theweathervane.org
October 31, 2019
THE
WEATHER VANE
VOL. 66 No. 7
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
EMU FORMS NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH CITY
Allison Shelly
EMU President Susan Schultz Huxman and Harrisonburg City Mayor Deanna Reed shake hands over the new partnership between EMU and the city of Harrisonburg on Oct. 24. This new partnership promises the betterment of relations between the city and EMU, benefiting both parties with new opportunities.
AMIR HUSSAIN: ON INCLUSIVITY REVIEW: JAZZ ENSEMBLE STUNS WITH STELLAR SHOW Fatimah Subhi, Circulation Manager
Jessica Chisolm, Canvas Editor
EMU’s Jazz Ensemble held a concert on Thursday, Oct. 24. The event offered food, friends, and, of course, great jazz. The concert was “night-club” style and took place in Martin Chapel with tables set out for convening. Having never been to any of EMU’s jazz concerts, I had never attended one in its previous setting of Lehman Auditorium. However, to me, Martin Chapel seemed like a natural place to hold the event. The circular tables made it less awkward to comment on the music during the concert. Despite this, whether it was because of the mesmerizing music, the late hour, or fear of causing distraction, little conversation occurred. It was a little disappointing, but the captivating, loud music seemed to be the biggest cause, and NEWS & FEATURE
that’s what people showed up for anyways. The food was alright considering it was not the main focus of the event. It was all store-bought, with the addition of coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts, which was a nice touch. As for the music itself, coming from the perspective of someone with little to no knowledge of jazz whatsoever, I thought it was fantastic. The compositions were all new to me and would be to anyone else with minimal experience in the world of jazz. The majority of the crowd appeared to be older adults and faculty of the EMU community with a small number of students sprinkled in. Despite Director Bob Curry’s concerns, the audience seemed to welcome the loud, lively music. One member Continued on Page 4
REVIEW
BLUE SPROCKET
BOMBADIL
“We want our studio to be a comfortable place for people to kick off their shoes and make music.”
If you tend to like charming and relatively uncomplicated music with interesting melodic twists, then Bombadil is worth a listen.
Amir Hussain is a scholar of religion who specializes in the study of Islam. He has done significant publishing work with Oxford University Press, including editing the fifth editions of two of their main textbooks, “World Religions: Western Traditions” and “World Religions: Eastern Traditions”, and the third edition of “A Concise Introduction to World Religions.” Hussain was the Islamic cultural consultant for the new movie “Blinded By The Light.” He spoke at EMU last Wednesday. Hussain is passionate about spreading a positive perspective of Muslim people, attempting to undo a long history of the media showing Islam as a dark dot in this world. Media plays a huge role in changing people’s opinions towards issues. Showing only some individuals’ negative actions in the name of Islam impacts how other people view the religion and its followers. However, Hussain believes that things are shifting in a positive SPORTS
MEREDITH STINNETTE Stinnette’s role has changed a lot over her four years of playing at EMU and continues to do so.
way. “I certainly do think things are changing, partly because you have Muslims involved in the process. You didn’t have Muslim showrunners, Muslim actors, etc. And the story that I’m telling here about Muslims can be told by other folks,” Hussain said. Hussain also brought his book “Muslims and The Making of America,” talking specifically about Muslim people having many contributions to the U.S., starting all the way back in the 1800s and through today. One reason Hussain cited for people being so uneducated about Islam is Muslim culture itself. He said that most Islamic immigrants coming here have parents who want them to be doctors or engineers, and we already have many of them in the U.S. “What we really need is more writers to tell our story,” he said. Hussain talked about the stereotype that many people think of, that all people from the Eastern part of the world are the same. He gave the example of a Pakistani man playing a Middle Eastern role, and how important it is to have roles filled by the people of the correct
ethnicity. Normalizing minorities as main characters in film is extremely important to Hussain. “What’s the first regular South Asian character?” he said. “Kavi Raz playing an Indian doctor on St. Elsewhere... that’s the 1980s…. [Today] where do you see South Asians, where do you see other folks?” He said that it takes people making the effort for representation. “You have to have people coming and doing that kind of work.” Hussain talked about how Howard Gordon, the showrunner for 24, said that for him it was about good guys and bad guys. There are always good guys and bad guys in movies. It was Russians, then Muslims, and now they’re cycling through tropes. “That’s where television becomes so interesting,” Hussain said. “The arc of the show means that you can develop characters in a way that you can’t in a film.” Hussain hopes that “Blinded By The Light” will continue to gain momentum as it comes out on DVD and has hope for the portrayal of Muslims and other minorities to come.
OPINION
CANVAS
RESISTING FEAR
Fear slips into almost every facet of our lives, and I want to talk about one of the places where it counts the most: Elections.
ALLISON SHELLY
This week’s Canvas page features photography by sophomore Allison Shelly.
2
October 31, 2019
theweathervane.org
NEWS & FEATURE T h e We a t h e r Va n e
RECEPTION KICKS OFF FORMAL PARTNERSHIP Silas Clymer, Co-Editor in Chief
EMU President Susan Schultz Huxman and Harrisonburg City Mayor Deanna Reed announced EMU’s official partnership with the City of Harrisonburg last Thursday at 2 p.m. At the meeting in the President’s Reception Room, each spoke on the philosophy, development, and implications of the progress “in town-gown relationships,’’ as put by Huxman. Huxman noted the positive economic and cultural influence that EMU has had on Harrisonburg, with 3,600 local alumni, 70% city retention of nursing graduates, and a slew of educators that won Teacher of the Year in the city’s recent past and present. “That’s just one small, small, slice of the strength of engagement between EMU and the City of Harrisonburg,” Huxman said. “It is a new day in private-public partnerships across the United States in the higher education marketplace. The old adage used to be ‘publish or perish.’ Today it is ‘partner or perish.’” According to Huxman, this process began about eight months
ago at a city council retreat, and the credit goes to Reed. “This is long overdue,” Reed said. “I often say that EMU [is] our moral compass to the city. I really truly believe that you raise students here to be peacemakers and trailblazers, and that’s very important to the City
of Harrisonburg.” The mayor went on to say that the idea of a formal partnership came out of that retreat because such a partnership already existed with James Madison University. Over the past three years, Reed has visited
EMU for its annual matriculation and graduation ceremonies and has come to consider Huxman a close friend. However, JMU’s official partnership was defined by a liaison committee that JMU formed with the city, while no such team yet existed for EMU.
Allison Shelly
Left to right: City Council Member Sal Romero, EMU President Susan Schultz Huxman, Harrisonburg City Mayor Deanna Reed, and Deputy City Manager Ande Banks pose together at the official announcement of a partnership between EMU and the City of Harrisonburg.
To change that, a new committee has now been formed, including Mayor Reed, City Council member Sal Romero, and Deputy City Manager Ande Banks, an EMU alum. “We are excited about what this partnership can mean and how we can create a win-win arrangement,” Huxman said, “We each have organizational strategic plans that feature the value and vitality of engagement, and this new working relationship between the city and EMU will allow us to live into our respective strategic plans with more intentionality for how we can help each other.” After the reception, the new team met to discuss these plans of engagement. According to an EMU press release, this engagement “might mean more interpreters at local parent-teacher conferences, a corps of trained facilitators to enhance community dialogue and input, specialized workforce development for city employees, or an EMU community block party downtown to kick off the fall semester.” It remains to be seen what the long-term shift will look like for EMU students.
COMPOSER COLLECTIVE: BLUE SPROCKET SOUND Brynn Yoder, Copy Editor
Thanks to Composer Collective and EMU’s music department, a group of seven students went to Blue Sprocket Sound recording studio for a tour this past Monday. Lexington Bowler, the Studio Manager, welcomed students at the door. He first walked everyone through the control room, which houses a soundboard with knobs and buttons in neat rows. Junior Ethan Beiler said the soundboard was “pretty huge and pretty awesome.” Its official name is Rupert Neve Designs Amek 9098i. This soundboard is worth
$700,000, and there are only twenty of that same model in the U.S. “I’ve seen a few soundboards, and I always thought they were like … max, a high end, ten thousand, and then I heard $700,000,” said sophomore Rodrigo Barahana. As a business major, Barahana said it made him appreciate “the business side of things.” Next, students toured the live room, the largest room in the building. This room housed many different guitar amps with various different styles that they were used for. At the center of the room was a drum because, as Bowler explained, “the owner is a
drummer.” Students also got to see the vocal booth; this room had an organ and, as Bowler said, “plenty of room for the singers to move around in.” Inside the room, Bowler talked about the antiquity of the organ they had. Barahana said, “I was surprised to see such a small room for [the organ]”. Lastly, Bowler showed students the reverb room where microphones could be mounted to the walls to, as Bowler described it, “make the drums sound bigger.” Beiler was surprised by Blue Sprocket because he thought it would be, “smaller scale than it
ON THE SIDEWALK with Amanda Hergenrather
was.” Inside the rooms he was most interested in the “acoustics of the different rooms they have set up.” Barahana’s favorite part of the tour was “hearing about the business aspect. I was surprised to hear about all the opportunities that come.” These opportunities are some of the jobs that Bowler described. One of the opportunities mentioned that interested Barahana was “recording sessions spontaneously at 3 a.m.” According to Bowler, Blue Sprocket sound does all kinds of things from rock and roll and hip-hop to things like audio books and video game audio. Bowler mentioned the
business’s desire for Blue Sprocket Sound to be unique. Bowler said, “We want our studio to be a comfortable place for people to kick off their shoes and make music … We like helping with production, writing, [and] fun song ideas.” This was an event organized by senior Joseph Harder and junior Silas Clymer, the leaders of Composer Collective, with club advisor David Berry. Barahana said that the club is a place to “connect with other musicians.” Combined with the EMU music department, the club hopes to continue to provide unique musical opportunities such as this.
“What are you dressing up as for Halloween?”
“Mary Poppins.”
“A farmer.”
“A bunny.”
“Jigsaw.”
-Sierra Strong, first-year
-Joshua Holloway, first-year
-Elizabeth Eby, sophomore
-Ariana Infante, first-year
theweathervane.org
October 31, 2019
NEWS & FEATURE T h e We a t h e r Va n e
3
WOMEN FACULTY CREATING SUPPORT NETWORK Rachael Brenneman, Opinion Editor
As the clock ticked closer to the hour, more and more female professors gathered around several round tables for the first lunch meeting of “Issues Facing Women in Higher Education” in EMU’s West Dining Hall on Tuesday. This past May, James Madison University (JMU) hosted a conference for the Women’s Network, an organization associated with the American Council on Education. This is a national organization whose mission is to “identify, develop, advance, and support women in higher education at the
national, state, and local levels.” The local branch of this organization is known as The Virginia Network. It provides resources for women educators, such as networking available job opportunities as they come up and creating spaces specifically for women, such as annual conferences. Several EMU faculty members were able to attend this event at JMU, and once the conference ended, they began to seek ways of facilitating and providing spaces such as this on campus. Tara Kishbaugh, the dean of SEAN (Science, Engineering, Art, and Nursing) and institutional
representative for The Virginia Network, and Amy Hartsell, the state chair of The Virginia Network and EMU’s assistant dean of Student Success, worked together to design several meeting times and events to create a local network of women within EMU, hoping to produce a space where women across departments would be able to meet. This converged into several Convocation Breakout Groups, with three more meetings this semester, possible events during Women’s History Month, and as of earlier this week, the first of two lunch meetings. The lunch meeting primarily served as a way to create a space
for the women of EMU to meet, discuss, and spend time together. It brought together a group from a variety of positions within EMU. Deans, professors from the English department, upper management, and a variety of others were in attendance. “It’s felt like a chance to have a real conversation,” said Kishbaugh. Discussion around the tables was informal, but it primarily focused on three specific questions: What is the biggest problem you are facing right now? What is the most difficult thing you’ve ever overcome at work or in your personal life? What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever
been given? An aspect of this time that many echoed as being valuable was the opportunity to talk. “Sometimes I feel like I’m just doing my thing and struggling,” said Leda Werner, EMU’s grant manager and project coordinator. “It’s nice to be with other people and realize this is a struggle we are all facing. “There’s a reason that it is so hard to do certain things— because there are still systems in place. Having a place to share with each other gives us a break.” As this program progresses, more events will take place with an eventual goal of including students as well.
GIRL NAMED TOM TO PLAY EMU, HARRISONBURG Seth Andreas, Staff Writer
With sweet three-part harmonies, original songs, and skillful instrumentation, the band Girl Named Tom is coming to Harrisonburg on Nov. 4. They will be performing at a number of venues at and around EMU. The band, made up of siblings Caleb, Josh, and Bekah Liechty from Goshen, Indiana, is spending this academic year touring the country, performing their original songs, and covering other works. Caleb graduated from Goshen College (GC) in 2018, Josh is taking a gap year between undergrad at GC and medical school, and Bekah, fresh out of high school, will be at GC next year. The trio is devoting a year
to making this dream a reality. The three started cultivating their musical talents at a very young age, beginning with piano lessons, starting when they were 10, and continuing through high school, according to Josh. Their music continued with “vocal training in high school”, and each of them got some practice with different instruments. At GC, Caleb minored in piano performance, Josh minored in vocal performance, and Bekah plans to get a minor in music. “Each of the three brings something unique to the team,” said Josh. Caleb “taught himself guitar, and he plays acoustic and electric in the band.” Josh plays the cajón, and stated that they all “learned percussion from [their] father,” and Bekah is on the keyboard. “And of course, we all
Downtown Happenings •
•
•
•
White Oak Lavender Farm & The Purple WOLF Vineyard are hosting Howlowine Thursday, Oct. 31 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Come in your costume and enjoy wine tastings. Children are welcome and treats will be provided. Check it out at 2644 Cross Keys Rd, Harrisonburg, Va. Food.Bar.Food is hosting Dia De Muertos, Thursday, Oct. 31 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The event features a three-course meal of either one cuisine or mix & match for each course. Tickets are $40 per person and tables of two or four can be reserved. If a larger table is needed, email foodbarfood@gmail.com for assistance. A full menu and tickets can be accessed online at eventbrite.com. The Golden Pony is hosting a Halloween cover show Thursday, Oct. 31 from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Six different bands will be featured, and costumes are encouraged. Entrance is $10 and you must be 21 or over to attend. Sunny Slope Farm is hosting a Harvest Celebration on Friday, Nov. 1 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The celebration will consist of a seasonal meal, a live auction, and music by The Walking Roots Band. Proceeds will go to Eastern Mennonite School.
sing,” he said. The name itself, Girl Named Tom, goes all the way back to when Bekah was a baby. Caleb recounted when Josh would always call Bekah, “Thomas,” as is Josh’s habit of making “a lot of nicknames for people.” We knew we wanted the name to be something about Bekah since she’s the lead,” Caleb said. Something that has stood out to Bekah about this tour is the kind welcome given to them by people everywhere. She said that they have all “loved meeting so many people” on their trip, and their best moments have been “playing music for so many different audiences, spending time with one another, and writing new music.” They look forward to their time in Harrisonburg, and though Bekah
has never visited EMU, she said they all ‘“know a lot of people [here] already, and hope to make new friends, too!” The siblings have many strong ties to people on EMU’s campus through Goshen and various summer camps. Senior Lydia Chappell Deckert, a close friend of Josh’s, is excited to watch them perform. She also spoke to his character. “He’s an incredibly kind guy with a lot of love for spontaneous jam sessions and goofy conversations,” Chappell Deckert said. There will be many waiting to warmly welcome the group. The trip has not been without its problems. Bekah recounted a hiccup on the journey when “the very first day, [they] crashed [their] car.” They did not let it deter them,
however; without skipping a beat, they “got some bungee cords and band aids,” and while the van is “pretty crunched… it still works.” They haven’t had major problems since. When asked about what inspired this trip, Bekah said that it had been a topic of conversation for a while. “Our friends and family have always suggested that we go on tour… but we never actually considered it,” Bekah said. That changed when their mother brought it up in March, and they decided to go for it. “You only get this opportunity once,” Bekah said. The band will be performing at Common Grounds the evening of Nov. 7 and at Community Mennonite Church on Nov. 10 at 9:30 a.m.
SGA Updates Today at SGA, we began the night by convening in internal sub-committees. One committee, the Forum Committee, is proud to announce that the first forum, focused on climate, will be Wednesday, Nov. 13. It will be a time to learn and ask questions from various campus members regarding EMU’s Climate Action Plan and the ways in which we as a university can foster more sustainable practices. SGA approved a USO funding request from Black Student Alliance and International Student Organization to assist with costs for their upcoming visit to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. In addition to the USO request, SGA voted in favor of a general funding request from The Young Conservative Voices. A few weeks ago, SGA voted on a constitutional amendment to include the EMU non-discrimination policy. The amendment can be found on the TV outside of the cafeteria. If anyone would like to discuss the amendment further, or talk about anything else, do not hesitate to ask. As always, remember to stop in and visit your senators during their office hours in Common Grounds or the Royal’s Den to voice any questions, comments or concerns.
theweathervane.org
October 31, 2019
4
REVIEW T h e We a t h e r Va n e
MR. J’S BAGELS A LONGTIME LOCAL FAVORITE Amanda Hergenrather, Copy Writer
With three locations in the Harrisonburg area, Mr. J’s Bagels and Deli has been serving the valley and its ever changing population since 1990. On JMU’s side of town, their E. Market St. spot is all purple and gold, filled with Dukes posters and memorabilia. Their second, on S. High St., I have yet to visit, but appears to share the modest decor of their Virginia Ave. location, where the windows are covered by thick curtains and blown up photos of their catering options. The closest of the three to EMU’s campus, at 1741 Virginia Ave., is hardly a fifteen minute walk or bike ride away, as I suspect many EMU students already know. Fall may have sneaked up on us students, but Mr. J’s was ready with a monthly flavored drink and bagel bites. Their cinnamon raisin bagels, a year-round treat, were in the window display along with other baked goodies, many of which are commonly
featured at Common Grounds. For October, if a pumpkin spice latte isn’t your thing, there are pumpkin spice bagel bites to ease your autumnal blues and satisfy your creepy cravings, thanks to the black and orange cream cheese frosting that gives these morsels a little holiday spirit. As soon as I saw these spooky snacks, 1 for 70¢ or 3 for $2, I couldn’t resist, though I limited myself to one for this trip. A hot tip for anyone taking advantage of Mr. J’s all day breakfast: There is a way to get (almost) free eggs. The Chicken Charlie, a bagel sandwich with sliced chicken, tomato, mozzarella, bacon, and ranch dressing, has a breakfast counterpart: The Chicken Charlie Omelet sandwich, which, for 70¢ less, comes with two eggs on it. I have never had the Chicken Charlie, but the Chicken Charlie Omelet sandwich has saved me many a sleepy morning. It was an EMU alumni who shared this tip with me, emphatically driving the point home: “They’re practically paying you to take their eggs!”
Another hot tip for you coffee drinkers: steer clear of the lattes if you’re trying to wake up. In the height of my personal struggle with caffeine dependence, I’ve been baffled more than once by the headache and lethargy I thought I had beaten back another day with a latte from Mr. J’s. It was only until a recent trip that I saw the issue: they aren’t lattes at all, but latte flavored powder and hot water, which, in my humble barista’s opinion, is not a latte. Despite the lack of caffeine, these drinks are tasty; there’s no denying it: so we’re faced with a dilemma. My solution? Order black coffee and a latte, and combine the two. It still won’t technically be a latte, but it will give you a bit more of a kick start to your morning than hot water and sugary powder alone. Mr. J’s Bagels and Deli is just the breakfast/lunch spot for students and community members. It’s family style seating as well as intimate booths and open two-top tables make it the perfect place to split a Chicken
Amanda Hergenrather
Mr. J’s Bagels is a town staple with a location only a short distance from campus that offers a menu of bagel-based options.
Charlie and coffee with your honey, or fight over bagel bites with your siblings after church.
Whatever brings you to Mr. J’s, it’s the good food and company that keeps you coming back.
BOMBADIL PROVIDES CLASSIC FOLK WITH A TWIST; A MUST-SEE IN CONCERT Clara Weybright, Contributing Writer
My Spotify Discover Weekly playlists have been kind of unfortunate lately; this is mostly a product of the children’s music that I play for the kids who I babysit. Spotify’s algorithm is clearly confused by my music selections. My weekly playlists have been pretty heavily featuring Raffi, the 90s children’s artist. But this is not a review of Raffi. Back in September, I pulled up my weekly playlist, fully expecting the usual equal parts garbage and children’s music, when who should appear but this band called Bombadil. They had just released a new single in anticipation of their new album, Beautiful Country. The song, ‘Oh Suzanne,’ is fantastic—if you’re into vaguely folky music with electronic undertones. I loved it and sent it to my mom, with the caveat, “I can’t tell if this is where our musical taste overlaps—you might hate this song.” She, in fact, loved it and discovered that the band was touring and would be coming to Pale Fire Brewing Co. in Harrisonburg. We agreed that she would visit, and we would go to the concert together. Bombadil is a North Carolina-based trio, although one member recently moved to France. They’ve been together for years in various iterations, but the current group has been
together for the production of several albums. Despite its frequent shifts in band members, their sound has remained remarkably cohesive throughout the albums. This year, Bombadil dropped its eighth full album, the one that I was happy to discover. The tracks are largely cheerful—the band rarely shifts into the melancholic territory often associated with classic folk. They sing about the usual subjects—loves, loss (their song “Goodwill Socks” may be the most creative songs about rejection I’ve ever heard), and life. The thing that makes this band different is their harmonies and undeniable chemistry. One of the members has one of the most intense bass ranges I’ve heard in a long time which, when contrasted with the lead singer’s reedy voice, is charmingly unique. The new album also features Kate Rhudy, another burgeoning artist in the alternative-folk scene who released her first album in 2017. Her harmonies contribute depth and diversity, perhaps pushing the band in those two songs into strictly folk territory. Oct. 10, the night of the concert, Pale Fire was packed. The lighting inside was warm, with bursts of cold October air slipping into the bar from the outdoor seating area. Little kids crowded on the floor around the band, which was set up by the bookshelves that line one corner of the brewery. Couples
and groups of friends tried to find room around the sparselylocated tables. The local opening band, Uncle Bengine, was charming, but the audience was clearly politely waiting for the main act. When the three members of Bombadil came onto stage, they opened with a song from their new album, “Faces.” The audience visibly leaned in. The set was diverse, drawing from old material and the new album. I caught myself smiling as I watched the band perform: they were clearly having fun together. The best part of the performance, though, was the lead singer’s bouncy dancing that he managed to hold up for the entirety of the concert. It was dancing like none I have ever seen, and the audience loved it. The concert was one of those that left me strangely wistful, in the most pleasant way possible. I’m not sure why—maybe it was just being at a concert with my mom, the person who shaped my early music taste more than anybody else. Maybe it was the soft lighting of Pale Fire combined with the sweetly sincere, but not saccharine, lyrics of the music. Maybe it was just one of those fleetingly beautiful moments that you know are gone in a blink and will linger in your memory for a long time. All this to say, the concert was so good that I couldn’t listen to the band’s albums for the next few weeks; it made me miss the real-
life thing too much. If you tend to like charming and relatively uncomplicated music with interesting melodic twists, then Bombadil is worth a listen. While they’re currently
touring in Europe, the band has gained quite a following, especially in Virginia and North Carolina. Maybe they’ll be back in Harrisonburg in the future—I sure hope so.
JAZZ ENSEMBLE
Continued from Page 1
even said, “it could never be too loud.” The last song was definitely a show-stopper. The best song of the night, “Arnge Drink (with an attitude)” by Paul Baker, brought the evening to a close. It reminded me of an environment I’d never been in, a jazz night club, fulfilling the event’s goal and title. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the concert. While there was no
dancing, alcohol, or tobacco, the music performed by EMU’s Jazz Ensemble encompassed the setting of a jazz night-club in the 1920s. I’m looking forward to the next event they will be performing at: EMU’s Music Gala. The concert will feature the jazz ensemble, the orchestra, the choir, the wind ensemble featuring David Berry, a singer who has performed on Broadway, and more. It will be an event that music lovers shouldn’t miss.
Jeremy Blain
The EMU Jazz Ensemble performs a sampling of classic jazz hits for their night-club style concert on Oct. 24.
theweathervane.org
October 31, 2019
5
SPORTS T h e We a t h e r Va n e
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: MEREDITH STINNETTE Bri Miller, Contributing Writer
Senior volleyball player Meredith Stinnette has come up big when the Royals needed her. In some of the best performances in her four-year career, she had a season high of 12 kills in a wild five-set win at Randolph, where the women recovered from a 2-0 deficit. The next day, Stinnette went on and broke her season and career high with 17 kills. “Winning the Randolph game was definitely exciting, but I think the game against Guilford was even more thrilling,” Stinnette said. “The fifth set was one of my favorite sets I have played in my four years, but unfortunately we couldn’t pull a win out. I am so proud of how our team played and the way everyone fought until the last point.” Stinnette’s role has changed a lot over her four years of playing at EMU and still continues to change, even as her final season comes to an end. “My role during freshman year was more to learn from the older players and develop as a college athlete,” said the 5 foot 8 inch outside hitter. “Now, I have learned to lead in different ways, and I think that has helped me grow as an athlete.” “Stinnette is a very hard worker and has a great passion for
volleyball,” explained Coach Carrie Bert. “She just loves to play! It has been a joy to watch her play this season with a return to the tenacity and efficiency she had as a first year. She is jumping better, swinging higher and with more power, and tooling off the blockers better than ever.” Stinnette has found that as her leadership abilities have grown, her confidence on the court has grown, as well, helping her to compete at her highest level. Accountability has also been a big theme for the volleyball team this season. With this dynamic, EMU’s team has seen a significant amount of growth as a group. “We hold each other accountable on the court, outside of volleyball, in the weight room, and around campus,” Stinnette said. “Accountability is the biggest thing that has helped our team grow, and I think it has created a deeper bond within our team.”That bond has paid off on the court, where the Royals already have the most wins for any EMU team since 2001. Individually, Stinnette’s hitting percentage has also increased significantly this season. “I want my teammates to see God in me when they see me on and off the court,” she explained, “so I think that has been another big motivation for me to show people the abilities and gifts that God has blessed me with and using
Eric Ocaranza
Senior Amy Goodman (#28), senior Meredith Stinette (#23) and junior Abby Sherman (#7) huddle up at against Lancaster Bible in September’s tri-match at EMU.
those abilities the best I can. This season I wanted to go out and leave everything on the court.” “I know that missing the ODAC Tournament this season is a great disappointment to her,” Coach Bert added, “but I value her effort to remain positive and steadfast in her commitment to reach individual and team goals through the last minute of the season.” The Royals beat Mount Aloysius in a 3-1 series Wednesday evening.
With one game left and a 13-12 record, the program has secured its first .500 record in 18 years. “There were definitely low moments in my four years, but the good memories certainly outweigh the bad, and I have grown so much as a person and player,” said Stinnette. “While I am sad to see my volleyball career come to an end, I am excited to start a new chapter of my life.” Being a part of the women’s
volleyball team is an experience Stinnette will cherish and never forget. She does not want to look back on her senior season and have any regrets. As Stinnette finishes up her education, while also planning for her wedding in June, she hopes to still be part of the EMU community after graduation. Stinnette looks to receive a job in the local Rockingham County school district as an elementary school teacher.
Jeremy Blain
Senior Leiyan Kariuki heads the ball toward goal from a corner kick early in their game against Hampten-Sydney on Saturday. Kariuki was one of seven seniors recognized before Tuesday night’s home game against Washington and Lee, the Royals’ last competition of the season. The other graduating seniors are Jesus Trejo, Carlos Flores-Melgar, Matthew Zimmerman, Nik Tucker, Juan Vazquez, Ian Bomberger, and Caleb Oakes.
theweathervane.org
October 31, 2019
6
OPINION T h e We a t h e r Va n e
EDITORIAL: DO NOT LET FEAR IMPACT VOTING
Kate Szambecki, Co-Editor in Chief
I am afraid of germs, which leads to me washing my hands frequently and being reluctant to share my water. This is a minor
sequence of actions that doesn’t really affect me all that much. It might even keep me safer. But it’s still a great example of somewhere that fear colors the decisions I make. Fear slips into almost every facet of our lives, and I want to talk about one of the places where it counts the most: elections. The 2020 presidential election (as well as several state and local ones, such as Tuesday’s) is closing in, and it is going to be very easy for fear to make our voting decisions for us. A quick sidenote: know that my personal political views do not represent the views of the Weather Vane or EMU, and I don’t want the focus of this to be charged
one way or the other politically. The message I want to convey is universal. While potentially problematic, fear itself is not bad. It’s a very normal part of life, and something that keeps us from doing stupid stuff all the time. A lot of fear surrounding elections is for good reasons. People in positions of power, whether that be the president or the mayor or a representative, have the ability to change our lives. They can start wars, change how our tax money is spent, and so much more. So I’m not saying we shouldn’t be scared. I’m scared. But we must not let fear
rule us come election time. Fear is not rational. Fear leads us to do things we normally might not. Those in power know this. Many politicians use fear to move their campaign forward because it is such a powerful motivator. Powerful people echoing our fears only makes them feel more real. Illegal immigration is one of the biggest examples of an issue that sparks fear—rational or not. There are other reasons people oppose it, but one is fear—of undocumented immigrants taking jobs or boosting crime. On every side of the political spectrum lies fear. Often, fear stems from the idea of our rights being taken away (guns, abortion, etc.). The
taxes we pay, the people we love, the things we own—they are all controlled by those in power—to some extent. That’s just the thing, the “to some extent.” We, as voters, do have power. To educate ourselves on the issues and the outcomes and the people we may be voting for. Sometimes all it takes for me to get over my germaphobia is to do some research on the spread of diseases. That same principle is applicable to voting. Knowledge is the enemy of fear. We have the power to be informed, to resist fear, and to take action. Germs are good for you. Go vote.
economy, and 171 about the 2018 tax cut. He lies about foreign policy. “The Kurds are much safer right now,” Trump said after his withdrawal of American troops from Syria resulted in hundreds of deaths and over 100,000 displaced Kurdish allies. He lies and distracts about impeachment every day. “Longstanding whistleblower rules [were changed] just before submittal of the fake whistleblower report.” This is not true. He lies straight to the faces of working people. Trump claimed that the construction of a Shell plastic plant, which was approved in June 2016, was only possible because of his administration. “It was the Trump administration that made it possible … No one else. Without us, you would never have been able to do this.” He lies about immigration. “When I became president, President Obama had a separation policy. I didn’t have it. He had it.” Obama did not have a separation policy. The Trump administration used separation as a deterrent policy. He lies about abortion. “The mother meets with the doctor. They take care of the baby, they wrap the baby beautifully. And then the doctor and the mother determine whether or not they will execute the baby.” He has recited this line in various forms at MAGA rallies. Trump and his lawyers have used every mechanism possible to block the legislative branch from conducting its constitutionallymandated oversight. We still have not seen Trump’s tax returns. According to Trump, though, “there has never been, ever before, an administration that’s been so open and transparent.” Some of Trump’s lies are petty, like arguing crowd sizes, while others have actual implications for U.S. national security, like publicly lying about findings published by U.S. intelligence on Russian interference and the murder of a Washington Post
journalist in Saudi Arabia. It is absurd to have a president who habitually lies. About everything. All politicians lie to some degree, yes. They obscure facts to further their agenda; that’s politics. But none lie with the same frequency, or in the blatant, unashamed manner, that Trump does. The “all politicians lie” argument holds no weight. The president of the United States is lying at a pathological rate. How does that not bother his supporters? At a minimum, should we not hold the president to higher moral ground when it comes to telling the truth? More importantly, why would you want a pathological liar leading you? In a recent convention in Kansas City, Trump told supporters: “What you’re seeing and what you’re reading is not what’s happening.” Orwell wrote in “1984,”
“The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.”
Especially as we go through impeachment, do not reject your eyes and ears. Stay informed. Reject Trump’s pathological lies.
BOTTOMLESS PINOCCHIOS: TRUMP A CHRONIC LIAR
Adam Moyer, Staff Writer
Donald Trump is an obsessive liar. It’s an extraordinary reality to acknowledge about the sitting president of the United States. The Washington Post has kept an ongoing fact checker since Jan. 20, 2017. Last updated Oct. 9, it has tallied 13,435 false or misleading Trump claims. That’s an average 13.5 false or misleading claims per day. Trump finds new ways to degrade the office of the presidency and lower the bar of human decency expected from a U.S. president every day. He is a bumbling national and international embarrassment who professes himself to be a “stable genius” whose “great and unmatched wisdom” will provide the solution to the world’s problems. He can do no wrong and never apologizes. The most lasting consequence of Trump’s presidency, in my opinion, will be his assault on the truth. When confronted about his lies by the press, he just lies some more. He lies so frequently that it is impossible to keep up. Just ask columnist and lead fact checker for the Washington Post, Glenn Kessler. 100 days into Trump’s presidency, Kessler called Trump “the most fact-challenged politician that The Fact Checker has ever encountered.” He added, “The pace and volume of the president’s misstatements means that we cannot possibly keep up.” The newspaper’s list of “Bottomless Pinocchios”—lies repeated more than twenty times—shows Trump has made 218 false claims about the border wall, 204 about the U.S.
Work for the Weather Vane! We want you! Yes, you! To work for the Weather Vane. As the semester has started to close, staff positions are opening up. The Weather Vane is inviting interested Undergraduate students to apply for the CoEditor is Chief positions for both the coming spring and the fall. Applicants should have strong writing or photography skills, be well organized, and care about the student body. If you are interested contact us at wvane@emu.edu or get in touch with our faculty advisor Kirsten Beachy.
WEATHER REPORT STORM CLOUDS
SUNBEAMS • •
• • • • •
Happy Halloween! Thus begins the race to the half-off Halloween candy. Daylight Savings is almost over! Another hour in the day to procrastinate while I ponder my feeble existence. The leaves have finally turned! I see giant leaf piles in my future. Surprisingly, everything has gone smoothly tonight. Knock on wood. The last game of the world series was last night. Sweet, suffering Jehovah! The Nationals won! Winter is just around the corner! Don’t mind me while I make my small army of snowmen. Moonbows exist. They’re literally rainbows but at night!
•
• •
• • •
Some would consider us too old to trick or treat. But if anyone needs chocolate right now, it’s me. Out of the way, kid. One of the editors tried to credit a copy editor’s little brother in the paper instead of him. We’re trying. Now that fall is here, there is only the slow descent into winter left. This is where noncommittal Virginia weather really puts its best foot forward. The last game of the world series was last night. We lost. This issue isn’t the Featherbrain. We are so ready. It’s supposed to be 25 degrees this Sunday. Some would say this is a good thing, but others shake silently while piling on the layers.
theweathervane.org
October 31, 2019
7
OPINION T h e We a t h e r Va n e
EVENTS DURING NIGHT CLASSES LIMIT ATTENDEES
Abigail Berry, Front Page Editor
College is supposed to be an exciting chapter in a person’s life. You get to make lifelong friends, study curriculum that you love, and experience different cultures. College holds many events where you can be adventurous and try new things or gain an understanding of different customs.
I have yet to experience any of those things because my schedule does not permit me to do so. Leading up to my arrival on campus, I was excited about all of the school-held functions that I would be able to attend. My friends, who had already spent a year in college, had told me that attending school events was a part of the college lifestyle and that I had to make sure to go to some because they introduce you to new things and new people. I’m a very curious person. I ask a lot of questions, and I love to learn new things, so I was thrilled that these events were going to help me gain knowledge on topics that I might not have been aware of before. I was also excited to attend because I am a very shy person, and I was worried that I was not going to open up and make friends. But I was reassured and told that if I
stepped out of my comfort zone and frequented these functions, I would have no trouble at all. At the time, I had no idea that some of these events that I was desperate to attend were held at night. I thought that only studentled functions were going to be held at night and that the school functions would be held during the day. That was what I was accustomed to, but this is college and not high school. My class schedule during the day is not bad. I have two classes each day with a break between each that ranges from three to four hours. My nights are where I start to get busy. Every day of the week I have a night class that ranges between one to two hours. Before I go to each class, I rush to get my homework done so I don’t have to worry about it when I get out of class. I personally don’t mind having
As far as I can find in my research, there exists no campuswide attendance policy, despite many classes having consistent rules surrounding attendance. In my experience, these rules generally consist of three unexcused absences being allowed a semester, followed by the dropping of a letter grade with every subsequent missed class period. While I wholeheartedly support being graded in some regard for our class attendance and participation, I find this harsh punishment unbefitting of the crime. If a student manages to complete every assignment on time and demonstrate their knowledge of the subject matter taught within the class, they deserve to pass, regardless of attendance. Of course, they should not obtain an “A,” thus the ten to thirty percent that professors already factor into our final grades representing class attendance and participation. Yet, they should still pass because as far as I understand it college courses are supposed to teach you, and if you can demonstrate that you learned what was taught, should it matter how that occurred? I am sure I am
not alone in saying that there have been several class periods during my time here in which I already knew the information that was discussed, therefore I should not be punished for those absences. Aside from this point, there are many reasons to miss a class, ranging from illness to simple lack of sleep. I am also not alone in the fact that I have dragged myself to classes far too tired to actually learn the day’s material simply for the sake of attendance. Would it not be better for me to take a personal health day so that I can more effectively complete my work? We are, after all, adults who do not need a babysitter; holding ourselves accountable is one of the most important things that we learn in college. We pay to be here, and we are the ones who lose the most from missing classes. Thus, we do not need a policy looming over our heads to make us feel worse and/ or result in us failing a class or receiving a grade less than what our work deserves. We do need some personal freedom and the ability to govern our time in accordance with our priorities, which may occasionally mean missing a class.
WE DON’T NEED BABYSITTING
Thoreau Zehr, Staff Writer
The attendance policies of respective classes at EMU over the course of my time here has been frustrating to say the least. I understand the ideas behind them and the reasons that the university deems them necessary. EMU as an institution believes that if we miss class then we will not receive the education that we deserve, and for that sentiment I am appreciative. EMU truly cares about its students as a whole, and I have not had a single professor in my time here that does not reflect this care in their everyday classes. However, I believe that the harm caused by the overbearing attendance policies far outweigh the good.
Social Media
We have a Snapchat! Follow us at: emuweathervane
We are also on Facebook! Like our page at: EMUWeatherVane
night classes; what I do mind is the fact that some events are held while I am in class and I cannot attend. These events are supposed to educate me on interesting, and sometimes serious, topics. They are supposed to help me step out of my comfort zone and meet new people. Attending these functions is what I was looking forward to the most, but I cannot even experience any of them because I have a conflicting schedule. I am not the only student who cannot frequent these events. One of my friends, who is a commuter, cannot make it either. She was looking forward to immersing herself in campus life, and the only way she could do this was if she made appearances at school functions and met new people. But since most of these happenings are held at night and she does not live on campus, she cannot make it to any of them.
This has led me to believe that the person in charge of these events should make accommodations for students who cannot attend. Now, I am aware that they cannot change the designated time slot on some of these events. I believe that they should move the ones they can change up to an earlier time slot so the students who work, have night classes, or are commuters can show up and enjoy a significant part of college life. If they still cannot do that, I think they should hold the event at separate times. Hold one during the day for the students who cannot attend the night session and hold one at night for the students who cannot attend the daytime session. We want to go out and participate in these occurrences, but we can’t if no one is willing to make accommodations.
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.
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 Adam Moyer 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.
theweathervane.org
October 31, 2019
8
CANVAS T h e We a t h e r Va n e
The Middle East: a place rich with sunsets and passionate people. These are a couple of the pictures I took throughout my experience in the Middle East last semester; I was provided with a lot of interesting and beautiful moments. —Allison Shelly, sophomore
Allison Shelly