Sports
The Collegian: 2
15 October 2018
TU suffers crushing defeat in final seconds
Football journalist Tristan Peterson covers Friday night’s game against USF. Tulsa fell to the University of South Florida Bulls last Friday 2524, losing in the final seconds of the game. During the last five minutes of the first quarter, Seth Boomer threw a 14-yard pass to Jarion Anderson for the first touchdown of the game. Nate Walker followed up with a good kick for the extra point. With a little over a minute left in the quarter, University of South Florida’s Cody Weiss made a 22yard field goal, bringing the score to 7-3 Tulsa. TU battled it out with USF and traded possessions in the second quarter. Neither was able to get much of an advantage and advance down the field until Walker made a 34-yard field goal with two minutes left in the half. USF was the first to score after the break on a 66-yard run by Jordan Cronkrite. Tulsa quickly answered with their own rushing touchdown, when Shamari Brooks took the ball to the house on a 10yard run on the next possession. By the end of the third quarter, the score was 24-10. Tulsa tried to run the clock in the fourth quarter, a strategy that ultimately cost them the game. The Golden Hurricane allowed USF 10 minutes of possession time, and that proved to be the difference. On TU’s final drive, they went three-and-out, failing to gain any yardage on the ground against USF’s formidable front seven. Forced to punt and conceding favorable field position, the defense then allowed the Bulls to march down the field. Weiss connected on a 22-yard field goal with two seconds left on the clock, effectively ending the game.
Postgame, junior defensive end Trevis Gipson and redshirt freshman linebacker Zaven Collins were asked about what effect momentum had on the game. Gipson applied smothering pressure to USF’s offensive line all game. He said that “We came out on fire for the first half and the first five minutes of the second half. We’ve been focusing on that and taking the details to another level. Every down, if we can get them behind that’ll be a plus, and we have a better chance of winning. We need to put the ball back in Boomer’s hands and let him do what he does best. That was the main goal for the whole game.” Collins led the team in tackles and added 1.5 sacks. He added, “We came into the game thinking we were going to be the best defense they have played all year and will play all year. That was our mindset, but we wanted to be humble about it. We couldn’t play lackadaisical. Seeing that we held them to three points in the first half, that is what we expected and wanted. We were trying to do that for the offense and see that they are pushing the ball down the field while we were holding them to three. That is a big momentum for us.” According to the team, it is only a matter of time before things begin to connect. They were glad Shamari Brooks was back on the field, but still are missing players like Corey Taylor II and Luke Skipper. Tulsa faces the University of Arkansas next week; it will be the 73rd meeting between the two schools, but the first game in the series since 2012.
photos by Dalton Stewart
Sports
15 October 2018
The Collegian: 3
courtesy Don Tomkalski
photos by Dalton Stewart
Interview: here comes the Boom An exclusive interview with the Golden Hurricane’s quarterback, Seth Boomer. TU football has experienced a major lineup change. After the Golden Hurricane’s loss against Temple, starting QB Luke Skipper experienced debilitating injuries that were unspecified but pertained to the upper body. Starting RB Shamari Brooks was also unable to compete after the loss in Philadelphia. The shocking catastrophe of injuries in the starting backfield forced the coaching staff to go to the drawing board and experiment with reserve players to fill the holes. Corey Taylor was the next on the roster to start at halfback in place of Brooks, but the team had two quarterbacks, Chad President and Seth Boomer, waiting to line up behind center. Traveling to Houston to take on the Cougars, Tulsa started redshirt freshman Boomer. The young QB’s first offensive possession consisted of three passes: a near interception, a big pass to WR Justin Hobbs and then a touchdown pass to Keenan Johnson that gave Tulsa an early lead against their rivals. “I was excited, man!” Boomer exclaimed after the game. “It was an amazing opportunity I couldn’t afford to waste.” All night, he stayed surprisingly calm in the pocket. Boomer took on lots of pressure, but was still able to maintain his drives. A few close calls, near picks and an intense
pass rush had the crowd on its feet. All eyes were on Boomer from every corner of the field. “I was very nervous at first, but I had faith in my teammates and coaches. So after the first snap, it was all gone.” With Taylor leading the rushing attack, the offense was able to stay ahead of Houston for most of the game. Houston eventually overcame the Golden Hurricane, but the team’s young QB turned a lot of heads and made quite the impression in his career debut. Boomer threw the ball 31 times and completed just 13 passes, but 25 of those hit the targeted receiver’s hands. He threw one touchdown pass, one interception and a total of 227 passing yards, the second most in TU history for a QB in his debut. Taylor also impressed by setting a new personal record in rushing yards, as he went for 152 yards on 33 attempts. When the Golden Hurricane hosted No. 23 USF, Boomer started again, but now with Shamari Brooks back in the lineup. Surely the nationally ranked and undefeated USF could easily pass the 1-4 Golden Hurricane, right? With one game now under his belt, the redshirt freshman QB put the Bulls to the test and shocked crowds again last Friday. Boomer had no fear against USF’s defensive line, which is one of the best and biggest in the nation.
Devyn Lyon Sudent Writer “I held a lot of faith in our OL upfront,” he stated. “I was confident they could hold back whoever they had running at me.” Immediately into the game, Boomer was throwing bombs. In their second drive, he found Josh Stewart for a 27-yard gain and then Jarion Anderson for a 14-yard passing touchdown. He held the lead firm, but he wasn’t only passing. Once again calm in the pocket and scrambling like a pro when the line failed him, Boomer was able to rack up 46 rushing yards. Boomer completed six of his 21 passes against the Bulls for a total of 79 passing yards and one touchdown. He didn’t commit any turnovers, but was sacked three times. The team may have not snagged the win against USF, but it was certainly exciting for every “Cainiac” to watch them give an undefeated, nationally-ranked team a run for their money. “Playing on a field like this, under these lights, is something I’ve always dreamed of. It was pretty surreal and I plan to make a difference every day on the team with my teammates and coaches,” Boomer said. With starters back, and Boomer gaining more experience, the tide for the Golden Hurricane is beginning to change. With the thunderous commotion of a new QB stirring the pot, victory is on the horizon.
photo by Dalton Stewart
The Collegian: 4
Sports
15 October 2018
Tulsa volleyball wins one, loses one TU sports journalist Tristan Peterson delivers the scoop on Tulsa’s up and down week that included some shining individual performances.
Earlier this week, Tulsa fell to Cincinnati, ending its perfect home record on the season. Tulsa struggled to find a rhythm in the first and second set but managed a comeback in the third frame before ultimately losing in the fourth. Despite the defeat, Emily Thorson managed 11 kills in the match, while Mariah Pardo had a double-double with 12 assists and 10 digs. As if turning a complete 180, Tulsa closed out the match against East Carolina University with fierce confidence. Tulsa was strong both offensively and defensively in the first set, keeping ECU’s hitting average to .160; Tulsa took the set 25-11. The second frame was a long rally, but Tulsa was able to clinch the set after forcing three attack errors from ECU 29-25. Even though Rachel Moore had five kills the Pirates stole the third set 25-23. In the final set, Tulsa won 25-19 with help from Pardo. She recorded four kills and had a hitting percentage of .667 for the set. Sunday’s match was quite the achievement for the ladies of Tulsa volleyball. Tay-
lor Horsfall paced the team with 17 digs while Rachel Moore recorded a double-double with 10 kills and 13 digs. Maggie Hembree had 11 kills and a hitting percentage of .435 for the matchup. Mariah Pardo tallied a career-high seven kills, but the most exciting milestone of the match belonged to the senior Thorson, who recorded her 1,000th career kill. She is the seventh TU athlete in program history to hit the milestone. She earned her second American Athletic Conference weekly honor roll bid the previous Monday for her offensive performance on the road against USF and UCF, where she racked up 32 kills. Thorson posted a careerhigh six service aces en route to leading Tulsa to a 3-1 win over USF. Tulsa scored 98 points to ECU’s 74 and moves to third in conference standings with a 5-2 mark in conference play and a 13-6 overall record. Tulsa heads to Texas this week for two key conference matches against Houston on Oct. 19 and SMU on Oct. 21.
photos by Dalton Stewart
German national team in troubled waters Soccer expert Andrew Noland delves into the recent turmoil facing the German national squad. On Saturday, Germany collapsed against the Netherlands 0-3, a record loss for the German national team, and Germany finds itself goalless in three games for the first time in its history. With the humiliating crash out of the World Cup in this past summer combined with the chaotic and explosive Mesut Ozil retirement from international play, Germany looks like a team in complete disarray. Where did the 2014 World Cup holders go? The team was relatively young; Thomas Muller and Mesut Ozil hadn’t hit their prime, Toni Kroos didn’t even look like he was on the same planet as everyone else on the field and Mario Gotze, the MVP of the final, didn’t even start. But something changed in the four years between hoisting the trophy and the calamitous events in Russia. Yes, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Philipp Lahm, two of Germany’s greatest players of all time, retired. But talent like Julian Draxler, Joshua Kimmich and Leroy Sane
looked as if they would pick up the slack and cement a dynasty. Others in 2018 simply haven’t taken their form to the highest level of play, like striker Thomas Werner, defender Niklas Sule and midfielder Leon Goretzka. But looking at the situation now, it seems that the holdovers of the invincible run in 2014 are the issue. Thomas Muller, the wunderkind of the 2010 World Cup and juggernaut in the championship squad, simply has fallen apart over the last four years. Mario Gotze never lived up to his potential and probably shouldn’t be starting at Dortmund. Toni Kroos hasn’t been able to carry over his Real Madrid form to international play. Mesut Ozil atrophied over years of playing under Wenger and looks simply horrific. But most important, it appears that manager Joachim Loew is caught in the past. What is left for Germany? The German national team doesn’t necessarily want to fire Loew and risk a complete disaster. But Der Nationalmannschaft is not a five-year
plan like Loew claims: they should be the best team in the world right now. The issue seems to be Loew’s refusal to adapt to new talent and new tactics, which has left the team losing to other national squads that simply should not match up. The main problem for national teams is that there isn’t a consistent bonding experience between these players. They play for starkly different club teams with drastically different tactics for an entire year and, for about two week periods interspersed randomly throughout the season, get called to play for international competitions in which they need to completely alter their mindsets, positions and objectives. The formula already spells disaster considering how tired these players become. This only snowballs for Joachim Loew, whose players compete for the best clubs in the world and possess some of the most volatile forms (Muller) and temperaments (Ozil). There is simply not enough time to build a unique environment for these stars.
Loew needs to change to reflect his players rather than forcing his players to adapt to him. Strikers don’t appear to be an option for Loew, as Werner and Uth both look terrible, so playing Muller in a false nine appears to be the only option while relying on wingers. The phrase “Start Sane” needs to be etched into both Manchester City Guardiola’s and Loew’s brains, because the 22year old changes the nature of the field the moment he steps onto the pitch. Rotating the defensive structure until they find a consistent wall needs to be his priority, and it might be time to reevaluate the plateauing Joshua Kimmich. Loew doesn’t necessarily need to be fired, but he needs to alter his priorities when he’s looking at his team sheet. The coach is still one of the greatest, but if he keeps persisting on this path of blindly picking system over talent, he’ll find himself breaking more records in the loss column.
15 October 2018
Sports
The Collegian: 5
Russia’s Olympic ban lifted
Student writer Chris Lierly covers the developments in the Russian doping scandal and how it fits into world politics.
Putin revels in his country’s dope supply.
graphic by Conner Maggio
Back in September, possibly one of the most consequential decisions in world sports history was made. Russia’s Olympic team, after an ongoing saga stretching back to 2015, was reinstated after a vote was held by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). WADA agreed to allow RUSADA, Russia’s own anti-doping agency, to begin testing and monitoring Russian athletes again after a three-year ban. In exchange, the Russians were basically put on probation, but the uncovering of a years’ long plan to help their chances at the Olympics and the aftermath read like a Cold-War spy novel.Grigory Rodchenkov, whose name will forever be linked to the biggest scandal in sports history, provided much of the evidence that gave the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) the justification to partially ban the Russian team from multiple competitions in the last three years. Rodchenkov headed a drug testing lab for Rusada that has since been labeled “the heart of Russian doping” and was shut down in 2015 by WADA after reports began to leak. Rodchenkov fled to the United States after two of the former heads of RUSADA turned up dead. Once there, with the help of filmmaker Bryan Fogel, Rodchenkov began giving information to the New York Times that would eventually lead to the McLaren Report. The McLaren Report consisted of 97 pages and accused the Russian government of using RUSADA to run a state-sponsored system of giving their own athletes banned substances and providing WADA with clean samples for testing. The fallout was catastrophic. Russia was banned from the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang and multiple international competitions since. The final version of the report claimed that over 1,000 athletes in total were involved and that Russia used it in 30 different sports.After all of this, WADA reinstated RUSADA without any guarantees from the Russian Sports Minister that Russia would accept the results of the McLaren Report
or provide WADA with oversight authority into RUSADA’s activities. Rodchenkov issued a dire warning, saying that “WADA must not fall prey to manipulation and false assertions from the ministry, the same arm of the Kremlin that facilitated the doping program and asserted false compliance.” The former scientist fears that allowing Russia to reenter the world sports community can only hurt the integrity of WADA and IAAF. If Russia complied with every WADA and IAAF request, that would still not be enough reason to accept the Russians back into the world sports community. Russia used a state-sponsored cheating system to rob the world of a fair Olympics, but they’ve also done much worse. Right after the Sochi Olympics, where Russia won 29 medals, Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian military to invade part of Ukraine. In 2016, Russia embarked on a campaign of disinformation to support rightwing radicals in multiple Western elections. In a more recent case, Russian agents made multiple attacks with nerve gas in the British city of Salisbury. Russia’s leading role in the repeated gassing of Syrian civilians alone should disqualify them from any international competition. Just like their systemic cheating in multiple Olympics, Russian atrocities on the political stage have been denied by Kremlin officials, including Putin himself. When dealing with watchdog organizations for both genocide and sports cheating, Russia usually just claims that Western countries do the same thing. This display of cognitive dissonance, which allows Russian leaders to see no fault in their egregious actions, could have given WADA the justification for banning Russia until they are willing to comply to the harshest of terms. WADA cannot hold Russia accountable for crimes committed on the world stage. But with knowledge of them, WADA should have held Russia to an extremely harsh standard in the one area where they have jurisdiction.
Completely serious rule suggestions
Chris Lierly, Andrew Noland, Brennen Gray and Justin Guglielmetti are rewriting sports rules.
NBA New Dribbling Rule Traveling. This concept might get controversial, but the NBA must enact this change in the upcoming season. The rule would state that players can only take two steps after they stop dribbling the ball. Once they pick up their dribble, they would be able to plant their feet twice and then they would have to pass the ball to a teammate or shoot. A violation of this rule would be labeled traveling and the player who travels would give possession to the other team. This might ruffle the feathers of some older fans not used to the rule, but it would mark an end to the days of jogging down the court without taking a dribble (looking at you Russ and Melo). Real Football The United States has suffered years of ridicule because we send our best athletes to internationally irrelevant sports like baseball, basketball and American football. The
the current reigning champions sweat in the Oakland heat, we need to bring in the big guns. I say we add two or three animated characters to each team’s depth chart. The Thunder can take Fred Flinstone to set them back to 4000 B.C., when they had KD, Harden, and Russ on the same team. The Pelicans can take Popeye. Ever since Boogie left, they need someone else to beat the tar out of people down below. Finally, the Cavs get Shaggy. That skinny boy loves dogs — especially underdogs. Boxing Rules Every sport should go off of boxing rules for winning championships. Remember that time UFC beat Auburn who beat Alabama who took the BCS earlier this year? They were right to declare themselves national champions. How about in this year’s World Cup when Mexico beat Germany, who won in 2014. In boxing, when someone beats
“The NFL should finally justify the name football by only allowing the players to use their feet...” NFL should bite the bullet and undergo a series of rule changes so that our best athletes can viably compete in soccer in the time leading up to and during the World Cup. The first change, while radical, should be to make football continuous play and add thirty minutes to play to compensate for advertisers. Trying to avoid making it too much like rugby, the NFL should finally justify the name football by only allowing the players to use their feet. This alteration will make scoring more difficult, so they should adapt by moving the field goal down to ground level, changing it into a netted box, and having players score points by kicking the ball into the goal. While drastic, the United States would just add to the massive list of things we dominate. Put animated characters in the NBA In the documentary “Space Jam,” which will soon be followed up by a sequel starring the King, Bugs Bunny and Co. band together to take down the Monstars. If the entire cast of non-Golden State Warriors affiliated NBA All Stars™ can’t seem to make
the reigning champ, they become the new Champion. Games would be more more exciting, dynasties would fall and every now and then, we could make a real sports movie about the NBA again. Baseball Time Travel Since I’m an old man and don’t like change, I’m going to do everything I can to preserve baseball’s place in American culture as our national pastime. My master plan? Invent a time machine and make sure everyone involved with the game — from players to fans to ownership — travels back to 1940s before first pitch. We can keep all the positive changes made over time of course. Modern medicine and training? Love it. Advanced statistics leading to a greater understanding of the sport? Hellz yeah. Civil rights and the end of segregation? The best. But we need to get rid of cell phones, Netflix and all those other “technology” thingamajigs that have shortened our attention spans beyond repair and made watching baseball feel like such a chore to so many people.
Antonio Brown kicks a football.
graphic by Conner Maggio
Sports
The Collegian: 6
15 October 2018
Pass rushers in peril
NFL expert Lindsey Prather details the chaos the roughing-the-passer rule has caused in the NFL. In Week 5 of the 2017 NFL season, the Minnesota Vikings’ Anthony Barr landed on Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers, snapping his collarbone. This prompted the league to institute and enforce a stricter roughing-the-passer penalty in 2018. The goal of this new rule was to further protect the QB position and preempt any claims about apathy regarding player safety. Defensive players are not allowed to land on QBs after tackling them or drive them into the ground — a confusing description, because that motion could arguably be described as a “tackle.” Doing so results in a 15-yard penalty. Despite good intentions, the enforcement of this penalty has led to some less-thanstellar results. Barr’s hit on Rodgers led to a rule that forces defenders to either defy physics to avoid landing on a quarterback with their full body weight, or hand the opposing team 15 yards. In a league with questionable officiating, there is too much room for interpretation. Human error has had a serious impact on several games so far this season, as well as the safety of players beyond the QB. Ironically, one of the most egregious enforcements of this rule came against the Green Bay Packers in Week 2. With 1:37 left in a close game, Packers linebacker Clay Matthews forced Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins into his second interception. The turnover would have given Green Bay the ball at the Minnesota 18-yard line with an eight-point lead, effectively ending the game. However, the celebration was cut short when Matthews’ momentum carried him through and on top of Cousins.
The interception was overturned. The penalty awarded 15 yards to the Vikings, and a new set of downs. One eight-play drive later, they tied the game to set up overtime. From there, only the shortcomings of Vikings kicker Daniel Carlson kept the Packers from a loss. A more recent example can be found in the first quarter of the Sept. 30 game between the Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns. Oakland’s rookie defensive end Arden Key got penalized for roughing the passer in a call that most people disagreed with. Just last week, Cleveland’s Baker Mayfield completed a pass to running back Duke Johnson. Key gave a shove to Mayfield but made no effort to knock him down. Despite this, Key was called for a penalty that gave the Browns 15 additional yards in addition to the 19 yards already gained on the play. When defenders are unable to touch the QB for fear of penalizing their team, the result can be dangerous. The unintended consequence of over-enforcing this rule became apparent in Week 3. On Sept. 23, Dolphins defensive end William Hayes tore his right ACL as he attempted to avoid landing on top of Raiders quarterback Derek Carr during a sack. Hayes is now out for the season, and it would be surprising if he ends up being the only casualty of this rule. The NFL’s desire to protect QBs is understandable; big-name QBs and decent teams are extremely marketable. The NFL also needs to make the sport safer for players. But it has to do so in a way that makes sense, not with another confusing, inconsistent, unclear rule that can lead to changes in the outcome of games on a whim.
Oklahoma fires Mike Stoops Football expert Lindsey Prather discusses the firing of the OU defensive coordinator.
courtesy SB Nation
courtesy USA Today Following a nearly-unbelievable loss to Texas in the Red River Rivalry, Oklahoma football parted ways with defensive coordinator Mike Stoops on Monday. News of Stoops’ departure first surfaced on Sunday night, following multiple outlets reporting he was either fired or resigning from his post. Oklahoma confirmed the firing on Monday morning, naming Ruffin McNeill as interim defensive coordinator. This decision to fire Stoops comes on the heels of the latest of many pitiful performances from the Sooners defense. Mike Stoops had previously been bailed out by explosive offense performances by the Oklahoma offense, led first by Baker Mayfield and now Kyler Murray. However, the Sooner offense found itself outscored in the end as their defense was embarrassed drive after drive, unable to keep up with a Sam Ellinger and the rest of the Texas offense. Following Oklahoma’s loss to the Longhorns, its defense ranked 52nd nationally in yards allowed per play, but the primary issue is their inability to finish off a drive. The Sooners rank 98th in the country in thirddown defense, allowing opponents to convert around 40 percent of the time. Perhaps the most baffling statistic is in the red zone: Oklahoma’s opponents have scored points on 100 percent of their red zone possessions. That includes a touchdown-allowed rate of 85 percent, which ranks 124th in the country, tied with football powerhouses Rice and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Mike Stoops’ coaching career began as an assistant at Kansas State under Bill Snyder from 1992-98. He later moved on to be head coach at Arizona from 2004–11. In 2012, he joined his brother’s coaching staff at Oklahoma. Since then, the Sooners defense has
15
finished in the top 30 nationally only once. This year’s unit is currently ranked 96th nationally, giving up an average of 421 yards per game. Oklahoma has won three consecutive Big 12 titles and made two playoff appearances in the last four years. However, they were far from fruitful; just last year Oklahoma blew a 31–14 first-half lead against Georgia in the Rose Bowl semifinal. In the second half of the Rose Bowl, it was painfully obvious that the Sooners defense had some fundamental coaching issues, even struggling to line up correctly. With issues being prevalent for the Oklahoma football program, why was Mike Stoops not fired sooner (pun intended)? I can find no other reason other than good ol’ fashioned nepotism. Bob Stoops has been the darling coach of Oklahoma football for almost two decades, and that power doesn’t come without a cost. While Oklahoma is undeniably a blue-blooded program, its unbalanced team is currently a shadow of its former self. Oklahoma is facing a cannibalistic Big 12 conference, one that has been consistently un-rankable throughout this season and about as unpredictable as it can get. Ruffin McNeill has until Oct. 20 to make some changes before the Sooners take on TCU in their next conference game. Although, I can say with relative certainty that any improvement whatsoever will justify the firing of Mike Stoops. By continuing to employ Mike Stoops, generational talent and championship-worthy offense has been wasted. Now, the only question that remains is whether or not dismissing Mike Stoops will be good enough in time to make a legitimate playoff run. If not, the Big 12 can kiss a playoff spot good-bye.
Oct. 15 - Oct. 21
Monday
Tuesday 15
Softball vs. SOU 5 p.m.
Wednesday 16
No Events
17
Sotfball vs. OCU 5 p.m.
Thursday
Saturday
Friday
18
20
19
M Tennis vs. ITA Regionals
Softball vs. OSU 5:00 p.m.
W Soccer @ Temple 6 p.m.
Volleyball @ Houston 7 p.m.
Sunday 21
Football @ Arkansas 11 a.m. Softball vs. NEO 12 p.m.
Rowing @ Head of Charles
No Events
News
15 October 2018
The Collegian: 7
Tulsa GOP builds fair “wall” Tulsa rebrands Columbus Day
Despite controversy, the mock-up border wall was allowed to stand at the Tulsa State Fair. Will Gibson Student Writer In the Tulsa County Republican Party’s booth inside of the Expo Building at the Tulsa State Fair, a construction paper “wall” stirred controversy with some fairgoers. The “wall” in question was the basis of a fundraising campaign for the Tulsa County Republican Party, which allowed supporters to purchase “bricks,” also fashioned out of construction paper, for various donation levels and affix them to the “wall.” Although the donations went toward the Tulsa County Republican Party, the display was in reference to Trump’s proposed Mexican border wall, with a cardboard standee Trump on display nearby. Donation levels corresponded with different color bricks: $5 for red, $10 for tan, $50 for silver and $75 for gold. The director of party communications said the wall represented a “foundation for conservative values.” This explanation did not hold up with offended guests, who made complaints to Expo Square. Officials
of Expo Square instructed the Tulsa County Republican Party to remove the display on Monday, October 2, after it had already stood for five days. They released the following statement: “The Tulsa State Fair is committed to providing a safe and family friendly environment for all attendees. All vendors must follow the terms of their Lease Agreement, which includes rules outlined in the Vendor Rules & Regulation Handbook. At this time, we have asked a few vendors to adjust their displays for this reason. There are a couple of incidents each year when booths accidentally or intentionally violate the Lease Agreement or the rules in the Vendor Rules & Regulation Handbook.” The next morning, it was taken down, but by the afternoon, it was standing once more. The Tulsa County Republican Party was allowed to rebuild the “wall” when Ron Peters, the Tulsa County Commission Chairman, and Mark Andrus, the executive director of Expo Square, concluded that it was within the party’s First Amendment rights. After reconstructing the display, the Tulsa County Republican Party began to sell snowflakes as well as the “bricks” for the wall.
courtesy Tulsa World The wall boasts not only multicolored bricks but also messages written by those that purchased them.
as Indigenous Peoples’ Day The holiday was renamed in favor of the victims of Native subjugation throughout American history. Anna Johns Student Writer Since 1934, the United States has celebrated Columbus Day every second Monday in October. Many cities hold parades to celebrate the holiday, producing a sanitized version of Columbus’s actions, which include murder, rape and enslavement. As a counter-holiday, dozens of states and cities, including Tulsa, have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day, recognizing the oppression of Native Americans and celebrating their culture. Why the reclaiming of a holiday? For starters, Columbus wasn’t the first European to glimpse the Americas. His findings were actually five centuries too late. He was, however, the catalyst for European exploration and exploitation of Native peoples. “The problem with making Columbus a hero is that it’s not true,” said TU’s Indigenous Society’s councilwoman Jennie Stockle. “What Columbus actually did was start the beginning of a massive genocide, probably the biggest one in human history, against Indigenous people.” Reclaiming Columbus Day makes a statement. Instead of Columbus, the holiday honors the culture of the people who have been on this land before Europeans encountered it . Those in favor of changing the name believe it is also intended for educating non-Native Americans about the history of the U.S. before European settlement. The conversation has a purposeful change in focus, shifting from the commemoration of Columbus’s atrocities to the recognition of the endurance of Indigenous people. “It’s important that we don’t lie to ourselves about our past. Indigenous Peoples’ Day is really about celebrating what was so good and dear to the Americas before Europeans at that time destroyed it,” Stockle added. “Indigenous peoples’ original history deserves to be preserved as much as possible.”
At Guthrie Green, activities held by the Greater Tulsa Area Indian Affairs Commission included music, tribal dancing and a parade. TU’s Indigenous Society was invited to walk with the Tulsa Indian Club for the parade. Members talked to dignitaries and networked with the Native American community. “That was the first time I felt welcome at Guthrie Green. What Tulsa did is a great small step. I see native culture as a way to unite our country in what should have been done in the past,” Stockle said. The history of Native Americans is deeply embedded in TU’s campus, which is located on Muskogee-Creek land and is in their jurisdiction. The university started as The Presbyterian School for Girls to educate young Creek women. With this background in mind, Stockle believes it is important for students to recognize the roots of the school, and that the way to do that is to recognize a culture deeply embedded in TU since the beginning. TU’s Indigenous Society wants students to know there is a Native American community behind them who wants them to grow and learn. They believe that celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a first step towards greater education and overall understanding of the community so integral to the background of Oklahoma. “When you look around and see that our art is alive, our stories are alive, our people are alive and vibrant, and that our communities are strong, you know that Indigenous Peoples’ Day is not a celebration of the past,” Chuck Hoskin Jr. said to the Tulsa World. He continued, “Ladies and gentlemen, Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a celebration of a bright future, and we’re doing it right here in Tulsa, Oklahoma.” TU’s Indigenous Society has a general meeting every third Thursday of the month in the Chevron Multicultural Resource Center. Meetings are open to all students. More information on the club can be found on the Involvio app.
“‘The problem with making Columbus a hero is that it’s not true.’”
Nobel Peace Prize awarded to champions against sexual violence 2018’s Nobel Peace Prize winners have spent their careers working in the Middle East and Africa. Emma Palmer Variety Editor The prestigious 2018 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to two individuals whose activism has called for the ending of mass rape as a strategy during war: Nadia Murad and Denis Mukwege. Murad, a survivor of sexual slavery from the Islamic State (IS), uses her story as a call to justice for all women who have endured sexual violence or other mass atrocities. Mukwege, a Congolese gynecological doctor, has seen and helped a countless number of women who suffered
violence in his home country of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Murad has spoken fearlessly in her campaign for justice against IS and its brutalization of women. In her New York Times bestselling novel “The Last Girl,” Murad chronicles her time in captivity and subsequent escape. She is represented by Amal Clooney, a human rights lawyer, and together they are working to persecute IS soldiers. Murad is 24, making her the second youngest Peace Prize winner and the 17th woman to receive the award. Prior to his win, Mukwege had often been mentioned in speculations for the Nobel Peace Prize. His work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has led him to be known as “The man who mends women’s
bodies,” with a majority of his patients being victims of sexual violence. After delivering an incendiary speech on the world’s neglect of the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo to the United Nations, Mukwege suffered an assassination attempt in October of 2012 that killed his bodyguard and close friend Joseph Bizimana. Mukwege escaped to Europe but returned to his clinic in 2013, despite the safety concerns. On the Nobel Prize website, they recognize the work that both winners have done for survivors of sexual violence, stating, “Each of them in their own way has helped to give greater visibility to wartime sexual violence, so that the perpetrators can be held accountable for their actions.” By honoring these individuals, the Norwegian Nobel
Denis Mukwege (left) and Nadia Murad (right) have encountered life-threatening scenarios in their campaigns against sexual violence.
Committee has chosen to shine a spotlight on the sexual violence faced by women — an often overlooked issue. The Nobel Prize winners each year are so closely guarded that winners do not know they have even been nominated until they are announced. Both winners this year did not know that they had won until after the world did, as the news was broken online. Mukwege, in a statement to reporters from his hospital in Bukavu, dedicated the award to “women of all countries bruised by conflict and facing everyday violence.” Murad, in her first conference, had a call to action for those in the room: “We must work together to put an end to genocide, hold accountable those who commit these crimes and achieve justice for the victims.”
courtesy NPR
News
The Collegian: 8
15 October 2018
Presidential alert phone LIBR study seeks connection messages widely received between cerebellum and anxiety The presidetial alert test was part of an effort to establish a reliable emergency system. Anna Johns Student Writer Across the nation, cellphones buzzed as the Federal Management Agency conducted its first-ever system that sent presidential alerts to a majority of United States citizens. “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System,” the text read. “No action is needed.” With this alert, mobile devices can receive warnings about immediate danger, no app download required. Only three types of alerts can be sent to all cellphones: AMBER alerts, incoming dangerous weather and national emergency alerts. The message will include the type of alert, what action is necessary and which agency reports it. The system cannot be used for personal messages from a president. While it is possible to withdraw from receiving alerts on missing children and weather conditions, users cannot turn off presidential alerts.
FEMA officials estimated 75 percent of mobile phones in the country would receive the alert. If a device did not receive an alert, “active data sessions” could have interfered with receiving the message. A device that was turned off,out of range or was in the midst of an ongoing phone call may have also caused the lack of an alert. In recent months, emergency alerts have been criticized. Earlier this year, Hawaii aroused panic as the state sent a false alert warning of an incoming missile. Meanwhile, officials located in Northern California received scrutiny for not sending more alerts during the wildfires. John Lawson, executive director of the Advanced Warning and Response Network, said current national alerting systems are “fragile and fragmented” and that testing them is crucial for strengthening them. FEMA asks for feedback regarding the test’s effectiveness. They suggest those who did not receive an alert to email them at FEMA-National-Test@fema.dhs.gov.
The alert appeared in the same format as an AMBER Alert or weather warning.
Dr. Yoon-Hee Cha’s study tests the link between one’s cerebellum and one’s level of anxiety. Brooke-Lyne Holland Student Writer
Benjamin Chipper Doudican, a research assistant, is an important research member at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research. His job is to assist and conduct studies run by Principal Investigator Dr. Yoon-Hee Cha that examine how brain stimulation affects the process of learning and unlearning fear that create worrying in people. Dr. Yoon-Hee Cha is a principal investigator at LIBR, a neurologist and an assistant professor at the University of Tulsa. According to the LIBR website, Dr. Cha completed her biology degree at Stanford University and earned her medical degree at Mayo Medical School before joining the staff at LIBR in August of 2012. Dr. Cha’s work has evolved from studying the cerebellum and how it reacts to external and internal signals to exploring the “role of the cerebellum in mood and anxiety disorders, particularly in its role in fear conditioning and fear extinction.” Fear extinction includes symptoms such as anxiety and a greater-than-average propensity for worrying. According to the LIBR website, Dr. YoonHee Cha developed her interest in “understanding the neurological basis of motion perception” at the University of California in Los Angeles, which lead to her current work at LIBR. Her past studies include magnetic stimulation and electric stimulation to treat disorders of motion perception. Doudican spoke of Dr. Cha and the work that she focuses on at LIBR, saying that “she is exploring different types of neuromodulation in the treatment of brain disorders.” According to neuromodulation. com, neuromodulation is “the alteration of nerve activity through targeted delivery of a stimulus, such as electrical stimulation or chemical agents.” In Dr. Cha’s research, sponge electrodes are placed on the head with a low voltage
current transmitted through the scalp to the brain. According to Doudican, the reason behind the study is to see “whether the process of fear conditioning and extinction is affected by these treatments.” University of Tulsa students are invited to participate in the study and be compensated for their time. Interviews, brain imaging with an MRI and a non-invasive brain stimulation method called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) are conducted on the first day. During the second visit on the following day, the patient has to complete a brief computer task. Patients do not have to be medically diagnosed with any type of anxiety disorder to sign up for the study. According to LIBR, the study is open to people who: • Are between 18 and 70 years old • Can understand enough English to complete the interviews and answer questions. • Have access to a computer. • Are NOT an international student visa. This is due to restrictions on international students’ research compensation. • Are NOT currently experiencing severe/unstable health issues that need immediate medical attention. Summarized by Doudican, “the goal is to find a way to lower the fear extinction [and] worry threshold of people with anxiety.” If students are interested in participating, they can take steps to do so by calling the number at the end of the article. Emergency Hotlines Local Crisis Line: 918-293-2100 National 24/7 Suicide Hotline: 1-800784-2433 True Blue Neighbors Behavioral Health Clinic: 918-631-3342 Alexander Health Center: 918-631-2241 Campus Security: 918-631-5555 Domestic Violence Intervention Service: 918-585-3163 If interested, call 918-502-5100.
courtesy AOL
Search for mass graves narrowed Mayor Bynum recently discussed his plans for locating mass graves from the Tulsa Race Massacre. Will Gibson Student Writer In the summer of 1921, Tulsa’s Greenwood neighborhood, also known as Black Wall Street, was razed by a mob comprised of the police and white Tulsans. The details regarding the events leading up to the Tulsa Race Massacre have been foggy ever since, as they have regarding the event’s catalyst and its aftermath. One thing is for certain: all that was left of Black Tulsa, which had been burgeoning with success, was rubble. After the catastrophic destruction, white city leaders had passed zoning legislation that made it impossible for the Black community to rebuild to its former stature. Ever since then, many of the official facts have been in question. For example, in 1921, only 36 deaths were reported. In 2001, an Oklahoma Commission Report found that the death toll was anywhere between 300 and 400, and that it was possible that the massacre was a conspiracy against the Black community. The commission also did research into a rumor that has long been circulating about the existence of mass graves, but the commission ran out of time and money to explore any further after identifying three possible sites. On October 2, 2018, Tulsa Mayor GT Bynum published a post on his Facebook page referencing a 2011 This Land Press article about the potential for mass graves, and he
announced that he has been working toward closure of the issue. After reading the article as a city councilor, Bynum began doing more research with city councilor Jack Henderson. They would eventually turn in their findings to City Administration but with no results. Bynum wrote that he “promised [himself] that if [he] ever became mayor and had the authority to direct further investigation, [he] would.” Now that Bynum is mayor, he has been working on this issue over the past few months and decided to go public after being asked by a North Tulsa pastor about the possibility of mass graves. Bynum explained in his posts that there are three potential locations: Newblock Park, Booker T. Washington Cemetery and Oaklawn Cemetery. The latter shows the most promise for the existence of mass graves, and there is even an eyewitness account of Black bodies being dumped there during the riot. Bynum continued to explain the three tasks moving forward. First, determine if there are unmarked graves at any of the sites in question. Second, determine the nature of the graves, if they are found. Finally, if the bodies found appear to be victims of the race massacre, then use any means of forensic examination possible to determine identity and cause of death. Bynum’s post discussed the issue respectfully, and he made it clear that there is uncertainty in what this project might find. Whatever the case, Bynum believes this is another important and progressive step of many made in recent years toward finally reconciling what happened in Greenwood nearly a century ago.
courtesy Laureate Institute for Brain Research Dr. Yoon-Hee Cha studies the cerebellum and its physiological functions at LIBR.
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On page two of the Oct. 1 issue of The Collegian, an article on TEDx listed the application deadline as Wednesday, Oct. 10. The deadline has since been pushed back a week, to Wednesday, Oct. 17.
Conner Maggio
business & advertising manager
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social media & web manager
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distribution managers
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The Collegian is the student newspaper of the University of Tulsa. It is distributed Mondays during the fall and spring semesters, except during holidays and final exam weeks. The University of Tulsa does not discriminate on the basis of personal status or group characteristics including but not limited to the classes protected under federal and state law. Inquiries regarding implementation of this policy may be addressed to the Office of Human Resources, 800 South Tucker Drive, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74104-9700, (918)631-2616. Requests for accomodation of disabilities may be addressed to the university’s 504 Coordinator, Dr. Tawny Rigsby, (918)631-3814. To ensure availability of an interpeter, five to seven days notice is needed; 48 hours is recommended for all other accomodations. Advertising Policy: Advertising appearing in this publication does not imply approval or endorsement by the University of Tulsa or the Collegian for the products or services advertised. For advertising information, email the Collegian at advertising@tucollegian.org. The deadline for advertising is noon on the Friday proir to publication. Letter Policy: Letters to the editor must be less than 500 words and can be sent to tucollegian@tucollegian.org. Under no circumstances will anonymous letters be published. The name of the person submitting the letter must be published with the letter. We reserve the right to edit or reject all letters. The deadline for letters is 5 p.m. on the Friday prior to publication. Editing Policy: The Collegian reserves the right to edit all copy submitted by all writers. This editing may take place in many forms, including grammar corrections, changes in paragraph structure or even the addition or removal of sections of content. Editorial Policy: Columnists are solely responsible for the content of their columns. Opinions expressed in columns may not represent the opions of the Collegian staff, the administrative policies of the University of Tulsa, the views of the student body or our advertisers.
News
15 October 2018
The Collegian: 9
Oct. 5 11:20 a.m. University of Tulsa Campus Security Officers were dispatched to John Mabee Hall for a suspicious smell. Officers discovered that a University of Tulsa student had been using marijuana. The marijuana and the paraphernalia were confiscated. The Housing Department was notified of the incident.
Oct. 4 11:10 a.m. University of Tulsa Campus Security Officers were dispatched to investigate a possible ill person at the Hurricane Soccer/Track Stadium. A TU non-affiliate had collapsed due to unknown causes. The Tulsa Fire Department (TFD) and Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) were called from the scene and arrived before officers. The nonaffiliate was evaluated at the scene by TFD and EMSA. The non-affiliate was not taken to any area hospitals. 4:25 p.m. University of Tulsa Campus Security Officers were dispatched to Fisher West to investigate possible threats. Officers spoke with the employee who stated that a student made some potentially threatening remarks about another student. Officers spoke with the other student. It was determined that the student will move to a temporary apartment until they can get a permanent one. 4:48 p.m. University of Tulsa Campus Security Officers were dispatched to check on a suspicious person at the University School. Officers were unable to locate the suspicious person. Officers took statements from witnesses and are investigating. 5:30 p.m. University of Tulsa Campus Security Officers were dispatched to investigate a possible in Mayo Village Apartments. Upon arrival reported found a small fire in a pot on the stove in an apartment. Officers placed the burning pot in the kitchen sink and ran water on it. The fire was put out and Tulsa Fire Department of TFD was cancelled. Officers ventilated the smoke out of the apartment.
11:30 a.m. University of Tulsa Campus Security Officers were dispatched to the outside of Alexander Health in reference to suspicious activity. Officers made contact with the individual and confirmed they were a student. Officers were informed the individual received information about services off campus. 7:00 p.m. While on routine patrol University of Tulsa Campus Security Officers observed a suspicious individual riding a yellow university bike out of Mayo Village onto Tucker Dr. The individual rode the bike across 11th St. and into the neighborhood. Officers searched the nearby area and were unable to locate the individual. Oct. 6 1:30 a.m. University of Tulsa Campus Security Officers were dispatched to investigate an individual passed out on the back patio at Sigma Alpha Fraternity. Upon arrival, officers discovered the subject was a student who had been drinking. The student was conscious, however, Emergency Medical Services Authority was contacted due to the student’s physical state. The student refused to be transported to the hospital but agreed to go back to their dorm for the remainder of the night. 5:40 a.m. University of Tulsa Campus Security Officers made contact with an intoxicated student who was found sleeping on the west side of Keplinger Hall. The student was escorted back to their dorm room at John Mabee Hall. The Resident Assistant for John Mabee Hall took responsibility for the student and planned to check on the student throughout the morning hours.
Nate Gibbons Distribution Manager
President Trump “disappointed” with Fed policies Last week, President Trump criticized the Federal Reserve, calling it “far too stringent” and “out of control.” He stated he would not fire Fed chairman Jay Powell, but that he is disappointed with his policies. Aside from those comments given at the White House, he told Fox News he believed the Fed was getting “a little too cute” with its interest rate hikes. His comments followed multiple days of decline in the U.S. stock market. Trump and other officials argue the declines are standard corrections to a market that’s seen a long run of rising share prices. Many economists say it is due to a combination of rising interest rates and trade tensions with China. In an interview with “Fox and Friends,” Trump said his tariffs successfully hurt China’s economy. “Their economy has gone down very substantially,” he told the program. “And I have a lot more to do if I want to do it and I don’t want to do, but they have to come to the table.”
Saudi Arabia could face “severe punishment,” Trump says Late last week, President Trump told CBS News he’d be “very upset and angry” if allegations that Saudi Arabian agents murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi were confirmed. “There’s a lot at stake,” Trump said, adding, “and maybe especially so because this man was a reporter.” Trump has said he is wary of using sanctions or cutting sales to Saudi Arabia. “I don’t want to hurt jobs,” he told CBS, but clarified, “there are other ways of punishing.” Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi government, was last seen stepping into a Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul on October 2. A security source told news outlets that Turkish officials have video and audio evidence confirming the journalist’s death. If the murder is confirmed, it would be a brazen measure taken by a government known for persecuting critics. Saudi Arabian officials have denied the allegations.
Hundreds of thousands protest against far-right in Germany More than 100,000 people attended a rally against xenophobia last Saturday in Berlin, Germany. Protesters carried signs reading “United against racism” and spoke against the far-right Alternative for Germany party. Only around 40,000 were expected to attend, said Theresa Hartmann, spokeswoman for the #indivisible movement. The Alternative for Germany party became the largest opposition party in Germany when it entered parliament for the first time last year. Support for the party grew in 2015 when more than a million immigrants were admitted into the country. German Chancellor Angela Merkel urges tolerance, but the issue of immigration still divides much of Germany’s population. In late August, far-right extremist groups swarmed Chemnitz and other cities, harassing journalists and anyone who appeared to be foreign in response to a stabbing death of a German by alleged immigrants. German police are investigating many of the Chemnitz protesters for their use of the Nazi salute, which is illegal in Germany.
6:10 p.m. University of Tulsa Campus Security Officers were dispatched to investigate a case of fraudulent activity. A student reported that they were trying to sell something online and received an email that a payment was placed. The student sent the property and after a few days, noticed the payment never went through. 9:50 p.m. University of Tulsa Campus Security Officers were dispatched to speak with a student who reported hearing noises of a domestic disturbance coming from an apartment in Mayo Village. Officers spoke with the resident of the apartment who stated they had an argument with their significant other. They stated they were sending their significant other home. Oct. 7 1:00 a.m. While on routine patrol University of Tulsa Campus Security Officers observed two individuals on top of a security patrol vehicle taking pictures of themselves in the McFarlin Library Lot. Officers instructed the individuals to get off the security vehicle. The individuals attempted to leave the area without speaking to officers. Officers located and made contact with the individuals who advised they were students. The students agreed to go back to their apartment and left without further incident. 8:45 p.m. University of Tulsa Campus Security Officers were dispatched to Mayo Village Apartment Complex to investigate possible suspicious activity. Upon arrival Officers were joined by Tulsa Police Department (TPD) who had also been dispatched. Officers found students playing a game. 10:50 p.m. University of Tulsa Campus Security Officers were dispatched to investigate a possible indecent exposure at the McFarlin Library. Upon arrival Officers met with a victim who stated that another student had showed them their private part. The victim chose not to file a report with the Tulsa Police Department, and officers informed the individual if they change their mind to contact Campus Security. The Collegian does not produce or edit the Campus Crime Watch except for content and brevity.
Monday, October 15 at 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. College of Law, Price & Turpen Courtroom Chapman Distinguished Lecture “Clown Eggs, Creative Norms, & the Social Value of Property Registers” Chapman Distinguished Lecture by Aaron Perzanowski and Dave Fagundes: “Clown Eggs, Creative Norms, and the Social Value of Property Registers.” Since 1946, many clowns have recorded their makeup by having it painted on eggs that are kept in a central registry in Wookey Hole, England. This tradition, which continues today, has been referred to alternately as a form of informal copyright registration and a means of protecting clowns’ property in their personae. This lecture explores the clown egg register and its surrounding practices from the perspective of law and social norms, showing how clowns—like comedians, roller derby skaters, tattoo artists, and other subcultures—have developed an elaborate informal scheme in lieu of state-created copyright or trademark law to regulate their creative production. Also, the speakers will discuss a rarer phenomenon in the norm-based IP context: formalized registration related to norm-based ownership rules, showing that the register exists not only to support those rules, but also serves a host of non-property functions, including expressing members’ professionalism, conferring a sense of prestige, and creating a historical record. Finally, the lecture will discuss how an analysis of the register offers lessons for the study of norms and law more generally, pointing the way toward pluralist theories of norms-based regulation, and highlighting the underappreciated non-property functions of other ownership registers in the context of tangible and intellectual property alike.
Monday, October 15 at 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Student Union, Chouteau Room Kanakuk Information Session Kanakuk Kamps and Kids Across America directors are coming to TU. Come find out more about summer staff positions and how you can experience the BEST SUMMER EVER! Thursday, October 18 through Saturday, October 20 at 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Kendall Hall Man of La Mancha Musical. Written by Dale Wasserman. Music by Mitch Leigh. Lyrics by Joe Darion Saturday, October 20 at 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Student Union Nimrod Conference for Readers and Writers Nimrod International Journal’s Conference for Readers and Writers, an all-day event, will feature writing workshops, readings, panel discussions, one-on-one editing sessions and novel pitch critique sessions. The conference features workshops on writing fiction, poetry, memoir, mystery, young adult literature, romance, and science fiction; ways to attract the attention of literary agents and publishers; and more. Other events throughout the day include readings, lunch, the Nimrod Literary Awards ceremony, and editing and novel pitch critique sessions, in which participants will have the chance to sit down one on one with an editor to discuss their work. This year’s participants include fiction writer Rilla Askew, Oklahoma Book Award winner and author of Fire in Beulah; poet Patricia Smith, National Book Award nominee, NAACP Image Award winner, and author of Blood Dazzler; New York Times-bestselling memoirist and poet Jill Bialosky, author of History of a Suicide: My Sister’s Unfinished Life; young adult author Erin Bow, TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award winner and author of The Scorpion Rules; romance author Sarah MacLean, two-time RITA Award winner and author of No Good Duke Goes Unpunished; mystery author Julia Thomas, author of The English Boys; poet Kaveh Bassiri, Witter Bynner Poetry Translation Residency winner; and Carl Engle-Laird, editor at Tor.com Publishing. They will join more than 30 other writers and editors. The cost of the Conference is $60, but scholarships are also available. For more information, scholarship information, and to register, contact Nimrod at (918) 631-3080, nimrod@utulsa.edu, or https://nimrod.utulsa.edu. The Collegian does not produce all event descriptions in the Community Calendar. Contact us at news@tucollegian.org with events.
The Collegian: 10
Commentary
15 October 2018
Intervention best way to combat sexual assault
Taking the initiative and stepping up during compromising situations can drastically reduce the number of sexual assaults. Brian Kwiecinski Business Manager 10 minutes of silence resounded across the Old U as a sea of students and faculty in black stood in support of sexual assault survivors. Violence Prevention Program Coordinator Kelsey Hancock and other campus groups came together to organize these moments of silence and invite people from all across campus on Monday, October 8 to show support for survivors. President Gerard Clancy and many other department heads from across campus also stood with us. That day, it didn’t matter where someone fell on the political spectrum. All that mattered was that together, we proudly stood in support of every person affected by sexual assault. To all of those survivors: we believe you. No matter who you are, you can help to prevent sexual assault on our campus and beyond. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, more than 20 percent of college women are survivors of a sexual assault that happened in their four years of college. Statista reports that sexual assaults accounted for more than 10 percent of all violent crimes in the United States, and those are only the assaults that were reported. Do these numbers horrify you? Good. They are unacceptably high for such a horrendous act. So what can you do? There are many ways that you can help to help prevent sexual assault and support survivors. If you are someone who wants to help, then I urge you to look into them. I only ask you stop normalizing these experiences. Stop believing that one in five women being assaulted in college is a given outcome and start working towards knocking that number way down.
Our university and many other organizations have done what they can to give us the tools to step in and do something during potential assault situations, but it is up to us to actually follow through. Maybe these situations have nothing to do with you, but it costs you nothing to go over and at least scope it out. It is not your fault that there are people out there who commit sexual assault, but that does not mean that you should not be looking out for people. We live our lives constantly helped by those around us, so be a part of that and look out for the people around you. This does not have to be some climactic confrontation, it can be as simple as saying, “Hey, guys, everything all right over here?” and reading the situation from there. And if there seems to be some kind of threat, then you can step away and contact the authorities. In these cases, if something seems suspicious, then it should be investigated. Sure, maybe you will come across dozens of situations where you misunderstood and everything is fine, but that one time that you end up helping prevent an assault is infinitely worth it. I know how much difference it can make to step in because I have seen what happens when nobody does. I had someone who I would do anything for break down to me at 3 a.m. because of an assault that had happened half a year before. I cannot begin to describe the pain and anger that I felt upon hearing that and not being able to do anything to help, and yet it was nothing compared to what they had experienced. Sexual assault is a deeply disturbing experience that nobody deserves. It does not matter whether you have anything to do with a situation; if you see something that even hints at being a potential assault, then do something. Granted, sometimes stepping in can be a lot more difficult than it sounds. The perpetrator could be someone you have a close relationship with and would never suspect of committing assault. Please do not let that blind you to the damage that they could do. Have the courage to stand up for survivors. If you can stop someone before they commit an assault and get through to them about what they were about to do, then you have changed at least two lives for the better. Inaction is itself an action, so if you simply sit by and do nothing then you are allowing these acts to happen. I urge you to stop going with the flow and start speaking out against these terrible acts. On Oct. 8, we stood in support of survivors and we are still standing now. Stand with us.
graphic credit Conner Maggio
howdddddy A collection of campus resources for sexual assault survivors.
graphic by Conner Maggio
Increasing voter registration protects democracy
To bolster high voter registration rates, the United States could emulate how European countries encourage voting. Nathan Hinkle Student Writer Voting rates for the upcoming midterm elections across the United States are at a extremely low rate. While the concept of the low turnout midterm election is a common theme in the American electoral process, it has hit a particularly bad snag in the previous years. In 2014, there was the lowest turnout in an election since 1942.
ing to the Pew Research Center, only 55.7 percent of Americans voted in the previous presidential election. Out of the 32 countries surveyed, the United States ranked 26th in voter turnout rates. This number pales in comparison to countries, such as Sweden, which had 82.61 percent voting rates among its citizen in its previous elections. Denmark follows a similar trend with 80.34 percent of the vote. The major difference between the United States and other European democracies is the lack of voting registration. The Center states, “Only about 64 percent of the voting age population was registered in 2016… compared with 91 percent in Canada and the UK, 96 percent in Sweden and 99 percent in Slovenia.” While voter registration does not always equal higher voter turnouts in the case of Slovenia, the other three show a distinct increase in the voter turnout rates, as well as increased registration. One potential step to improve voter registration is to follow the system used by Canada. In an article titled, “Expanding Democracy: Voter Registration around the World,” a non-partisan group known as the Brennan
“If people are not [voting], it is impossible for our elections to be truly representative of the people.” These numbers are due to a variety of reasons, whether due to time management, political apathy or outright distrust in the political system. Low voting rates is a dangerous issue for our democracy as a whole. If people are not participating in the voting process, it is impossible for our elections to be truly representative of the people. This problem is extremely difficult to solve, but one potential solution to the problem is to follow the ideas held by other European democracies. By adapting our system with the institutions that have worked in other countries, such as instant registration at 18, we can improve the state of our own democracy. U.S. voting rates are currently lower than other democracies across the world. Accord-
Center for Justice describes the benefits of the Canadian system. In this, all provinces create their own set of voting rolls, and the federal government carries one too. Due to these rolls, all people who turn 18 or have recently become a citizen are instantly registered into the system. The Brennan Center states the major cause of Canada and other similar countries’ success is “carefully regulated data-sharing between government agencies.” Through collaboration, government agencies can help bolster voter rolls by using already available data, such as a national service draft. A similar idea could be used in America through the collaboration of the military’s selective service draft and state voting logs.
courtesy Center for American Progress Income and education are large indicators of a U.S. citizen’s likelihood to vote.
Some may argue that these methods would not work in America due to the size of the population and separation of voting power in the 50 states. Canada currently has a population of 36.95 million while the United States has a population of 327 million. While the task may appear daunting, it is a necessary step to improve the voting
rates in the United States. This can be done through a large collaborative effort by both the states and the federal government. By providing everyone an opportunity to vote, we can strive for a better democracy.
Commentary
15 October 2018
The Collegian: 11
Sephora “witch kit” reductive of witchcraft
The makeup company’s “witch starter kit” commercialized Indigenous peoples’ sacred traditions. Avery Childress Student Writer This September, makeup retailer Sephora and perfume company Pinrose advertised a shocking collaboration: a starter kit for practicing witchcraft. The kit was priced at $42 and included a rose quartz stone, nine miniature bottles of perfume, a deck of tarot cards and a bundle of white sage. It was meant to be released this October, in line with the spookiness of the season, but Sephora pulled it due to the massive backlash it received. This backlash didn’t come from concerned parents or churches, but from Indigenous people and actual practicing witches.
back to the racist colonial mindset that Europeans used to justify their genocide — so including white sage in this so-called witch starter kit was a bad move. Second, many Pagans (and Wiccans in particular) felt that the kit was making a mockery of their religion and lifestyle. In a way, this is understandable — it’s no shock to anyone that Paganism and Wicca aren’t respected in the same way that other, more dominant religions are. Even still, this part of the backlash is harder for me to rally behind. To explain further, I think it’s important that I break down some of these terms. Paganism, for our purposes, really refers to neo-Paganism: a religious movement to revive certain ritual practices and beliefs from sources outside of the primary world religions. There are many strains of neoPaganism, like Norse Pagans (influenced by Scandinavian mythology), Pagans who work with the Hellenic (ancient Greek) pantheon, the Kemetic (ancient Egyptian) pantheon and Wiccans. Wicca is probably the most popular strain of neo-Paganism in the United States, and with that popularity comes a lot of misunderstanding. Wicca and witchcraft are not synonymous. Neo-Paganism and witchcraft aren’t even synonymous. There are certainly modern Pagans who practice witchcraft, including Wiccans, but there are also practitioners of Latine, Indigenous and African
“Pagans (and Wiccans in particular) felt that the kit was making a mockery of their religion and lifestyle.” The controversy was composed of two primary arguments. First, Indigenous activists on social media have come out and explained how this appropriation of sacred traditions for commercialized, new-age pseudo-spirituality is insulting and harmful. White sage has been a sacred part of many Indigenous spiritualities and ceremonies that have a history of being looked down upon or ignored (if not forcibly restricted) by European settlers. Also, the conflation of Indigenous spirituality with witchcraft dates
Traditional Religions who reclaim the label of “witch” (as it was used to demonize their religious practices from colonialism to today). There are Chaos Magick practitioners who call themselves witches and refer to their work as witchcraft. There are just as many different types of witchcraft as there are self-proclaimed witches. With that in mind, let’s go back to the idea of neo-Pagans protesting this witch starter kit. If we acknowledge and accept that not all witches are Wiccan or neo-Pagan, then
courtesy Flickr White sage, a plant needed for certain sacred Indigenous ceremonies, is a protected plant in California.
why would they have the ultimate say over what is and isn’t witchcraft? It’d be a different situation if the kit had been dubbed a Wiccan starter kit or even a neo-Pagan starter kit, but that’s not what we’re looking at here. In my eyes, witchcraft can be whatever the practitioner wants it to be. I claim the title of witch for myself and for my own spiritual practice, and I think there’s something problematic about allowing Wiccans and neo-Pagans to dominate conversations about what is and isn’t valid witchcraft, especially when so many oppressed groups are reclaiming their spiritual traditions and the label of “witch.” So while the Witch Starter Kit was a bust, the problem wasn’t that it misrepresented what so-called actual witchcraft is.
The problem was its commercialization of spirituality and appropriation of sacred Indigenous traditions. This October, I encourage you to do a little introspection and think about what the word “witch” conjures up for you. Is it a green-skinned woman with a pointy black hat? Is it tainted by colonial stereotypes about African traditional religions? Is it love and respect for nature? Do you just think of Melissa Joan Hart as Sabrina Spellman? Consider that faiths, magicks and religions outside of the mainstream are just as valid as those with more significant followings — and if you feel called to something outside the mainstream, embrace it! Maybe you’ll create your own personal witch starter kit someday.
have the ability to deny work to employees who test positive for marijuana. Why? Because state laws cannot override federal laws. In spite of the fact that 46 states permit medical marijuana, federal law still classifies marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug, labeling it as a highly addictive substance with no medical value. Not only that, the federal government places marijuana in a higher class than cocaine or methamphetamine, implying that those drugs are less dangerous than marijuana.
tain types of business have already indicated their disapproval of medical marijuana. Even in Oklahoma, where the numbers of application for medical marijuana continues to rise, most banks are unwilling to work with them in fear of federal laws, specifically drug-trafficking laws. It is time for laws to change. With medical marijuana laws coming into place, Tulsans need laws regarding employee rights to accommodation. These laws need to be established along with further discussion and education for companies to deal with these
Okla. marijuana laws in legal gray area
Unsettled medical marijuana laws will stunt revenue growth and employment for the state until clarified. Corina Tampubolon Student Writer With the recent legalization of medical marijuana in Oklahoma, we need to discuss thoughts and theories on its future implications. How will we benefit? What struggles will we face? Since the law has only been voted into place this July and is at the beginning stages of operations, it is too early to make any observations. However, we can look at the examples of other states who have legalized medical marijuana.
The Drug Policy Alliance, or DPA, has compared many reports between states preand post-marijuana legalisation. One aspect that should be noted is traffic incident reports. At first glance, allowing a new substance that can intoxicate drivers seems like it would increase the number of users driving under the influence. However, data from Colorado and Washington has shown that the numbers haven’t changed. Great news! Marijuana does not affect a person in the same way as alcohol. This leads to two different problems. Problem one: if an intoxicated person is stopped and tested for drugs, since marijuana stays in the body longer post-high than alcohol, this person can be wrongly charged. Problem two: if a person high on marijuana drives through without being noticed, no charge is placed, even though it is dangerous for them to drive. This is one example of a gray-area problem that comes with marijuana. How can we protect people in the first example from being wrongly accused? How can we better detect intoxication for situations like problem two? A major concern for employees who want to be on medical marijuana is potential issues with company rules. Currently in Colorado, despite the legalization of both medical and recreational marijuana, companies
Drug screening in the state does not legally protect those who test positive for medical marijuana.
“A major concern for employees who want to be on medical marijuana is potential issues with company rules.” So how are states regulating this conflict between employees who use marijuana and companies who do not approve? In recent trends, it seems that the court is leaning in favor of employees’ use of medical marijuana. In Massachusetts, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of an employee who was fired due to her usage of medical marijuana, stating that the employer failed to accommodate the employee, which went against their state’s Fair Employment Practices. How does this apply to Oklahoma? It’s hard to tell to tell completely. However, cer-
recent changes. There needs to be increased discussion on how to apply drug testing with drugs like marijuana that stay in one’s system for extended periods of time. Legal marijuana is proven to increase state revenues. In addition, it will open up new opportunities for employment and reduce marijuana-related crime, all of which this state desperately needs. However, unless these legal gray areas are sorted, growth may prove to be slower than expected.
graphic by Conner Maggio
The Collegian: 12
Commentary
15 October 2018
Democratic Party needs reformation, relevance
Though the Republican Party has faced fire for its lack of morality, the Democratic Party needs to change its strategy to succeed. Chris Lierly Student Writer The GOP is dead. The Republican Party has left fiscal, judicial and moral conservatism behind for deficit-expanding tax cuts, partisan enforcement of the law and a president with no moral grounding on any issue. Any time spent worrying about the future of the Republican Party is time wasted on one that values little other than winning at all costs. This leaves the American people with one important question: what about the Democrats? The party of the New Deal, the Great Society and the Affordable Care Act has seen better years. Losing the 2016 election was the biggest in a series of political gut punches followed by two conservative Supreme Court appointments, withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accords and a new tax code that overwhelmingly rewards the wealthy.
cans’ game of tax cuts and draconian crime enforcement. In the last few years, some Democrats have broken with that orthodoxy, which makes it almost impossible to determine where the party stands on a variety of important issues. One of the most inspiring parts of the Democratic Party is that they label themselves as inclusive big tent when it comes to political ideology, but at some point, they must decide where the edges of that tent end and promote candidates who uphold the party’s principles. If that means isolating some voters who love Bernie Sanders’ progressive positions, then do it. If that means isolating older voters who loved the moderate policies of Bill Clinton, then do it. Democrats do not have to hold a strict line on all issues, but there need to be core tenets that all national-level members subscribe to. This will no doubt result in inter-party strife, but when a Democratic candidate runs, the voters should at least be able to know the key issues that they will fight for if elected. The next change must come once Democrats get elected. Democratic politicians must not be afraid to challenge the status quo of the last thirty years. One key to the Republican Party’s rise since the 1980s has been their ability stare down the status quo and go against anything that runs antithetical to their ideology. They’ve done this most effectively by chipping away at Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court case that set up a system for when abortions could happen and restricted how much the government could interfere with a woman’s right to choose. Roe
“The Democratic Party is in as dismal a state as possible, and yet it is still worth fighting for.” All branches of the federal government now belong to the Republicans, and the coming midterms only give the Democrats the chance to win one half of one branch. The Democratic Party is in as dismal a state as possible, and yet it is still worth fighting for. However, any method of reviving the Democratic Party will require substantial changes from both within and without the party. Democrats must decide what they stand for. Since the presidency of Bill Clinton, Democrats have been playing the Republi-
was decided in 1973, but in the almost half century since, countless conservative challenges to the ruling have gutted the majority opinion and vastly altered the precedent set by the court. By following the same strategy, Democrats must be willing to refute major conservative victories if they are going to have a chance of truly regaining control. That might mean challenging Citizens United, the Supreme Court case that, in 2013, effectively removed any restrictions on political donations by corporations, or it could mean
Questioning Roe v. Wade has enthralled the Republican constituency in the past few decades.
overturning the Republican tax plan that places a higher financial burden on the middle and lower classes than those at the top. Democrats will have to define their values first, but once they do, they cannot be afraid to challenge any part of the system that does not uphold those values. These changes will not come easy for Democrats and might very well shake up the current leadership in the party, but they will be necessary changes if the party wants
courtesy Flickr
to accomplish anything in the foreseeable future. The Republican Party has proven in the last two years that it is incapable of governing, and the Democrats don’t currently look much better. However, with the Democrats likely to win back the House in the 2018 midterms, we might just get a chance to see if they’re making a return to the kind of mentality that helped the party govern for most of the 20th century.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day a thoughtful replacement for Columbus Day
Considering the historical atrocities committed by Columbus, Indigenous peoples have reclaimed this eponymous holiday. Kaitlyn Argo Student Writer This past Monday was a national holiday with two different names. Some called it Columbus Day after Christopher Columbus, the man who discovered North America for Europeans and then raped and pillaged its native population. Others called it Indigenous Peoples’ Day after those victimized by Columbus.
syphilis. But even if you ignore that, he still didn’t discover North America first, as numerous pieces of evidence point to the Nordics traveling to the Americas beforehand. Even if historians give proper credit to whoever found the Americas first, it still shouldn’t be “Nordic’s Day,” as the indigenous peoples of the Americas were here thousands of years before anyone else arrived at the continents. After everything that they have gone through, from Columbus to their treatment at the hands of the early American government to the Trail of Tears, the least they deserve is a day to honor them and their ancestors. Native Americans should truly be entitled to much more than that, but a day dedicated to them is a good place to start. Forgetting Columbus is another thing we can do for them, as he was an awful guy. Genocide is, in this case, referring to many populations, but specifically the Tainos. According to “Biography.com,” the Tainos were a “friendly group, they willingly traded jewelry, animals and supplies with the sailors.” Columbus even wrote that “they were very will built… they should be good servants.” And by servants he meant
“... the least [Native Americans] deserve is a day to honor them and their ancestors.”
courtesy Wikimedia Commons The monument “Dignity of Earth & Sky” in South Dakota depicts an Indigenous woman with a star quilt.
Calling the holiday Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a relatively newer notion, about two or three decades old. It is celebrated across the nation and is officially recognized in both Oklahoma City and Tulsa. It is on the same day as Columbus Day in OKC, but this year, it was celebrated the day after in Tulsa. Many want to keep Columbus Day in honor of Columbus, but others want to forget him, believing him to be an awful man who hurt many people. Even the act of allegedly discovering an entire continent can be called into question, as there were millions of people living in North America already. This is not to mention the fact that Columbus never even touched our shores, only ever visiting the Caribbean. Columbus also brought disease to and from the New World and Europe, including
slaves, as they were soon forced into bondage and punished “with the loss of a limb or death if they did not collect enough gold.” Between this and the diseases that Columbus and his crew brought with them, the Taino population was decimated within decades. So there was one population gone, but Columbus wouldn’t stop there. He continued to enslave and hurt various indigenous peoples for years to come. The indigenous peoples of North America, as well as of South America, should be honored for their hardships.While Columbus should not be forgotten completely lest we repeat his wrongdoings, he should not be lionized as a great man. Instead he should be known for what he was: a pillaging, plundering thief.
15 October 2018
Variety
The Collegian: 13
BRONCHO returns to stage with new LP
The Tulsa-based band was at their best this past Thursday while opening for Father John Misty. Will Gibson Student Writer
Hometown heroes BRONCHO have a reputation for being hard to sing along to. Not because their melodies are bad or their songs are not catchy enough, but because frontman Ryan Lindsey is hard to understand, with his live vocals even more inaccessible than the studio recordings. The intelligibility of his lyrics seemed to have been on a decline starting with mostly-understandable catchy punk-rock on their first record, “Can’t Get Past The Lips” (2011), an extremely catchy poppier turn on 2014’s effort “Just Enough Hip To Be Woman,” and a full devolution to dreamy shoegaze mumbling on their 2016 release, “Double Fantasy.” Their second was my favorite record up until last Friday, when it was supplanted by the release of “Bad Behavior” through Park the Van Records. After returning from their European arena tour in support of Queens of the Stone Age, Norman, Oklahoma-
“Sandman/Boys Got To Go,” a double single released as a long-form narrative music video. With this single, they announced that their new album would be released October 12, 2018. On the eve of the album’s release, I saw them open for Father John Misty in Oklahoma City. Though Lindsey’s vocals are eccentric, he still puts on a great show. The first five songs of BRONCHO’s set were also the first five songs off the new LP. After diverting to some earlier and more familiar material (including their 2014 hit “Class Historian”), they played two more songs off “Bad Behavior.” The next morning, it was available on Spotify, and my drive back to Tulsa was the perfect opportunity to soak it in. The first thing I noticed was the overall clarity compared to their earlier records. Not only could I understand the words to album-opener “All Choked Up,” but it seemed as if Lindsey’s voice was more full and less sleepy. Bassist Penny Pitchlynn’s grooves really drive each song and sit perfectly in the mix. The mixes in general are less cluttered than 2016’s “Double Fantasy,” and it feels as if they are shedding their shoegaze punk roots and moving toward a more accessible
“... it seemed as if Lindsey’s voice was more full and less sleepy.” transplants BRONCHO have been laying low in their West Tulsa warehouse/studio/ clubhouse. In 2017, the band released a taste of what they had been working on: a new single titled “Get In My Car.” In some ways, it was classic BRONCHO, but it also felt like it was pushing toward a new sound. It would be another year before another release:
pop-rock sound. An important example of this is lead guitarist Ben King’s contributions. He shines specifically on “Sandman,” where his riffs and lead lines are played with a surprisingly clean guitar tone and become highlights of the song. Nathan Price’s drumming is in the pocket and follow Lindsey’s vocals with impressive precision, as heard in album highlight “Big City Boys.”
Tulsa-based band BRONCHO smolders on and off the stage.
Though I did not like “Get In My Car” at the time of its release in 2017, after hearing it in the context of the record in sequence, it is one of my favorite BRONCHO songs. It is extremely catchy. King’s clean lead guitar playing could evoke comparisons to Canada-based Peach Pit, and Lindsey’s vocals are clear and able to be sung along to. This seems to be the case for the majority of the album. You can sing along to it, the production and arrangement is more accessible than previous records and the albumonly tracks, such as “Family Values,” are just as good as the singles. With the release
courtesy News on 6
of “Bad Behavior,” I anticipate that BRONCHO will soon outgrow their headquarters in West Tulsa and be on their own headlining tour before too long. On a scale of one-to-five Grammys, with one Grammy being the best and five Grammys being the worst, I give this album oneand-a-half Grammys. BRONCHO’s new sound is exactly where they need to be to find more success, though I still have nothing but love and appreciation for their older material, released before they become a household name.
courtesy Philbrook Museum
Second Saturday makes the Philbrook community-friendly
The monthly event features free admission, a members-only lounge and a new log cabin. Piper Prolago Student Writer
On the second Saturday of every month, the Philbrook Museum of Art opens to the public for free. Although students at the University of Tulsa always get free admission with their student IDs, family and friends outside of school can visit for free and feel like TU students during these special events. Beyond free admission, this monthly promotion offers several activities and opportunities for visitors to take part in throughout the entire day. Philbrook offers daily tours of the galleries led by docents, but during Second Saturdays, they plan special tours and start them more frequently. This month, docents led tours to a new installation of a log cabin that will be a permanent fixture in the gardens. During these tours, visitors could look inside of this Karl Unnasch creation that will act as a gathering space to “inspire and facilitate programming,” according to Philbrook’s website. Another specialized tour scheduled for Second Saturday is the “Story Time Tour” intended to get children involved and inter-
Although Second Saturdays are open to anyone, members especially are able to experience Philbrook in a more interactive way during these festivities. This includes access to a section of the museum that contains a print shop and members’ lounge. Here, members have access to free coffee and beer and can buy artists’ prints made in the Philbrook print shop. Members were also able to view the new exhibition, “Amazing!” before its grand opening to the public on Oct. 14. This exhibition features prints from the American abstract artist Mel Bochner. His creation of prints during the ‘60s are divided into three sections at the Philbrook: language, numbers and perspective. Over 50 of his prints are in this exhibition, displaying the large scope and variety in Bochner’s work. Second Saturdays are not the only monthly event Philbrook offers. Along with participation in First Friday art crawls, Philbrook also hosts events on the third and fourth Fridays of every month. During Third Fridays, Philbrook opens its gardens to visitors with food and attractions like live music or guest speakers. For this Third Friday, Oct. 19, Philbrook will host a talk by Jordan Schnitzer and Mel Bochner, the artist featured in the “Amazing!” exhibition. Fourth Fridays are celebrated with screenings of films in the garden or inside
“Members were also able to view the new exhibition, ‘Amazing!’ before its grand opening to the public...” ested in art. Three times a day, guests meet to walk around the museum and stop to read stories. This project was created in partnership with the Tulsa City County Library, which also set up a booth in the lobby to encourage guests at the Philbrook to visit the library and sign up for a library card. Throughout the day, along with these scheduled tours, there were also stations set up for continuous activities. In the Great Hall, visitors were able to enjoy the scenery of the Philbrook gardens through glass doors while challenging each other to games of chess. Several tables with chess boards are laid out to encourage participation.
the museum depending on the weather. The upcoming Fourth Friday, Oct. 26, will have screenings of “Labyrinth” and “The Shining” in honor of Halloween. Philbrook hosts multiple events throughout the year that encourage the Tulsa community to get involved with the museum and continue learning about art. Although TU students always get free admission, these events are especially great times to visit. For more information on Philbrook happenings, check out the calendar of events listings on their website https://philbrook.org.
courtesy Getty Images
Iconic Banksy painting self-destructs at auction The graffiti artist, known for his outlandish stunts, once again surprised the public. Piper Prolago Student Writer For more than a decade, Banksy, an unidentified British street artist, has pushed the boundaries of how creativity and art are defined in an age of consumer culture. Although no one knows who Banksy really is, his simple and satirical art has sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars at auctions all over the world, and fans flock to walls decorated with his stringent stencilings. Last Friday, Banksy’s most iconic painting, “Girl with Red Balloon,” was auctioned off for more than any of his work had previously sold for, at a whopping $1.4 million. Shortly after being sold, the frame started
been interpreted as an image of the girl letting go of the balloon, releasing it into the sky. This deceivingly simple painting has been evaluated as a representation of lost innocence and even as a criticism of a society that pushes children to give up their innocence so early. Banksy has turned his painting into a piece of performance art, taking the social critique that underscores almost all of his work to a new extreme. Shortly after initiating the shredding of “Girl with Red Balloon,” Banksy posted a picture of the shredded canvas on his Instagram with the comment, “Going, going, gone.” A few hours later, he posted a video of himself building the frame “in case it was ever put up for auction,” along with a haunting Mikhail Bakunin quote (which Banksy attributed to Picasso): “The urge to destroy
“Banksy posted a picture of the shredded canvas on his Instagram with the comment ‘Going, going, gone.’” shredding the painting, leaving half of the canvas destroyed. Banksy has commented about this stunt on his Instagram account, indicating it was an indictment of the commodification of creativity. Sotheby’s, the auction house that handled the sale of “Girl with Red Balloon,” is one of the largest art dealing companies in the world. Although the painting was displayed for auction in a frame rigged to shred the canvas after being remotely triggered, Sotheby’s claims they had no prior knowledge of Banksy’s plan. The head of contemporary art in Europe at Sotheby’s, Alex Branczik, commented that an artist famous for his graffiti work would never work hand-inhand with an art establishment. “Girl with Red Balloon” was first seen on a bridge on the streets of London in 2002, but has been distributed as a print since 2004. The image may initially appear to be a young girl reaching for a red balloon she lost as it floats away. However, it has also
is also a creative urge.” This act of destruction forces viewers to consider the morality of putting a price on creativity and how auctioning off a work intended to criticize societal norms negates Banksy’s intentions as an artist. There was debate over whether the sale of “Girl with Red Balloon” would still be valid or if the price would be renegotiated to be either higher or lower than the original $1.4 million. The transformation has gained the painting-turned-performance-art-piece global fame, but the anonymous female European buyer was able to go through with the purchase at the same price. She commented that she had ended up with her “own piece of art history,” which has been deemed the first piece to be created during an auction. Along with the confirmation of the sale, Banksy gave the work a new name, “Love is in the Bin,” to complete its transition to a radically new and innovative work of art.
Variety
The Collegian: 14
15 October 2018
A list of fresh beats for Halloween vibes A playlist to listen to by autumnal candlelight. Emily Every Commentary Editor For whatever reason, this season always makes me want to go back a few decades in terms of my listening habits. This desire to look backwards for my autumnal soundtrack is probably because the production of ‘60s through ‘80s music wasn’t quite as slick as it is now. Of course, there was some progression in production quality in those 30 years: Michael Jackson will sound clearer than The Monkees, but tracks predating 1990 or so generally sound a bit warmer (read: shittier) than a lot of contemporary stuff. This self-imposed musical regression may also be because autumn is an inherently nostalgic season, full of child-centric holidays like Christmas and Halloween. This may bring up complications of how I’d possibly have nostalgia for tracks that were produced before I was born, but I’m not actually here to pontificate about nostalgia culture, so let’s not think about it too hard. Knowing my inclination for older tracks this time of year, I put together an autumn playlist mostly following this preference. You can try out some tracks or you can scoff at me. (Either works, really. I’m just here to engage an audience.) This particular playlist is mainly featuring classics, but it purposefully excludes “Thriller,” “The Monster Mash,” “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” soundtrack or that one “Nightmare on Elm Street”-esque song that Will Smith did. Though I will admit that “A Nightmare on My Street” is a very good song — especially the part when Will calls his friend Jeff, who is then promptly murdered, as signified by a
layered-in stock scream. It’s really a shame that DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince broke off collaboration in 1993. God only knows of what Smithian symphonies we’ve since been robbed. Will Smith aside, I didn’t exclude these tracks because they aren’t fun as hell (because they definitely are), but because I think they always become a little over-saturated this time of year. I tried to include instead some non-obvious tracks (along with some more admittedly mainstream selections like Hall & Oates’ “Maneater”) because what good is a playlist that can’t surprise its listener while still staying on theme? Playing off the nostalgia culture that I said I was going to drop earlier, “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by The Clash kicks off the playlist. Is this a blatant reference to one of the more memorable scenes of “Stranger Things”? Absolutely. Do I feel bad about peddling cheap referential content? Only around the edges. “Should I Stay” is one of two tracks whose content itself isn’t somehow related to Spooky Autumnal Happenings™; the other is “Lovesong” by The Cure. I’ll be honest, “Lovesong” was included simply because of how goth-sounding it is. Even if it’s not about witches running around doing magical hijinks, the track still sounds like it belongs on a Halloween playlist with those slow, melancholy synths and borderlineobsessive lyrics. Dusty Springfield’s “Spooky” has some really, really smooth vocals and instrumentation and is just generally a great song for slinking around to. Also, it’s apparently featured in the “Antman” sequel, judging from its YouTube comments. I sprung for the Hollies version of the Eagles’ “Witchy Woman” over the original
The Wombats performed this past Tuesday at historic Cain’s Ballroom.
graphic by Conner Maggio
because I like it better. The Hollies’ layered vocaling and raw guitar work fit the mood of the song more appropriately than the more subdued Eagles version, in my eyes. It’s a good thing all opinions on music are inherently subjective! “Dracula’s Daughter” by Lord Sutch & The Savages is a track from 2015 that seems like it was produced in 1965. The song features one of those sticky guitar riffs that sounds like it came straight off the soundtrack of original “Scooby-DooScooby Doo” series. The entire album that the track is off of, “Til the Following Night,” has this same incredibly fun aesthetic, and if you were to look up just one track off this listing, I’d hope it’d be this one. Otherwise, I think this short and sweet playlist features some of the best of the best of those classic autumn tracks, and I hope it will help expand your set soundtrack for the season.
Autumn 2k18 Baby: “Should I Stay or Should I Go” - The Clash “Season of the Witch” - Donovan “Spooky” - Dusty Springfield “Maneater” - Daryl Hall & John Oates “Pet Sematary” - Ramones “I Put a Spell On You” - Creedence Clearwater Revival “Werewolves of London” - Warren Zevon “Lovesong” - The Cure “Magic Man” - Heart “Dracula’s Daughter” - Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages “Devil Woman” - Cliff Richard “Witchy Woman” - the Hollies “The Killing Moon” - Echo & the Bunnymen “Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)” - David Bowie “Psycho Killer” - Talking Heads
photo by Courtney Spivey
The Wombats concert a so-so performance The band brought an energy to the stage that doesn’t exist in their recordings. Courtney Spivey Student Writer Before I left to go to the concert, I went on YouTube and put on a few of their songs just to see if they were my taste. I found their music generic. To me, it seemed like if a cheesy romance movie wanted to show some sort of rock music moment, they would have picked something from the Wombats. I was not blown away and did not feel much excitement in the prospects of seeing them live. My opinions were soon changed for the better. The opening artist was a singer called Barns Courtney, and his energy swept up the ballroom as the fashion forward audience warmed up to his vibes. Soon people were screaming his name. He was able to command a crowd both with his voice and his broad movements, going so far as to encourage the audience to jam-pack themselves together to get closer to the stage. What I was most impressed with from Courtney was his ability to sing with nearperfect pitch. His voice had a soft tremolo and an aesthetic similar to a lilting vibrato, which combined with his rock genre songs, was interesting and lovely to listen to. The audience settled a bit back down and the initial awkwardness of pressing close to others ebbed away as the pit crew came onstage and reset it for the Wombats. We ended up waiting about 40 minutes before the Wombats came on stage. When they did, the crowd went crazy, screaming for them with as much excitement as there had been at the end of Courtney’s performance. At that point my expectations were a bit higher for them but the memories of my limited experience with their music videos were still fresh in my mind.
It must be the experience of a rock concert that really brings out the excellence in rock music, because every instrument worked in their favor at the live show. The bass that was non-existent on my laptop was literally dictating my heartbeats, vibrating everything around them with energy. The electric guitars were commanding and musical, and the singers were great. Not perfect, but pretty good. The audience became less hyped as time went on, and only toward the end did they regain their energy. Near the end of the evening, I felt like I had been there for an eternity, and as the lead singer stated that the next song would be their last, I seemed to wake from a zoned-out state and into a new feeling of “Oh wait, I actually really like this, don’t leave.” The entire audience seemed to feel the same rush of emotions as me because they were more hyped than ever, screaming out lyrics in time to the band and synchronizing their raised rock‘n’-roll hands to the beat of the bass. At this point of the event, I already felt like I knew them all personally and did not want it to end, so when they exited the stage, our group, like everyone else there, stayed and continued to clap and cheer for an encore. The band came back a few minutes later, the lead singer saying, “You’re too kind” in his British accent and the crowd going ballistic as they returned. Obviously that was planned, though, because they saved their actual last song, “Greek Tragedy,” as the song I had watched on YouTube (the most popular music video they had made), but it was lit nonetheless. It still wasn’t as good as most other songs they had played that evening, but the crowd went crazy, and so did I. We all slowly filtered out the ballroom after that, feeling fulfilled, off-balanced and heads full of clouds. photo by Courtney Spivey
The State-Run Media
15 October 2018
the
State-Run media Presidential alert: now serving Natty Light.
Alcohol for every occasion A comprehensive list of situations and their libations. Conner Maggio A Natural Light in a Dark World College students have long asked the question, “How will I get drunk this afternoon?” and for centuries the answer has been “Natural Light.” But that answer comes with its own set of problems. What if I am out of Natural Light? What then can I do? And what if it just is not a Natty Light fratty night? This realization has led to the foundation of this list, the contents of which will help you realize the one true alcohol that will help you deal with your particular problems. There exists four categories of situations where you would be partaking in the party juice: summers, bummers, ragers and cagers. Anything outside of these situations is fair game to any intoxicating beverage, as long as it is not within a court of law. Summers are the moments in life that take place in summer. If you expected a deeper meaning in that, you are reading the wrong list. These are the drinks you should try when you want to kick back and play ultimate frisbee with the dudes. Always start with something a little fancy, so that you can feel that you have accomplished something. Tiki drinks are great for this, but in a pinch, you can add Malibu to lemon-lime Gatorade. Then transition to Natural Light, the only beer that makes me want to attend an
AA meeting. Any other beer is serviceable but not ideal. You want something cheap that tastes not great. This is so that everyone drinks, but not too much. Bummers are the moments in life that make you ask, “Why me?” With the help of this list, you can delay that question for about 12 hours. Anything sad and serious should be met with a sad and serious bev’, and that means that you should be drinking the somberest of wines. For this I would recommend a Pinot Noir (pronounced “peanut noyer”), appropriate for funerals and Thanksgivings alike. If you can’t find the wine aisle in the store, get yourself some Natural Light. After all, if it is your homie’s funeral, it is what he would have wanted; it’s respectful. Ragers are parties and moments that rage — again, it is not that deep. You can use this for celebrations of any kind. For example, if it is your graduation, get a celebratory alcohol like champagne. If you do not like champagne, get Natural Light, the champagne of beers. For parties, I recommend getting some Natural Light as a beer for the party, so that you may play all the sacred party games that involve a beer. And something cheap and very alcoholic, but not too cheap or too alcoholic. The second cheapest vodka will probably make you sick, but will definitely get you drunk. Cagers, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is “a worker who loads and unloads cages and gives hoisting signals,” the plan being that you work, and at night you can hoist as necessary after the work is done. And there is only really one thing you can drink for this, and that is Natural Light.
The spookiest haunted house on campus CD collection; no one has yet survived past Skip Tulsa’s highly commercialized haunted house scene and experience track four of “Take This to Your Grave.” Perhaps the spookiest part of the aparttrue terror right here at TU. ment is how self-defeating it all is. I’m al-
Sara Serrano Scared of Life Psycho Path? Nah. The Hex House? Pssh. The Nightmare? Hell nah. Why settle for the cheap jumpscares and blood-soaked everything of those basic haunted houses when you can experience true terror? If you really want to be frightened, there is only one place to go. Join me at Apt. 222, Tulsa’s newest haunted attraction (and my own apartment), where existential dread and depression will have you trembling in fear as soon as you step in the door. First off, the ambience in the space is superb. Ever since I received my first electricity bill, I only turn on the lights for true emergencies, like last week when I lost my last Oreo under the couch. (Side note: it’s amazing how much a dead rat feels like an
ways going on about how awful our consumerist culture is, how we pointlessly buy just to buy, just to make ourselves feel better. But what did I do? I went and spent all this money furnishing a new apartment, stocked my kitchen with food (when I’m still stuck on a meal plan) and moved out of my parents’ house (even though they live 20 minutes away) just to make myself feel better about my life. I have become the thing I’ve always hated, and I don’t know who I am anymore. Come stare into the mirror with me for a couple of hours. Let’s see if we can figure that out together. If I haven’t already convinced you, maybe the reviews of several satisfied visitors will! “Five stars out of five, honestly,” said my friend Zoe. “I got chills as soon as I walked in the place, though that might be because she’s stingy when it comes to heating the place. But yeah, super spooky. I don’t ever want to go back.”
“I only turn on the lights for true emergencies, like last week when I lost my last Oreo under my couch.”
Student writer dresses up as Natty Light at a funeral.
graphic by Conner Maggio
Oreo when you’re really hungry.) Look forward to groping through the darkness in this pitch-black horror experience. I’m sure you’ve heard of Gothic decor — and all haunted houses these days seem to have at least one little ghost girl running around in Victorian era clothing — but what about emo decor? The band posters in my apartment will have you cringing out of your skin, almost like you’re back in middle school. For the bravest of the bunch, you can peek into my closet and receive a terrifying flashback to 2005. However, I would suggest leaving before I start showing off my
“I came in and she was just lying there, staring at the ceiling, muttering something about her GPA. Needless to say, I got the fuck out of there,” said my other friend Rosa. “I’d probably check it out again, though, if she changes things up next time. String up some fake bats or something.” If you’re too busy with midterms to come check the place out, don’t worry! Things here will be pretty much the same long after Halloween is over. I mean, it’s all the same, isn’t it? Day after day, the same events dressed up slightly differently. A monotonous shuffle into the grave. Anyway, yeah. Come over, I guess.
Seven fast facts about the presidential alerts Confused about this new presidential power? Look no further than our reliable list. Brennen Gray Paged Trump Back 1. It set the record for largest mass ghosting. Our dear president was ghosted 225 million times in under 24 hours, barely squeaking by the former record held by a haunted mansion. No word yet on how POTUS will respond to the giant cold shoulder, but we may hear a few angry tweets in the future. Look on the bright side here — now no one but our president can say they have the worst luck with relationships! 2. The technology could be used to make the world’s biggest GroupMe. If you had a way to send a text to everyone’s phone in
the U.S., you could just throw that into your new favorite group-chatting app and let the floodgates open! We are talking over 200 million memes, 500,000 gifs, and 100,000 polls to see where your squad wants to eat dinner per second. Now, the amount of spam everyone would get could be catastrophic. But hey, imagine getting over 100 million likes! 3. It is pager compatible. For those of you who are darn Gen Z’ers, a pager was what people like your parents used to use to communicate. It was invented just after the dinosaur. Our dear President D Twiddly wants to send the message to his BFF Kim Jong-Un whose top scientists have just developed a pager for their space program. KJU meant to text back something like “ILY2 lol,” but he had no idea how to insert the floppy disk into the little box. 4. Single people can now say they have
gotten more texts from Donald Trump than a significant other. Sad but true here. This also means that on that fateful day, you were more likely to get a text from the President of the United States than you were to get a date. Or to talk to your crush. You can even say that for a small time span, depending on the person, that Donald Trump has texted you more times than your own mother. OK, this is just getting a little sad now. 5. It was a butt dial. Now we are getting into the real nitty gritty. Turns out, after the president and his crew developed the software, the man never really meant to use it. He wired in every phone in the U.S., and of course his buddies overseas, and was saving it for a special occasion like July 4th, Christmas or Corporation Appreciation Day. Then he sat down behind his desk in the oval office, spamming America with his butt as he did so.
6. It had to be re-written 69 times. The original message read something more like “I am the BEST president and now I can send message over the phone!!! LOL [laughing/crying emoji].” Every time Mr. Trump was denied his current model for the message, he was grounded until further notice. Technically, DJT had this technology in 2017, but his controversial writing style set the project back 69 times. 7. Elon Musk was so mad. Musk wanted to be the first person to spam the entire country with his technology, but since DJT did it first, he has been in a mood. He drove over to the nearest TV station in a Tesla, bought said station, and demanded to be put on TV for an announcement. Apparently, everyone in the U.S. paying attention to someone other than him did not sit well at all.