The Anchor: November 4, 2020

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Claire

Monday morning, President Scogin sent out an email of encouragement that called us “the most resilient group of students to study at Hope in several generations.” While I appreciated the sentiment, I haven’t felt particularly resilient these last few days. I’m worn out and behind on schoolwork—just yesterday, I asked for what I think is the first extension I’ve requested during my time in college. I’m anxious about the news I read about the rising tensions nationally and the rising case count on campus. This weekend I took a long walk past the athletic fields to wander among the old-growth trees of the cemetery just beyond campus and it seemed to hit me all at once. I don’t want to be living in unprecedented times. I don’t want to be among one of the most resilient groups of students in Hope’s history. This year has heaped such sadness on so many of the people I love most in the world. I just want this to be over.

inhabits these days, you’re not alone. You might not be your bravest and smartest and most productive self in this season. Your worth remains the same. It’s hard to reason your way into self-compassion, so I suggest you give your mind a rest and enter grace through your body. Make or order a warm and nourishing meal and eat it unrushed. Instead of jumping right into your homework when your classes end for the day, take a walk around the neighborhoods of Holland and look at the late-afternoon light through the leaves. Buy a big bag of apples from the farmer’s market and cook them long and slow over the stovetop with a little brown sugar and cinnamon until they soften and fill the kitchen with the fragrance.

On my Sunday night radio show, I had the opportunity to interview a politically knowledgeable and involved student named Martha Beattie, and our conversation turned to all of the ways we vote outside of the ballot we cast on election day. As important as it is that we vote for our elected officials on November 3, there are so many other votes that we make every other day of our lives. If you recycle your papers or bike to work, you’re voting to take good care of the earth. If you volunteer in your hometown, you’re voting for a healthier and more connected community. If you speak an encouraging word to a friend or help a housemate with a little task, you’re voting for kindness. Your voice and your vote may not seem significant, but they matter.

in these next few days, I’m going to keep voting in all my own small everyday ways for justice, for reconciliation, for friendship, for gentleness, and for love.

Ruth

I spent the first 21 years of my life knowing nothing of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but after just two months in Dr. Kambo’s senior seminar, it’s pretty much all I can write about. Tolkien’s work is so beautiful and profound, and if you’re looking to learn anything about friendship, adventure, love, or loss, I would highly recommend taking a crack at the Ring Cycle.

One of our staffers recently quoted a passage from The Fellowship of the Ring wherein Frodo, the protagonist, is talking to Gandalf about the meaning of duty and the burdens we do not choose. It reads as follows:

“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.

“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

Reading this almost brought me to the point of tears, as the perceived futility of carrying on in the midst of our present tribulations really hit me today. It’s a bit funny, because I wasn’t worried until the messaging from our administration repeatedly insisted that I not worry about all of the anxiety-inducing things listed in each email they sent. We are given reminders pretty much every day reminding us that we are “a people of Hope” and frankly, I don’t really want to be anymore. I am tired of Hope, both in the literal and metaphysical sense. Oh, to be a hobbit living in a hole in the ground. At least Frodo Baggins got left alone.

is a failure to desire that which is good. This is the greatest danger of all, and it is when we succumb to despair that we surrender our humanity.

I want to encourage you to seek what is good, even if it is imperceptible in this time of sorrow. Set your hopes high. Do not stumble, even though the way is dark. I cannot say it any better than the poet, Dylan Thomas, who wrote the following poem, “Do not go gentle into that good night.”

Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,

Because their words had forked no lightning they

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright

Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

If that’s also the space your heart Love,

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,

And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way, Do not go gentle into that good night.

I’ve been thinking a lot these days about the absentee ballot I mailed. What hands have held it? What other letters has it jostled beside? Has it arrived in New York? I may never know if it counts, or how much, but I’ve come to peace with that realization. Whatever happens

Except he didn’t. Frodo was called to do the impossible (which I won’t spoil for you here), and in spite of himself, got up and did what was required of him. That’s the big difference between hobbits and men, or so we are told–hobbits are steady and stalwart creatures, and are stout of heart, though they are small in stature. Hobbits keep hope. Throughout the entirety of Tolkien’s work, he underscores the necessity of hope and the ruinous tragedy that accompanies despair. Despair is not just a feeling of sadness or a state of being overwhelmed, no; it

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight

Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height, Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Ruth Holloway & Claire Buck Editors-in-ChiEf

In these troubled times, may the Banjo Skeleton of Windmill Restaurant remind us to stay hopeful even when we feel a little dead.

While we can’t have George Washington’s wisdom to guide us in this tumultuous political moment, Ruth dressed up as George Washington might be the next best thing.

CAMPUS&BEYOND

International student reflects on BLM

Aubrey Brolsma Staff Writer

The issue of race has been at the forefront of American minds for the better part of this year. This has been no different for students on campus. Over this semester The Anchor has covered various aspects and perspectives of race on Hope College’s campus. To wrap up our coverage of this issue for the semester, The Anchor spoke with Marvellous Ogudoro (’23), an international student from Nigeria. Being an international student provides Ogudoro with a unique perspective on the issues of race and police brutality in the U.S. He said his position is “the feeling of solidarity without placement. That’s the best way I can describe it. As any person with empathy hopefully feels, I feel very much that that struggle is worth fighting

for. The issue of race in America is something that everyone should be a part of making better.”

International students of color face a unique set of challenges when it comes to perceiving inequality in the U.S. Most only intend to be in the country for a temporary period but still want to fight for what is right. Ogudoro explained, “It’s interesting as an international student to not know where your place is in that. I stand in solidarity with victims of police brutality, and I think it is a very important struggle. I have tried to contribute to that fight, but I think for international students, especially those of us from Africa who are Black and come to the U.S., we haven’t grown up in systems where racism

is a part of our dialogue, so it’s difficult to know where exactly we should be placed in the struggle.” For international students of color there is not the same history of racism as there is in the U.S.

This lack of historical racial tension changes how international students perceive incidents of racism, like the cases of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd and Breonna Taylor that started protests this past summer. Ogudoro described this change by saying, “I think a lot of African international students have more of an intellectual reaction and solidarity as compared to an emotional reaction.” Ogudoro affirmed his desire to fight for change. During the pandemic Ogudoro stayed in the U.S., meaning he was here for the largest waves of protests. Ogudoro said of this experience, “I attended one of the protests in Holland over the summer, and it was a lot. A lot of emotions and a lot of pain. I think it’s really interesting to watch things going on online and then actually to be there physically with people like me who were hurting.”

The combination of racist incidents and responding protests can also be very identity-defining for international students of color. Ogudoro said that he had never really been confirmed in his identity in the U.S. until the protest, saying, “The George Floyd incident really solidified my Black identity in the U.S. I wasn’t pushing against it; it just never really settled in until the protests started. I had to realize that if I come across a random person on the streets and they look at me, even if my Nigerian chain is proudly on my neck and I speak a different language, the first thing that registers for them is not my name, Marvellous; it is not Marvellous, the international student, it is Marvellous, the Black man. And that for me was very shifting in my identity, solidifying my identity as a Black man in the U.S.”

One of the biggest adjustments international students of color have to get used to when they come to the U.S. is the culture around race. In many of their home countries race is a much different concept

or not even really a concept that exists. Ogudoro said of the race culture in Nigeria, “I don’t know how to describe the difference in race cultures between the U.S. and home if there is no race concept back home. It’s not even an issue of difference. Race as a concept literally does not exist.” Ogudoro referenced President Barack Obama’s election: “I remember appreciating Obama, not because he was Black but just because he was president, and it would just be really cool to be president.”

Ogudoro went on to discuss how, at the beginning of his time in the U.S., he had to learn all of the different American terms regarding race. This is because in Ogudoro’s home country, these terms are non-existent: “Back home in Nigeria, where I grew up, there is one word for foreigners, ‘oyinbo,’ and it basically means ‘light skinned,’ but the more accurate description is ‘non-Nigerian.’”

When discussing diversity on campus, Ogudoro echoed sentiments expressed by others in past articles of The Anchor’s Black Lives Matter series, saying, “I think there is something to be said about there actually being people from different backgrounds on campus, and then there’s another thing to be said about those people feeling like they can actually survive and thrive at Hope.” In past articles, sources have told the Anchor that while Hope does a fairly good job recruiting students of color, it has trouble supporting them once they are here, and that is no different for international students of color. Ogudoro explained that Hope stil has a ways to go before international and domestic students of color can feel at home on campus.

Finally, Ogudoro expressed his desire to tell students on campus that it is okay to need a moment to breathe. The fight for racial equality is far from over, and students of color have that to deal with as well as the stresses of schoolwork and other difficult aspects of life. Ogudoro, being a self described happy-golucky person, encourages other students that “it’s too long a road for us to not take a moment to breathe.”

Makena Mugambi

ISSUE OF RACE -- Ogudoro details his perspective on race in America, having come here from Nigeria to study.

And the 2020 Nykerk Cup goes to...

Cameron Geddes Staff Writer

The spirit of Nykerk is one of creativity, resilience and pursuing joy despite the struggles of life. The showcase of female empowerment and community has gone through 86 iterations, going back to founder Dr. John Nykerk and his vision of a performance competition which would allow the female students of Hope College to demonstrate their intelligence, wit and skills. However, this year’s version had to go through some serious, unprecedented decisions in order to comply with the COVID-19 regulations. With The Pull being canceled due to the circumstances, and Nykerk’s viability being up in the air for quite a while, it was a shocking but pleasant surprise that the event was able to take place.

Nykerk was launched synchronously online on October 24, but all of the performances were pre-recorded. Each participant was not only physically separated from the others but, in order to preserve the possibility of seeing their full faces, was recorded in separate locations with video streams clipped together in a collage. Nykerk is prized for being a show of synchronicity and teamwork, and to have separations between the actions of one girl and the response of the next was uncomfortable at times. Nevertheless, streaming the video reduced the long logistical snags which occur when physically hosting the event.

The program kicked off with Dr. Ellen Awad, the Nykerk advisor for the past 15 years, giving an introduction to the program and some of the challenges it has faced and overcome over time (including the 2008 norovirus crisis and the 2014 move from the Civic Center to Devos Fieldhouse). She christened the 2020 Nykerk Cup Competition as “the most original Nykerk ever” and remarked that the leaders have “stepped up” in the face of unusual circumstances. The screen then cut to Katelyn Ornduff, General Chair of the Nykerk Committee serving as the mistress of ceremonies, who gave some background on the Nykerk program. The competition features three parts: song, play and oration. Also mentioned was the presence of “traditions,” essentially quirks required of each of the performances that have

been included in past competitions. Many of these traditions are subtle, secretive or difficult to summarize.

Even-year play was the first to perform, with a skit entitled “Guardians of Hope.” The main characters were the “Young Adult Mystic Squad,” made up of several Hope students capable of incredible (if not wholly practical) superpowers. The Y.A.M.S. face discouragement and dislike from the other students on campus, who judge them for their weird powers.

The Y.A.M.S. are confronted by W.A.C., i.e Weatherman And Crane, super-students from Calvin who can control wind and rain respectively.

The Y.A.M.S. defeat then console the W.A.C., showing that they do deserve a place at Hope and that those who are different don’t deserve to be discriminated against.

The next act was the odd-year oration by Aubrey Brolsma (’23), who just so happens to be a writer for The Anchor’s campus section. She had this to say about the event: “I’ve been passionate about women’s history for a long time and have always wanted to have a platform to speak about it. We (my amazing oration coaches and I) just sat in a classroom and brainstormed, and through that we decided that we wanted to focus on the legacies of women and what happens when great women are gone. I am a history and classical studies major, so this semester I took a class called Intro to Ancient Civilizations, in which my professor talked about ancient statues that were once all painted but then washed away. This idea of legacy getting washed away until a lie is the common thought was really intriguing to me because with a lot of women, the story gets twisted by their enemies immediately after their death, or sometimes even during their lives. After we had all of our core ideas solidified, I spent about a week writing my oration and another week memorizing and creating motions. In odd-year oration we do smooth choreographed movements (even year does sign language).”

The final act of the first half was even-year song, who choreographed hand movements and sang to “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen. The movements were fun and popped out, and

the synchronization was creative, including clock motions related to “you took your time with the call” and putting on hats to symbolize “all the other boys try to chase me.” Humorously, the “number” referenced by the girls is 24, and they held up little signs to show it. The second half kicked off with odd-year play. The play centered on play coaches in a Zoom call with a character based on Ellen Awad, looking to build community despite the circumstances. They decide to travel back in time with a mad scientist in a time machine to ask characters from previous Nykerk plays (2017, 2018 and 2013) about how to build community. The characters aren’t really able to give a complete answer until they speak with the Fairy Dutch Mother, and this prompts “Dr. Awad” to say that Nykerk love is something that can’t be taught and must be learned through personally building relationships.

The even-year oration, entitled “Face the Fire,” was performed by Megan Raisch (’24). Raisch’s speech primarily focused on the imagery of a forest that has time and again avoided fire and accumulated

so many dead branches that any small flame could burn the whole thing down. The speech made the point that adversity, like fire, is sometimes necessary and can even be restorative. The performance was well done, full of good detail and dealt well with the idea that postponing dreams is negative, and a proper “controlled burn” requires a stable support system of family and friends to be wonderfully transformative.

The final event of Nykerk 2020 was odd-year song, which was “This is Me” from “The Greatest Showman.” The routine, like its even-year counterpart, was visually engaging and very well-orchestrated. The motions and the singing was especially good, considering not everyone could be together at the same time. The song included some fun handheld streamers, and the singers transitioning from “nunfits” into tie-dyed shirts.

Ultimately, odd-year took home the trophy. A job well done by everyone, particularly in light of the unusual situation. Hopefully Nykerk will be in-person next year, but even if not, there is no doubt the women will make the best of it!

’24 Song Girls

NYKERK LOVE - All masked up, even-year song girls pose for a photo.

CAMPUS&BEYOND

On the campaign trail with Martha Beattie

Claire Buck Co-Editor

On Sunday, November 1, I had the pleasure of interviewing Hope College senior Martha Beattie about her experience in local politics on my WTHS talk show, “Behind the Story.” Here are some highlights and insights from our conversation on local elections, political engagement and finding common ground in the midst of disagreement.

Claire: So Martha, would you mind introducing yourself by telling us your major, your year and your favorite memory from growing up in Holland?

Martha: Thank you so much for having me, Claire. I’m happy to be here. I’m a political science and English major here at Hope. I’m a senior, and Tulip Time was always a really fun kind of thing. I was in something called the Holland Choral Kids when I was a kid, and we used to perform during Tulip Time, so that is a really great memory.

Claire: So how did you first get involved with local politics?

Martha: So I would say throughout my life my parents were definitely a model of people who were pretty involved in the community and just stayed very politically engaged. One of my first pivotal moments was President Obama’s inauguration. My dad had traveled to D.C. to see that with my brother. My mom and I stayed home, and I just

remember the excitement and what that was like. In high school, I was involved with Michigan Youth in Government, which is run by the YMCA, and it’s just a great program for middle-schoolers and highschoolers to get involved in the political process by doing a mock representation or a mock system of what our government is like. I was also involved in something called model judiciary program, where I was a so-called lawyer working with other students on a case. I also did the legislature where I wrote my own bills, which, if you’re involved in the legislature, students write bills and then you get to go to the actual Michigan House and Senate chambers in Lansing and sit in those seats and play pretend to be representatives. That was a really great experience, and then that led to involvement in the community through volunteering on campaigns and that sort of thing.

Claire: So what is it like to work on a campaign? What sorts of things were you responsible for?

Martha: Yeah, so each of my political campaign experiences has been different, which has been a really great thing to go through. My first experience was in 2016 four years ago when it was Hillary v. Trump, and I wasn’t a voter yet, but I was frequently visiting the

Democratic office, which was just down the street from my high school here in Holland. I also worked on the Rob Davidson campaign and did some more traditional campaigning like canvassing and going door to door, training volunteers on how to do text banking and different forms of outreach. I also worked on current Mayor Bocks’ campaign about a year ago with social media outreach, posting on Instagram and Facebook and keeping track of insights and the demographics of our followers and doing community outreach in that way. I also followed Mayor Bocks around as his paparazzi taking pictures of him in the community with voters and community members. Most recently, I was on Bryan Berghoef’s campaign, and that was definitely changed by COVID-19, so they kind of transitioned everything online. That was a part of my experiential learning credit for political science, so I was there a minimum of 12 hours a week doing different kinds of campaign work.

Claire: So has getting an up-close look at campaigning kind of changed the way that you see the political process in general? And if so, how?

Martha: Yeah, absolutely. One thing I love to say about my experience on campaigns is that with this tone in our nation right now, how we hear that we’re so divided and that things are so polarized, we’re kind of being fed a narrative that we are really divided. That is true to some extent, but I think that working on campaigns has really shown me how united

we are and how united people become when we come around a common purpose, a common want for our community or our nation, and work together to make that happen. Especially working on Mayor Bocks’ campaign, that was a bipartisan election, so he didn’t run as a Democrat or a Republican; the same thing went for his opponent. Neither of them belonged to a particular party. So just seeing how community members will really come together regardless of partisanship and seeing that we really do have so much more alike than we do different really restored my faith in the political process; seeing how people can come together when we’re not always being shown that side of politics, especially through the news media.

Claire: So what about the students who might not want to engage in politics at all or feel like their voice and their votes just don’t matter? What would you say to someone who doesn’t think it’s even worth it to participate in the political process?

Martha: Oh man, this is such a loaded question, but really what I would say is that it is a privilege to feel like the choices that are being made are not affecting you. It really is a privilege to sit back and say, “You know what, I don’t really want to get involved,” or “I don’t get involved with that kind of thing,” or “I’m apolitical.” Well, that position that you’re taking is inherently political, and that affects everybody who can’t vote and people who are disenfranchised and marginalized, so I believe that voting is one of the

Martha Beattie

NATHAN BOCKS - The mayor of Holland in the City Council chambers.

MARTHA BEATTIE - Holland native and Hope student (’21)

best ways that your voice can be heard. A few weeks ago, there was a discussion with some of the political science and other professors and President Scogin about “who would Jesus vote for,” and of course they didn’t answer that question, but Dr. Schutte brought up the fact that her immediate life may not change. You know, maybe her taxes or something that in retrospect might seem kind of minor might change, but ultimately her immediate life around her is not going to be changed, and what a privilege that is, right? That can’t be said for everybody, so I think that while it can feel discouraging, something that really empowers me is that so many people have fought so hard for the right to vote, you know? We’re celebrating just this year 100 years of women’s suffrage, and so I’m very inspired by Susan B. Anthony and Alice Paul and all of these wonderful figures who have fought for this right to vote. A lot of people of color haven’t been able to vote for 100 years, so this is something that is really important. So again, I would just recommend

to anyone that voting is not the only way that you can be involved in the political process. I think there’s a tendency to kind of get really amped up around election season, especially national elections, but again if we’re gonna bring in that local politics perspective, elections don’t happen just every four years. It’s not only voting; I think voting

is wonderful, and I think every person should absolutely do it, but again I think there’s an emphasis on voting being the only thing we can do when there are so many things we can do. We can get involved in our local communities. Or if you’re going to Hope right now, getting involved with different clubs and different organizations that affect

your everyday life on campus can be effective. So again, I think that it’s very easy to feel like your vote doesn’t count, but it really does, and it really matters, and again, there are so many other ways based on your decisions and the choices you’re making that will also inherently be political decisions.

Claire: Yeah, yeah, and even if our vote doesn’t count that much, that’s okay. Things do not have to have a huge nationwide impact to be an act of kindness and an act of discernment and a way to say that we’re invested in our communities. We don’t need to change the world; we just need to change what we can change.

Martha: Yeah, right, and I think too it’s important to know that your decisions that you make on a day-to-day basis really do matter, and you know, whether you decide to take a bike to work or take your car to work, or maybe you’re passionate about the environment. There’s a saying that not everyone can do everything but that everyone can do something, and so I firmly believe that.

Voter suppression and the 2020 election

Grace Davidson Staff Writer

During the week of the election, tensions and pressure rise high, with people desperately racing to the polls to make their voice heard. However, new barriers to voting have caused concern that voter suppression will interfere with the outcome of the 2020 election, reducing the presence of democracy.

According to Slate, the city police in Alamance County, North Carolina, pepper-sprayed a crowd of almost 200 people who were peacefully marching to the courthouse. This is the second time in the past few years that the county has gone under fire for its treatment of voters, after they charged 12 residents, mostly black citizens, for “illegally voting” in 2017.

Some forms of voter intimidation have already begun, according to CNN. Two rightwing operatives were charged in Michigan in early October for making 85,000 threatening robocalls, falsely claiming that if citizens voted absentee, then their vote would go into a database

used by creditors to track down debts and for the government to force people to get vaccinated.

More commonly, Americans are experiencing difficulty voting because of the pandemic paired with the Postal Service’s lack of funding and speed. Some fear that the election will only tilt in Trump’s favor because of how COVID-19 makes people to hesitant to travel to the polls, and there is less certainty that one’s absentee ballot will be counted in time, regardless of the day it was sent. Some people still haven’t received a requested absentee ballot and are stuck, confused on how to vote if they already applied for absentee voting.

One example of voter suppression due to the pandemic and mail problem can even be found on Hope College’s campus. “Yeah, I registered to vote in Illinois and requested my ballot as early as September 21. I still haven’t received it,” said Hope College communications student Leslie Olivarez.

“Honestly, it’s upsetting, because

it’s my right and duty as an American citizen and woman to be able to vote for who I want in order to represent my country. To not be able to do that is frustrating, especially as a young person,” explains Olivarez. “I don’t feel comfortable voting in person in the midst of a pandemic, and it sucks that the people who are going to have their vote counted are

only the ones willing to risk their lives at the polls. Part of me feels like our president intentionally underfunded the Postal Service so these types of things would happen. It makes me worry about the future of our democracy.”

While new difficulties in voting are certainly present in such an intense and unprecedented election, whether intentional or not, certain Michigan laws are in place with hopes of removeing difficulty and encouraging everyone, regardless of how busy they may be, to vote. Uniquely, Michigan offers same-day voter registration, and Holland even has several assistants at city hall who are available to walk anyone through the process of registration, regardless if they’re from the state. These assistants can even help students like Olivarez to re-register and receive an absentee ballot in person, which can be dropped off at the ballot dropbox at any point.

My thoughts on an election that refuses to end

Eli Maxwell Opinion Editor

If you’re reading this, you know that this week the United States held its general election, or what comedian and last-responder John Mulaney quite aptly called in his opening monologue on Saturday Night Live this past weekend, “an elderly man contest.” As I am writing this in the days before the end of this election cycle/old-white-man beauty pageant, I do not know the outcome of said election and, scarily, you might not know quite yet either.

Between states such as Texas trying to throw out thousands of mail-in votes and President Trump sticking to his unfounded claim that mail-in ballots will increase voter fraud, not to mention his lack of commitment to a peaceful transition of power should that be necessary, the results of this election will be contentious no matter who comes out on top in the days following November 3. We may not know the results of this election for days, weeks, maybe months. And while, obviously, we can never verify the results of an election until a few days after, we can at least have an idea of how votes are distributed, since media outlets announce (predicted) winners based on partial counts. This added delay in finding out who will be in the White House for the next four years seems like something the “Arrested

Development” writers would come up with, and I do not appreciate it. What I’m trying to say is that as you read this, you live in a place where the 2020 election is (technically) over, and for that I envy you.

It’s no secret, nor do I honestly think it would be particularly opinionated to say, that this election feels different. Not just because of the prolonged uncertainty about the results, not just because of the way the two-party system has led us to what could very well be irreversible polarization, division and political apathy, but because of the situation we find ourselves in, both globally and as a campus community. Globally speaking, COVID-19 is a potentially deadly virus that will not decide to leave you alone because of who you voted for or what you believe. Closer to home, some students on campus are afraid of the consequences of this election.

I wasn’t on campus during the 2016 election, but plenty of my professors were, and the horror stories I’ve heard make me doubt the authenticity and integrity of our campus community. While

I’m certainly not naive enough to believe that everyone on campus is the picture-perfect Hope College student stereotype, I’m also not cynical enough to think that Hope students would say and do

the things they said and did after the last general election. Hateful behavior can’t be excused, let alone hateful behavior toward another student at your institution. We’re all here for the same reason: We all want and need community; we are all called to love everybody, not just maintain a civil facade. We are better than that. Be better than that.

To quote President Matt Scogin in his Election Eve campus-wide email, “It goes without saying that violence (or intimidation of any kind) is completely inconsistent with the type of Christ-centered discourse based on love and listening that we have been talking about all semester. Yet even as we avoid conflict on our campus, please be mindful that some of your peers may feel afraid for their safety because of the current climate. Therefore, as people who ‘love thy neighbor,’ let’s continue to find ways to let uncommon love characterize our campus.”

No matter what happened this election day, and no matter what conclusion we eventually reach about who the victor is, it does not neutralize our obligations to love each other, nor does it excuse us to be a people who are exclusive and invidious. Love is not only a Christian calling but also a human calling.

This election cycle has been long and polarizing, and it feels difficult

to think about living in a world where it isn’t going on. Sometimes I feel like, similarly to COVID-19, the election has just become a part of life. The Biden v. Trump contest feels like something that has gone on forever, like something that will continue to go on for years to come. Will it end? Will it actually end? I certainly hope so.

I hope that America will learn how to treat itself better. I hope that people won’t be deemed members of the “hate-America crowd” simply for acknowledging that we have a lot of work to do. I hope that the accepted definition of patriotism can become something less disingenuous than just unrestrained pride in your country, even when it is undeniably in the wrong. Above all, I hope America can learn how to love well and that loving people is powerful.

“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.

“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

-J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

“Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.”

-Colossians 3:14, CSB

The New Yorker

We got Dys: Dysautonomia awareness

Safia Hattab Guest Writer

On top of October being Disability Awareness Month, it was also Dysautonomia Awareness Month. Also, International Mastocytosis and Mast Cell Disease Day was this month. So October, at least for me, has a lot going on, and I encourage you to take a moment to look at different disease awareness events.

But this article is more about dysautonomia than my other disabilities.

So let’s start at the beginning: what is dysautonomia? Dysautonomia is an umbrella term for conditions that cause a dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The ANS controls all of the functions that your body doesn’t think about—things like blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, blood sugar, digestion... the list goes on. When your body can’t regulate these functions, it essentially can turn into a hot mess, causing a number of symptoms such as fainting, lightheadedness, malnutrition and

in severe cases, it can even kill you. There are so many conditions under the dysautonomia umbrella, and they range from fairly common disorders, such as neurocardiogenic syncope (NCS) and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), to extremely rare ones, such as multiple system atrophy (MSA) and autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy (AAG).

In fact, according to Dysautonomia International, over 70 million people worldwide deal with some kind of dysautonomia. And yet we really don’t know a lot about the autonomic nervous system as a whole.

I personally don’t remember the first time I fainted. I know I went through a period of time in high school where I just couldn’t stop fainting for a few months after my GI system essentially failed for a bit. I got diagnosed with vasovagal syncope, a type of dysautonomia, and we sort of left it at that. I stopped passing out, and I forgot

about it even though, minus the fainting, the rest of the symptoms I dealt with never went away.

I do remember the first time I passed out in college. It was after Nykerk my freshman year, and it was raining. We were headed back to our dorms to change out of our nunfits. The next thing I knew, I was lying in a puddle, staring at the sky. After that, I passed out multiple times a day for years.

I went to a cardiologist, and after ruling some cardiac issues out, I was diagnosed with autonomic dysfunction, another word for dysautonomia. After trying more medications, we realized that my dysautonomia was pretty severe, especially when my blood pressure would start spiking to deadly levels. I ended up in the hospital one time after a particularly nasty faint because I went into hypertensive crisis.

What makes dysautonomia hard to treat is how complicated and testy the ANS is. My ANS will give me extremely high and low heart rates, high and low blood pressure and will sometimes even mess with my oxygen levels. The problem is that most medication to treat one part of the issue will exacerbate the other symptom. It’s such a delicate balance of keeping everything in check, and there is just so much involved in doing that.

We know why my dysautonomia is so bad. Dysautonomia can be primary (meaning it exists alone), or it can be secondary (caused by another condition), and mine is caused by my rare disease. Most people with what I have end up with extremely challenging-totreat dysautonomia (usually POTS), and my dysautonomia was the key to figuring out just which rare disease I have. So I guess I have it to thank for giving me the answers my medical team and I needed.

But that isn’t necessarily the case all the time. Dysautonomia varies so much from person to person. Everyone’s body is different. Some people manage fine with diet changes. Some people are completely disabled by it. At my worst, I couldn’t even shower alone. I couldn’t go anywhere alone. I couldn’t move. Couldn’t drive. I missed so many classes because I literally couldn’t get off the floor without passing out.

But thankfully, that isn’t most people. Most people eventually figure out some way to manage it, whether that’s through medication, diet, different therapies or usually a combination of all of them. I personally get infusions twice a week to keep them at bay, and that along with medication, the use of mobility aids, diet changes, physical therapy and some really clever hacks, I’ve gotten so much of my life back, even though it is still very much a struggle most days.

I’m lucky to have that kind of access to treatment. Most don’t. POTS, for instance, impacts as many as one out of 100 people, but most states don’t have POTSliterate doctors or clinics. And the ones that do have crazy waits. I personally had to travel hundreds of miles to see an autonomic specialist (and I had to wait over a year to see him), and he was the closest one to me. With COVID-19 cases rising, and dysautonomia often triggered by sudden, intense illness, there will be a rise in dysautonomia cases. We, as a country, need more specialists who can handle that rise because everyone deserves treatment.

Because yes, my experience with dysautonomia was (and continues to be) a wild ride. But it shouldn’t have to be, and that’s what these awareness months are for.

Safia Hattab

Mr. E and the Boy

Katy Smith and Timothy Embertson Arts Editor Staff Writer

All THREE Editions!

Student Poetry

Lend a Jacket

by Grace Mitchell

A zap of an electrical outlet. A faithful mutt at the same faded gravesite. A clock ticking to warn a maiden of midnight. A silent face as red as a rose. A cloud full of torrential downpour. A trek in worn tennis shoes circling a dirt track. An empty tissue box on a professional’s table. A musician that can read but cannot play. A mirror slanted in a funhouse. A bleak January without a jacket. A strand of lights with a burnt-out bulb. A round melon full of moldy rot. An invisible illness, incurable, but treatable, with honey-sweet kindness.

Want to read more? Head to our website, anchor. hope.edu, for more gripping creative work by Hope students.

Edition No. 1, “Met in the PD”

Edition No. 2, “Interrogation at the Station” Edition No. 3, “Truth is in the Beholder of the Eye”

Author, Grace Mitchell (’23) is a sophomore English student at Hope College.

Kathryn Smith

Protest songs: Of politics or for the people?

Katy Smith Arts Editor

Billie Holiday elegantly walks onstage, takes one diaphragmengaging breath, and begins her song. Soft jazz plays behind her, making a haunting feeling creep over the audience. “Black bodies swingin’ in the Southern breeze / Strange fruit hangin’ from the poplar trees,” her bell-like voice sings.

A young Bob Dylan quickly strums his acoustic guitar, his raspy voice working like a bird call to the audience. “You fasten all the triggers / For the others to fire / Then you set back and watch / When the death count gets higher,” he sings.

Zach de la Rocha of the band Rage Against the Machine wipes his brow, the pulsing of crunchy electric guitar and pounding drums filling his ears. He raises the microphone and screams the chorus, “You justify those that died / By wearing the badge / They’re the chosen whites.”

Childish Gambino smiles into the camera as he dances to a light and cheery tune before he absentmindedly shoots a blindfolded bystander. He looks back to the camera. “This is America / Don’t catch you slippin’ now,” he sings.

Political or protest, music has been a part of American culture since the country’s origin. From “Yankee Doodle Dandy” to Tyler Childers’s 2020 release, “Long Violent History,” this subgenre of art, though small, has stood the test of time. With the death of George Floyd, OLU of the group EARTHGANG released a cover of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On,” showing that to be true.

With a presidential election on the horizon, politics seem to surround citizens at every turn. Political ads clog YouTube videos and television, and every class discussion eventually devolves into this or that about a candidate. Yet many find solace within political music. Why is that?

American author John Steinbeck once wrote of political songwriter Woody Guthrie, “[He represented the] will of a people to endure and fight against oppression. I think we call this the American spirit.”

That’s exactly what it is: the birdsong of the people.

Nobody wants to sit down and pen a political song. The way artists often see it is they carry the weight and deep hurting that are much

Am

harder to perform and write than a poppy love song. After writing one of the most famous protest songs of all time (“Blowin’ in the Wind”), Bob Dylan said, “This here ain’t a protest song or anything like that, ‘cause I don’t write protest songs… I’m just writing it as something to be said, for somebody, by somebody.”

hurt, fearless, angry, aware and fully ready to protect me, my family & my people at all cost. I got together with Black men that felt the same way and created a work of truth.”

A common point of criticism with political or protest music is the dislike for the notion of “politicizing everything.” People don’t want their music to be political; they just want it to be music. However, political art should be seen less as an artist forcing their views upon their fanbase and radio listeners and more as an artistic obligation.

Just as Sylvia Plath felt compelled to pen poetry about her experiences

with depression, many musical artists feel the need to grieve and process their emotions through their songs. The very act of creating art is vulnerable and honest.

Even the most fickle-seeming or surface-level pop songs have emotional depth; it’s where art stems from, whether the artist means it or not. Take Taylor Swift’s early hit “Mean” about how the young artist coped with the brutality of critics. Even lyrics like, “Someday I’ll be livin’ in the big old city / And all you’re ever gonna be is mean,” have a reason to be written. They tell a story that a particular artist felt compelled to tell, even if it’s not one that everyone loves.

Lyrics like those from Michael Kiwanuka’s “Hero” aren’t written to persuade audiences of one political view over another. Some would argue that the safety of citizens and the pursuit of human rights and equality is not political in the slightest.

Much of 2020’s protest music was born out of the death of George Floyd and the worldwide resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Hip-hop artists Terrence Martin and Denzel Curry quickly got to work on their 2020 single “Pig Feet.” The song is haunting, as it opens with the sounds of gunfire and a woman screaming, “They shot him! He didn’t even have a gun!” A screaming saxophone plays throughout the song, making it feel reminiscent of the aforementioned “What’s Going On.”

On the song’s Soundcloud listing, Martin says, “Someone asked, how do I feel? I told them

In the song, he sings, “Please don’t shoot me down / I love you like a brother / It’s on the news again / I guess they killed another. Am I a hero? / Am I a hero now? / To die a hero / Is all that we know now.”

These lyrics are written out of the deepest kind of emotions. Not out of the pursuit of political or social gain, but out of a feeling of necessity.

As this election comes to a head in the coming weeks, it is perfectly acceptable to turn to art for a helping hand, be it a song of solidarity, a warm and loving tune or a passionate ballad. For you artists out there: make art when it calls to you and don’t feel pressured to write the next call-to-arms anthem.

Hiro Murai

Eva Zar

Michael Kiwanuka posing for The New York Times.

Childish Gambino in his music video “This is America” directed by Hiro Murai.

“I don’t write protest songs... I’m just writing it as something to be said for somebody, by somebody.” - Bob Dylan on protest music.

“Am I a hero?

I a hero now? To die a hero... Is all that we know now.” - lyrics from Michael Kiwanuka’s 2020 song “Hero.”

The influence and evolution of WTHS 89.9

“We have a radio station?” most students ask when they hear about WTHS. Yes, we do, and yes, it’s awesome. I might be a little biased because I get to spend an hour a week playing my favorite songs on air, but don’t just take it from me. Jack Deubner (’21), the current general manager of the station, is just as pumped about having the radio station on campus. He started at WTHS his freshman year, and being involved has been a vital part of his college experience. The same is true for Anne Bakker (’85). She was drawn to attend Hope College because of the radio station, and joined her first semester. Both of them have been student managers of the station, and they have several things to say about the evolution and role of WTHS over the years and what it means for the Hope community.

The station that we have the privilege to enjoy today didn’t just come out of nowhere. The journey to making the station what it has become was long and difficult. Bakker became the student general manager of what was formerly called WTAS. From 1956 until the early 1980s, the station was in the basement of Kollen Hall and transmitted over AM radio waves to different dorms around campus. During her second year, other executives at the station decided to make the move to FM broadcasting. This process was a lot more complicated than they imagined, and the station was shut down for around three years while Bakker worked tirelessly for her remaining three years at Hope to make the station a reality. As the general manager, she was put in charge of dealing with the FCC (Federal Communication Commission), attorneys, the community and the college administration when she was just 19 years old. The new station, WTHS 89.9, wasn’t fully operational until the fall semester after her graduation, but the success of the station is largely due to all of Bakker’s work.

The station used to have up to four-hour music shows and involved many students and members of the community. In its height, WTHS would report on news and sports and would even play chapel live on air. In

2020, however, the radio might seem like an archaic medium for listening to music, especially for college students. Streaming is the most popular way to enjoy our favorite tunes, and the radio has slowly been losing its prominence as a way to stay informed and entertained. But that doesn’t mean that WTHS is outdated or that the medium is no longer enjoyed by students. It has evolved with the times and has been streaming online at wths.hope.edu for almost ten years.

Deubner said that the radio as a whole isn’t something that people can get rid of, nor is it going to just disappear. College radio especially has an important place in the music industry for both listeners and musicians. In the past, smaller and less popular bands with a less mainstream sound relied on college stations to get valuable airtime and exposure. People listening to college radio were exposed to more unique music from stations free from commercial pressure, since colleges are under no obligation to meet demands from the public. This still rings true. WTHS has always served Hope and the surrounding community as an alternative to the Top 40, with its rotation now sticking to the alternative rock format. WTHS will stay on the air as long as students stay passionate, creative and excited about the many different opportunities the station facilitates.

Both Deubner and Bakker said the main audience of the station has

always been friends of DJs or others involved with WTHS. Deubner said that his friends always listen when he’s on air, and it is so much fun to know that others hear his show. Sometimes it seems like the same three people are the only ones listening, but he said that most students would be surprised at how much the Holland community might be tuning in as well. Bakker said that the community involvement

was the biggest change from moving from AM to FM. Realizing that the community is listening and involved with what Hope is putting on the airwaves makes this a unique medium that can go beyond campus. With this, DJs must be extra careful about what they play on their shows. As long as what’s on air is acceptable to the FCC, there are no limits to what can be played. This freedom is what makes WTHS appealing to whatever audience is within reach.

Deubner was most excited about the increase in interest this semester. He noticed that a lot more people actually know the station exists in comparison to previous years. Deubner said membership has early tripled, with many of the newcomers being underclassmen. This might be partly due to he fast that involvement in WTHS is largely unchanged with COVID-19, due to the nature of playing songs on air. Sure, there are less people allowed in the studio and they sanitize the station between shows, but there are few differences. That being said, he would love for even more people to be involved, and there is always room in the station for unique and creative ideas. This is Deubner’s first semester

Anne Bakker

Sarah O’Neil

Staff Writer

wths.hope.edu

Cont. on pg. 13

Bakker when she was a student at Hope College.

being the general manager, and he has really enjoyed it so far. The radio is right up his alley and has given him unique experience relating to his recording arts and communication composite major. His role involves dealing with a lot of both large and small things. He meets weekly with the executive board, attends student communication meetings and stays connected with the faculty advisor for the station. He is also the first person DJs are supposed call if anything goes wrong. For him, one of the highlights of this organization is that the output is completely student-led; WTHS is truly the voice of Hope College. He stated that his goal is to leave WTHS better than he found it.

Bakker also appreciated how student-led this organization was. The fact that she was trusted and told she was capable of handling so many of the operations to get the station running gave her confidence in herself and her abilities. Being involved at WTHS even changed the plan she had for her life. She intended to study law or political science when she came to campus, but as soon as she got involved with the station and other student organizations, she realized her skills and love for leadership. This set her up for a different career path than she expected and moved her to study communications and pursue a career in student leadership. She has worked at many colleges and universities, ow returning to her Alma Mater where she is the managing director for the Hope Summer Repertory Theatre.

Both of them have high hopes for the future of WTHS. Deubner hopes the station will grow even more than it has now, hopefully with students who are just as excited as he is about going on air. He envisions that the station could become even more modern and maybe even have its own app.

Bakker hopes the future of WTHS will involve students taking advantage of the opportunities for creativity and leadership the station offers. As with any student organization, she hopes that students will find a group of people that they resonate with and will be able to have learning experiences beyond the classroom. She is incredibly grateful for her time at the station and how the skills she acquired have helped with every job she has taken since graduating.

Deubner said that the biggest draw for getting involved with the station is that the possibilities are

almost limitless. Interested in telling funny stories with friends? Playing an hour worth of ASMR? Reading embarrassing poetry at 3 a.m.? Although some of those ideas were expressed to him satirically, he was dead serious about taking them on board. Whatever it may be, there is a place for everyone and everything at WTHS. To both Deubner and Bakker, the range of possibilities and space for creativity is what makes this student organization unique and fun.

Whether you have hopes for a career in radio, podcasting or entertainment, or if you just want to have fun playing songs you think the world needs to hear, WTHS is the right place to be.

The station has come a long way since the basement of Kollen hall, and has changed with the times in many ways since. From AM to FM to now being online, there is so much potential for this flexible and creative medium. The voice of Hope College is run by students for students, and it isn’t going away anytime soon. Check it out at wths.hope.edu!

Jack Deubner

“The station is always looking for new ways to improve and reach a broader audience on campus. I’m excited to see how newer students will channel their excitement at the station and bring it to new and better places.”

- Jack Deubner, General Manager at WTHS 89.9 Holland

JACK DEUBNER- Playing with his band, “Caused by Carelessness.”

Spikeball Club creates COVID-safe fun on campus

Round Net, better known by the brand name Spikeball, is a game that has been sweeping the Hope College campus this year. Students can frequently be seen playing with their friends in the Pine Grove or other green spaces around campus. The game has also been featured as one of the yard games available at multiple SAC events this semester.

Now the college has an official Spikeball Club, opening up even more opportunities for students to get in on the game. The Spikeball Club became an official club that is recognized by the school this year, and it meets every Friday at 1:00 p.m. However, it was first formed last year by Brenner Wallace and Micah Stilwell.

Since both Wallace and Stilwell graduated in May, the club has been taken over primarily by underclassmen, led by Wallace’s younger brother, sophomore Jack Wallace. Wallace has been playing Spikeball since he was in eighth grade, though he didn’t start getting serious about it until his sophomore year of high school. By his senior year he was playing in tournaments with people at the professional level.

The game is played in two teams of two and involves hitting a ball and bouncing it off of a round net that sits on the ground.

“People say it’s like volleyball mixed with four square. The rules are all of

the same as volleyball, where you have three touches on your team and you can’t touch it twice on your own; you have to pass it,” Wallace said. “So yeah, it’s like volleyball in the rules sense, but instead of hitting it over a net to the other team you’re hitting it onto

the net to the other team. And it’s 360 degrees which kind of makes it more fun. You have to run around the net.”

According to Wallace, Spikeball can be considered both a yard game and a sport, depending on how serious the players are about it.

“I think that’s kind of why I like Spikeball, just because it’s very versatile where you can play competitively in tournaments and stuff or you can just have fun with friends,” Wallace said.

Wallace said that the club has seen a swell in attendance this year. He attributes this in part to the lack of opportunities for socialization and community building that has resulted from COVID-19. Specifically, he said that this has drawn many freshmen to the club.

“It’s [COVID-19] definitely helped Spikeball Club in the attendance area, where the freshmen are needing something to do and want to get outside,” Wallace said. “I think they just really needed something to do, and that was available.”

According to Wallace, 75-87% of participants that come to the club on any given Friday are freshmen.

Ellie Johnston, who runs the club’s Instagram page, is one of those many freshmen who have gotten involved. She said that she thinks the ability to meet new people is a part of why the game is so popular at Hope. She said that it is especially helpful for students like her who come from out of state.

A tricky spike shot

Brooke Bennet

Gillian Skiba Staff Writer

Jack Wallace

A safely distanced spikeball game

“It’s just a good way to meet people at this school. Like, I come from Illinois, so not that many people from my high school went here, as opposed to the Michigan people. So, like all of my friends have been through Spikeball Club and it’s just fun,” Johnston said.

Spikeball is a convenient option for those looking to meet new people this semester since it is played outdoors, which is the only place that large groups of students can gather right now.

“It’s something you can do with others and at the same time keep it spaced out for COVID,” said freshman Braeden Pfeil, one of the people who helps run the club and tournaments.

Pfeil said that he got into playing back in April because of the pandemic. He and a friend had been looking for a way to fill their time in quarantine when they realized how much they enjoyed the sport.

The Spikeball Club has made it easy for those looking for a community and a way to have fun during these times. Players of all levels are welcome at the club and the tournaments they host. They also don’t need to

come with a partner to play with and can be set up with a teammate when they arrive.

“Jack, the president, he’s just so inviting, and like, it doesn’t matter if you’ve played a hundred times or one time. Like, he still wants you to be here,” Johnston said.

While some students come alone to meet someone new,

others choose to come with a group of friends. That was the case for freshman Anna Vievel who came to her first Spikeball Club tournament on Saturday, Oct. 24, with three of her friends. Vievel said that all of them were looking for a way to have some fun.

“We want to be outside as much as we can right now, and it’s a great

way to just get out,” Vievel said.

Overall, Spikeball is proving to be a great way for Hope students to get active outdoors, as well as build connections at a time when that can be a very challenging thing to do. If any of this sounds intriguing or you’ve found your ultimate COVID sport, let Spikeball Club know through email: spikeball@hope.edu.

Jack Wallace

Spikeball players in action on the DeVos lawn

A peek through the net Brooke Bennet

Reverend professor

time traveler

American Society of Church History Awardee

Royal Historical Society Fellow

Author of Calvin Meets Voltaire

Understanding Christian history is vital to our present faith. As a historian, Dr. Jennifer McNutt brings the past to the present, guiding students to understand and apply Christian history and theology to their work today.

wheaton.edu/MA-History

Dr. Jennifer McNutt