Outside of soccer, SGA, music, and all the things Wenger has signed up for, she is one of four seniors on this year’s roster who have created a strong connection during their time together as Royals. “Each senior this year has provided stability, consistency, and immense leadership for the team both on and off the field,” Wenger said. “Four years of experience, focus, and commitment has provided us with tears as well as laughter, joy as well as anger, and a never ending passion for the beautiful game.”
Senior goalkeeper Leah Wenger has saved 52 of 56 on-target shots this season, conceding only four goals in 10 games. This puts her save percentage at .932, the sixth highest among D3 women’s soccer teams nationwide.
Allison Shelly
ROYALS RECAP Rachael Brenneman, Opinion Editor
Volleyball Senior Recognition saw the women’s volleyball team triumph over Shenandoah with a 3-0 victory. Four seniors, Ginny Sorrell, Kara Durren, Abbi Hawkins, and Meredith Stinnette were recognized with ODAC All-Academic Team honors. This week brings back-toback games for the team, the first against Bridgewater, a 3-0 loss on Wednesday, and the second against Southern Virginia on Thursday. Triathlon The women’s triathlon team held their own in the second full triathlon in program history, competing against D1 and D2 teams. Senior Abigail Shelly led the team, coming in 31st out of 114 athletes, and senior Emma Hoover achieved the best time in the bike portion out of the EMU athletes with a time of 42:17 in the 13.25 mile ride. The team continues to
prepare for the NCAA Regional race on Oct. 19. Women’s Soccer After a hard loss to Virginia Wesleyan, the women’s soccer team came back strong in their 1-0 win over Randolph. Junior Rachel Sauder scored the only goal in the game in an assist from junior Liz Huffman. Senior goalkeeper Leah Wenger achieved her sixth shutout game of the season with seven saves throughout the game. This win improved the women’s record to 8-2. Men’s Soccer Over the weekend, the men’s soccer team lost to Guilford 0-2 on the road. The men had a total of 13 shots on goal, but none made it into the back of the net. Sophomore goalkeeper Ahmed Zaatar saved eight shots on goal by the Quakers throughout the match. Oct. 9 saw the men’s team away once more at Shenandoah. After coming back from two goals down to tie 4-4, the men lost 5-4 in overtime.
Senior Meredith Stinette swings against the Shenandoah Hornets in the team’s Senior Recognition match on Saturday, Oct 5. Stinette, one of four seniors recognized, logged 6 kills through three sets. She has 93 kills this season, already surpassing her total from last season (92).
Jeremy Blain
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October 10, 2019
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OPINION T h e We a t h e r Va n e
INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL BUILDS RELATIONSHIPS
Yonas Ketsela, Contributing Writer
Continued from page 1
said.
“I think we will [win],” she
We all reassured ourselves that our focus was not the prize but the satisfaction we would get from people’s love and affirmation about the food we made. The crowd marched to the tables at 5:30 p.m.—the party had started. Everyone looked like they were immersed in the experience— so much curiosity on their faces as they came to the tables, wondering what we had. Some of them were unsure what it tasted like and didn’t want to end up spending their cards on foods they didn’t like. Some said, “Is that Ethiopian food?” or, “You got the injera, yes!” They were so astounded by their
experience. Some came back for a second plate. People started giving us thumbs up with big smiles. The red cards were what we needed to win the contest. Whichever food people liked the best they could vote for. After five minutes, we only had a handful of red cards. People were flooding to our table, we just were not aware of it at the moment. We started talking to each other and noticing we were going to be running out of food soon. We started having to tell people, “We have to give just a little, we are running out,” The injera was gone first. We looked around and people were still coming. We realized the cup we had for the red cards was full. Some people just came for the lentils that we had. The lentils were what people loved. Some friends asked for the recipe while we were serving them. The tips were gone, then the lentils after only 10 minutes. We could not just ask Jesus for a miracle to feed these people. At least the caf was open that day. What concerned us the most was if we would lose. People were still coming. I shifted my mind from that thought for the moment— people were eating, talking, laughing, having fun, and it was so beautiful. It was sublime.
The International Student Organization (ISO) members started counting red cards, and we were so anchored by the thought of winning. Aman said, “I don’t think we are going to win; people are still coming,” but we knew we had more red cards than other tables did. Fear continuing, we just sat down and started conversing with our friends. For five minutes, we waited. Finally, the counting was done and the winner was going to be announced. My heart rate went up and epinephrine and adrenaline flooded my body. My rational mind said at the back, “It is okay, it is not that important,” but my gut needed the praise and achievement. Donaldo Lleshi started reading the winners with a high pitch—third place was the Filipino food. Applauding and shouting echoed in the back. Second place—China. My pupils completely dilated. I lost my senses, having a sort of out-of-body experience. My friend Austin whispered, “You guys are the first place,” and I felt awakened as if from a daydream. Ruth and Aman blushed, attuned to the moment of complete silence. Mind, heart, body—they all stopped for this moment.
Donaldo called out “first place” and took a moment of silence, looking around for the moment of suspense. The DJ played some strange drum that made the experience interesting. Then, Donaldo called out the first place: Table 15, Ethiopia. We jumped up from our seats with joy. We hugged each other. ISO had an acknowledgment certificate for
for yourself, don’t give up; it takes time. Put yourself out there, try new things, and don’t be afraid to take risks. Our worst enemy is most often ourselves, we will prevent ourselves from finding happiness if we tell ourselves we’ll never find it before we even try. It took some trial and error, but I have made friends, and I continue to get to know new people. It’s never too late to start again. Don’t change yourself to fit in; be true to yourself, and find others that connect with you on different levels. We all have different interests and opinions; sometimes your closest friends will be your polar opposite in some ways and sometimes you
will have many things in common. Finding a community for myself at EMU meant I had to keep an open mind and put myself out there. Share your life experiences with other people, and they will do the same; it’s a give and take relationship. This is cliché, but don’t judge a book by its cover. You’ll never know what the pages contain, unless you sit down and give it a read. People should be afforded the same courtesy; don’t prejudge them. Get to know them, and allow them to get to know you. That’s how I have been able to find the friends that I do have here. If I had closed myself off
us, and we all walked to them and received it with a deep joy. We did it. “It feels so good when hard work pays off,” I said. Aman smiled. “You know what,” I said, “it was like the Olympics, and Ethiopia has won the first place.” We all laughed. Such an alive and warm experience had happened on that bright, lovely Friday on Thomas Plaza.
EDITORIAL BLURB Silas Clymer, Co-Editor in Chief
The Weather Vane is very pleased right now, for we have recently been receiving a substantial boost of some of our favorite things from various students all over campus. What are these things, you ask? One of them is the story idea. Even if the submitter does not plan to write said story—though that certainly is welcomed—a new idea pointed in the right direction helps the paper get interesting content that it might otherwise have missed. This is especially true for activities and gatherings that are not on the event calendar!
Another treat for us is the opinion article. The Weather Vane has some pretty great staff members, but we are not as representative of all of campus as we need to be. That is why it is nice to vary things up from week to week in terms of which voices are being expressed on the op-ed page. Everyone has experiences and reflections to share, and we appreciate the opportunity to be a platform for that. So consider this editorial blurb a big thank you, thank you, thank you, to the people of EMU. Please keep these stories, thoughts, and general bits of feedback coming. You have so much to contribute.
FINDING COMMUNITY TAKES TIME AND EFFORT
Raychel Rapier, Contributing Writer
Most people come onto a college campus as a first-year student, and it is a brand-new experience for them. College isn’t a new experience for me; I graduated with my associate degree from Lord Fairfax Community College. However, life on a college campus is an entirely new experience for me. I transferred into EMU as a third-year with a major in Elementary Ed. For me, moving into a suite on campus with roommates I had never met before, along with trying to establish myself as a member of the community at EMU, wasn’t easy at first. I am more inclined to be an introvert when coming to a new place where I don’t know anyone. And for the first week of classes, that’s what I did. I went to classes, meals, and work, attending only a few other activities. I didn’t completely close myself off from other people, but I didn’t put myself out there, either. I only knew my roommates and a few other transfers for the first week or so. Eventually, I slowly started meeting
people through classes, work at the library, campus activities, and clubs that aligned with my interests. It took some time and a lot of effort on my part, but I came out of my shell. Everyone I have met on campus has been friendly and welcoming. I am lucky to have the awesome roommates that I do; they helped me to get out of my comfort zone and encouraged me to try new things. Now I know a wide variety of people on campus, all from different backgrounds and cultures. Only, what is community? It is the gathering of a diverse group of people with different cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs. No two people are going to be the same, and sometimes we must agree to disagree. We don’t see other members of the community as “other” but as fellow human beings. No community is perfect; we all have our issues and our biases, but community is when, despite these things, we come together for the betterment and support of the group. EMU is a community filled with a wide range of students and faculty. EMU isn’t perfect, but none of us are. Like any college, EMU is one big community made up of smaller groups of students that find something in one another that they connect with. I’ve only been here six weeks, and I have found myself a small community of friends, even though I wouldn’t have thought I’d be in my current situation six weeks ago. If you find yourself reading this and wondering why you haven’t found a sense of community here
and kept myself in my little box, I wouldn’t know the people I do. We are all still getting to know one another and seeing how we fit into this community. I’m still trying out new things and finding how I fit, and that’s okay. I have gotten to know my roommates, friends, professors, other faculty, and classmates because I keep trying. Never close a door before you’ve explored its potential; you can always close it if it doesn’t fit quite right. Ultimately, I have learned a lot (and I still have a lot to learn), met new people, found some amazing friends, and I am looking forward to what the rest of the year holds.
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October 10, 2019
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OPINION T h e We a t h e r Va n e
THE HUG
Anisa Leonard, Contributing Writer
Okay, it’s time we talk about the hug. The hug which everyone and their relatives seem to be sharing on Facebook, mine included. The hug took place between Brandt Jean and the woman who murdered his brother, Amber Guyger. Though activist Kevin Powell talked about it at convocation yesterday, for those who are unfamiliar with the story, Brandt’s brother, Botham,
was killed by Guyger in his own home. Guyger, an ex-police officer, entered Botham’s apartment because she thought it was hers. Bothom, in his own home, was killed by Guyger because she thought he was an intruder. In short, Guyger trespasses into Bothom’s home and then murders him. Guyger is white, and Botham and his brother are black. The criminal case which followed this tragic circumstance was monumental, and new details continue to emerge. Guyger was sentenced to ten years for murder. If this short sentence doesn’t outrage you, it should because there are persons of color serving longer sentences in jail for registering their kids in the wrong school district. It is important to know this history to understand why the public forgiveness of Guyger is so remarkable and radical. Race is permeated in this
story, and to separate race from the situation, I would argue, minimizes the significance of Jean’s public forgiveness and the reason why the hug went viral. The hug has been shared by many Christians as a feel-good story about the power of forgiveness overcoming race. Brandt Jean possesses courage and demonstrates grace beyond what I can possibly fathom. His ability to forgive Guyger is profoundly sacred and deeply personal, so I want to be clear on two things: my problem is not with Brandt Jean’s forgiveness, nor do I claim to be a theologian. My problem is with Christians, usually white, who are using this as an example to show Christianity without “seeing” race. Their color blindness is dangerous. My problem is with anyone who expects black forgiveness to be handed to them while simultaneously dismissing atonement and justice. My issue
is with everyone who stayed quiet when Botham was killed and chose this weekend, when a white person was forgiven, to speak up. My issue is with everyone who shared this story because it is palatable and because it provided religion as a basis to absolve personal responsibility for perpetuation of racial injustices. My issue is with everyone who shared this story and said to “keep race and politics out of it.” The ability to keep race out of things, out of anything, is an immense privilege that non-white persons in this country do not have. If you, as a white Christian, care about black persons and other persons of color, then you will listen and elevate our voices when we voice our struggles, frustrations, and grief—not just when it furthers your own agenda or relieves you of guilt. So it is with anger, vulnerability, and grief that I write this, but also immense
hope. This week has been about holding tightly to the Gospel and forgiveness, but also my beliefs about atonement and the ways in which white Christianity has systematically oppressed persons of color for centuries. This week has been about admiring Jean’s selflessness while at the same time mourning the many injustices in this story and the new ones that are currently coming to light. This week has been about reconciling my feelings between the two. Such reconciliation is an everyday reality for many people of color. So, white Christians, listen to your friends of color, and walk with us. Listen, truly listen, and try to understand just why we might be angry that you tweeted this hug and kept silent about Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, and Sandra Bland, because the list is long and might someday include one of us.
U.S. ECONOMY RIGGED TO FAVOR BILLIONAIRES
Adam Moyer, Sports Editor
We live in the wealthiest nation in modern history. We also live in a broken economic system. It doesn’t take an economist to understand this. For EMU students to see this, it takes a five-minute walk from the University Commons to the mobile homes on the other side of Virginia Avenue. It takes a stroll through downtown Harrisonburg’s low-rent apartment buildings permeated with mold and the
smell of cigarettes. I was fascinated to find that Niche, a college research agency, ranks EMU’s dorms at 108 out of 1,384 analyzed universities. On that scale, our on-campus living situation is in the top 8 percent of universities nationwide. Whether you’re comfortably able to pay or if you’re scraping pennies to afford the $11,000 it takes to live on campus, the inequality between the living situation of EMU students and that of our closest neighbors is flagrant. Inequality is generally obvious to the eye but not to the extent that statistics show it to be. A newly-released Netflix episode of “Explained” peers into the world of billionaires, of which Forbes says there are 2,153 worldwide. Three decades ago, that number was 140. The estimated net worth of today’s billionaires is $8.6 trillion. Compare that with the $300 billion net figure from 30 years
ago and it makes sense that the gap between the rich and poor has skyrocketed in recent years. The figures “billion” and “trillion” are unfathomable to people like us. For college students, having $100,000 in the bank might sound like a fortune right now. Multiply that number by 10 and you have $1 million. You have to multiply that number by 1,000 to reach $1 billion. Simple math, yes, but just take a second to try to grasp the disparity between the wealth of the poorest billionaire and the salary of a medium household income—$59,039 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2017). To me, the most important statistic to understanding growing inequality in the U.S. is a finding published by economists Emmanuel Saez and Gabriel Zucman in their new book, “Triumph of Justice.” They found that in 1980, the 400 richest families paid 47 percent in taxes, but that in 2018, that number
WEATHER REPORT STORM CLOUDS
SUNBEAMS •
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It was donut and apple cider day in the caf. The only thing larger than my love for donuts is my waistline. The MCC Relief Sale was this weekend. After a year of frugality, it’s time to impulse-buy a massive quilt. It finally turned into sweater weather. Sweater weather instead of sweaty weather. Am I right, or am I right? Fall break is almost here. Which will fall first? Our GPA or us?
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It is exactly one week until fall break. How many presentations, exams, and papers can possibly fit in seven days? The Vane erroneously labeled junior Andrew Livioco as a sophomore last week. Andrew, please forgive us. This year’s sickness has come. At least it’s not lice... Or hand, foot, and mouth. You have to wait two weeks for the next issue of the Weather Vane. We know reading the paper is the best part of your Thursday. Admit it.
fell to 23 percent—lower than the 24.2 percent paid by the bottom half of American households in 2018. That’s the ultimate point. While some billionaires go from rags to riches through hard work and dedication, most are the product of a rigged system in which the rich get richer and the lower-middle class continues to struggle. The U.S. is a nation with 38.1 million people living in poverty. 25 percent of single moms live in poverty. 45,000 Americans die every year because they are
underinsured. Our homeless population is over 500,000. None of these problems are inevitable. They are the consequence of a nation whose tax laws are written by millionaires and billionaires to favor millionaires and billionaires. For starters, the wealthy need to pay a higher share of taxes, as 76 percent of Americans agreed in a Feb. 2019 Morning Consult poll. Ultimately, we need to elect a president who will root money from politics and address the fundamental inequalities of the American economy.
Editors in Chief Silas Clymer Kate Szambecki Front Page Editor News & Feature Editor Review Editor Sports Editor Opinion Editor Canvas Editor
Abby Berry Jenna Lile Erin Beidler Adam Moyer Rachael Brenneman Jessica Chisolm
Managing Editor Anali North Martin Copy Editors Amanda Hergenrather Brynn Yoder Silas Clymer Kate Szambecki Seth Andreas Photography Editor Web Manager Business Manager Circulation Manager Faculty Adviser
Ignacio Ocaranza Claire Waidelich Douglas Nester Fatimah Subhi Kirsten Beachy
The Weather Vane is published weekly by undergraduate students of Eastern Mennonite University. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the university or its affiliates.
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October 10, 2019
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CANVAS T h e We a t h e r Va n e
Easter
The Plant Series:
i am looking for hope i thought i had found it in green springing things the two tender leaves of turnips breaking through the soil’s crust
Roots
but the frost came last night and the tender leaves alive against all odds those small miracles sprouting were cremated in ice i am looking for hope and i think this time i will dig a little deeper choose a wiser metaphor find something more like seeds sleeping in the ground
Blackberry Girl She has blackberry fingers plump and ripe like a child’s And dark from shoving fistfuls of juice into her small mouth. This is the true black gold, she thinks, warm summer bliss mined from the fern-footed forest, sugar made magically out of thin air and light and water. Kiss her and she will taste like blackberries. Cut her and her blood will run black syrup. Love her, and she will bring you blackberries every June.
River Last night I fell asleep to the sound of rain gently falling on the porous ground outside my window and as I fell I could hear it pouring, burbling down down into the depths of the earth, into the darkness reunited with the source. and as I fell I could feel myself falling, too down through the leafy humus and the worms and bacteria through the clay and the rocks and the tangling holding roots down into the water table and perhaps into an underground stream — something pulsing and alive deep within joyous, waiting to burst forth waiting and gathering strength down there deep inside where nobody can see save a few who know how to read the signs who notice who fall asleep to the sound of rain and dream that they are a river.
she is searching for something. something hidden in the dirt, carefully covered in time. do not look too vigorously, girl. the dirt holds you, too. Stem the tide rushing over her mind is too strong today so she bends under its weight how far until she breaks? Leaves she doesn’t want to be here anymore, this girl with dreams bigger than the sky. she thought she would never want to leave but having left, doesn’t want to stay. every exposed part is letting something go and taking something in and she wants more Flower she only blooms at the full moon white powder on her nose and chocolate on her lips and no shoes on her dancing, pounding feet and music in her wild hair and the stars come down to fill her eyes. Plant A tree. A poem. A life. it’s all a mystery waiting to be understood to be chased to the edge of yes! but not quite there because that’s what a mystery is, not quite there. she is a mystery, and she is always, almost there.
Megan Good is a senior Writing Studies major. Her poetry draws heavily on her experience of nature and her deep curiosity about the world. She is happiest when she is surrounded by green and growing things.