the davidsonian
September 28, 2016 Vol. 109 ISSue 4
The Independent Student Newspaper of Davidson College since 1914
Inside NEWS News Editors sit down with Martin O'Malley 2 Athletics Department and A10 respond to HB2 3 Deportation lecture educates community on alien statuses 3 LIVING DAVIDSON Students discuss perspectives on art around Davidson's campus 4 Students look on as President Quillen addresses the crowd at the flagpole gathering. Photo by Carter Cook
PERSPECTIVES Jade Folly '19 shares her response about the latest string of police shootings 5 Xan Stoddard '17 argues Republicans should do more to attract libertarians 5 YOWL President Quillen receives Harry Potter Buzzfeed quiz results 6 Highly coveted window seat in Summit causes fights 6 SPORTS
Chief of College Police Todd Sigler and President Carol Quillen presided over the community gathering. Photo by Carter Cook
SGA President Dara Ferguson spoke about the impacts of the Charlotte shooting on Davidson students. Photo by Carter Cook
Police Violence in Charlotte Strikes Home LAURA DUNNAGAN Staff Writer
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n the afternoon of Tuesday, September 20, civilian and African-American man Keith Lamont Scott was killed at the hands of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officer Brentley Vinson. That evening, citizens in the area began to protest this specific incident as well as the ongoing national problem of police brutality and systematic racism. Wednesday evening, during another night of protests, another African-American man, Justin Carr, was fatally shot by another civilian. In response to the violence, Governor Pat McCrory declared a state of emergency and deployed the National Guard who arrived on Thursday. During Common Hour on Thursday, September 22, President Quillen was joined by campus Chaplain Rob Spach, Associate Dean of Students Ernest Jeffries, and Police Chief Todd Sigler in leading a “stand for justice and peace.” Several hundred students attended the event during which administrators spoke, students reflected on their experiences, and the community shared silence and a prayer in recognition of all who were affected by the events in Charlotte. Dean of Students Tom Shandley later announced in an email that the dialogue would continue in the newly renovated Spencer-Weinstein Center for Community and Justice during Common Hour this week.
President Carol Quillen issued a statement of support and concern for the Davidson community via email that night. “No words from me can magically heal our community. But together we can work towards a just, humane future. For this to happen, each of us must take on racism as our daily problem. We cannot, as we have sometimes done in the past, place the burden of raising awareness and leading change disproportionately on people of color. Each of us—and especially those of us who are white— must commit. Each of us must create for ourselves a daily life that reflects our stated values. Our complacency perpetuates the injustice we claim to oppose.” Though administrators have responded and coordinated events of support, many members of the student body feel Davidson as an institution has not done enough. Shassata Fahim ‘18 echoed this sentiment. “The response by the administration on what is occurring in Charlotte and across the country was extremely lacking,” said Fahim. “I’ve been at Davidson for all the different solidarity events at the flagpole. However, I do not know how crowding around a flag that does not necessarily reflect my rights and liberties as a citizen of color means anything to me. It’s not going to make me feel better as a student of color who doesn’t necessarily feel safe on this campus right now, nor does it deal with the impact of students in our community witnessing the death of a protester in Charlotte.” Jada Wiggleton-Little, President of the Black
Student Coalition (BSC), agrees that there is room for growth. “There’s recognition that administration is doing something, which is huge. At least we have someone doing something, and that’s something we do appreciate” says WiggletonLittle. “Now, do we question the intentions of that something? Yes. Do we feel like that something is not as genuine and authentic as it’s coming off to be? Yes. Do we think that more can be done, and more personalized? Because most things seem as if they’re a protocol.” Wiggleton-Little also shared her thoughts about the role and potential of Davidson students in regards to the violence in Charlotte. “What’s fortunate about Davidson students is that we do come with not only our anger, but an intelligence that’s interdisciplinary. So if there’s a way that we could use both to protest, that would be very powerful. That’s what makes Davidson special. We’re just going out of anger to scream and yell and make noise, and there’s an aspect of that that needs to be had, but what’s special about Davidson is that we do have that special ‘umph,’ but we leave that at home. Because we recognize that that’s a privilege, and we don’t want to bring a privilege into that space. But why leave that? Bring that.” Moving forward, Fahim suggests greater communication between the administration and the student population to continue to discuss solutions to problems that are beyond the scope of the events in Charlotte. He also suggests greater education about the origins of the college. “We,
Football continues forward momentum 7 Pragnell '17 reflects on four years of teamwork and dedication with Men's Soccer 7 as an institution, have to teach the history of Davidson,” notes Fahim. “When I walk into the library, and I see slave owners hanging on the wall, that does not make me comfortable. I know when I walk around the halls of Chambers or roam around the Union that these places were not built for me. This campus was made for the sons of rich, white landowners, and yet I’m here. If we were able to comprehend our own history more holistically as a campus body, I think that could be an extremely effective way to start to shine a light on what Davidson used to be and what we want it to be.” Wiggleton-Little suggests that to make substantive progress, students, particularly nonminority students, can take more individual initiative and address widespread problems by entering into uncomfortable situations. “We have tried too hard to be ‘comfortable.’ The uncomfortability that is race, that is the topic of racism and microaggression, they’re so feared and avoided that nothing else happens. So once you allow yourself to be uncomfortable, I think you’ll realize what your next step is.” As communicated by Dean Shandley, the Counseling Center and the Chaplain’s Office are available and able to help any students affected by the violence and Charlotte and subsequent reactions.
News
Page 2 September 28, 2016
Martin O'Malley Encourages Students to Vote Clinton-Kaine OLIVIA DANIELS & AJ NADDAFF News Co-Editors
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ast Friday afternoon, former Governor of Maryland and former presidential candidate Martin O’Malley participated in an hour-long meet-and-greet event with Davidson students at Summit Outpost as part of his MidAtlantic tour, during which he is campaigning for Democratic Party Nominee Hillary Clinton. Hosted by the Davidson College Democrats, the event provided a personal forum for O’Malley to answer student questions directly and even provide some musical entertainment. O’Malley was glad to be at Davidson, to which he harbors a personal connection. J.D. Merrill ‘13, a founder of Dinner at Davidson, became O’Malley’s sonin-law in June of this year. After a powerful introductory speech in which O’Malley urged students to vote for Clinton instead of voting for a third-party candidate or choosing not to vote at all, he opened up the floor. Students asked questions including subjects like O’Malley’s Catholic faith, Bernie Sanders, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, undocumented student statuses, the Israel-Palestine conflict, and Daesh, also known as ISIS. Davidsonian News Editors AJ Naddaff ‘19 and Olivia Daniels ‘19 had the opportunity to speak privately with O’Malley prior to the event. Naddaff and Daniels would like to thank College Democrats President Andres Ramos ‘17 for coordinating the interview. The transcript of the conversation is included below: We have heard many students decide against voting in the upcoming election or electing to vote for a third party candidate even while they understand they are in a swing state. What can you say to these individuals to help them understand the gravity of this decision? O’Malley: I think what people I hope come to understand by the time decision time is here is that this is a great constitutional threat to our country and our country's well-being. The primaries are over; we had a healthy exchange of ideas and a good competition of ideas in our party. And the winner of our party’s idea was Hillary Clinton, and now she is up against a candidate who, in essence, represents the first time a third party candidacy has hijacked a major party's endorsement. The things [Trump] advocates are totally contrary to some of the most basic principles of the Constitution. Religious identification cards for people based on their faiths, an expansion of building walls to force deportation of people whose only country they’ve known their whole life is turning them into stateless human beings--all of which, not only runs contrary to the the UN Declaration of Human Rights, but it runs contrary to our Constitution. Ordering our armed forces to engage in war crimes - I mean this is a very grave and real threat. This is not a time for people to treat this election as though it’s some sort of table entertainment channel where they just flip one channel they don’t like very
much. I think voting for a third party candidate quite frankly is the cop-out. Our country needs the clarity of vision and the heart of our young voters and young Americans. I mean you have a lot more of a future than [my generation]. I hope people realize that in the end Hillary Clinton is the only of these candidates who has actually put forward plans of how she governs to issues like affordable college, climate change, treatment of refugees and immigrants, not to mention America’s role in the world. The rest of the world thinks we're all bumped our heads to let a man like Donald Trump this close to the Presidency. It’s time to drop our pretentiousness. Many of us had first choices in our primary that might not have been Secretary Clinton, but she won the most votes, and now we need to rally behind her because our country needs us. You announced your support for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in June, yet you ran against as a Democratic candidate prior to this. What are the major differences in your platform vis-à-vis hers? How can you reconcile with those differences to support her today and how would you like to see the differences in her platform shape? O’Malley: The contrast between Secretary Clinton and Donald Trump are so vast. I mean I had some differences with Secretary Clinton and debated those for so long as I could hang in there in this contest. Bernie Sanders hung in there longer and debated those differences, but those differences pale in comparison to the overtly fascist appeals of Donald Trump ...I actually feel very good about our party's platform. Many of the things that were in our Democratic Party’s platform were things that my candidacy spoke to pretty fearlessly: treatment of a path to full citizenship for new american immigrants, treating refugees with dignity and respect, moving to 100% clean electric grid (that was never in our platform but is there now)...Also in our platform now is repealing the death penalty. On all of these issues what the Democratic Party represents, I think, after our robust contest and debates, it represents a much more progressive platform that we're ever had, and we have a person named Hillary Clinton who can not only win the election but also govern and bring people together to get things down. That’s how I reconcile it. Whatever differences of opinion I have with Hillary Clinton pale in comparison to the very real fascist threat Donald Trump poses to our country and security. In the light of the protests and questions surrounding police brutality and racial tension in Charlotte, how does your experience in Baltimore advise you on this issue? O’Malley: There are so many different ways you can impact these issues in your chosen calling, profession, jobs. For starters, I think, well, we’re going through a really tough time right now, and what we want to be able to see is that young people think that going into policing is an honorable and noble calling (young black
News Editors Olivia Daniels '19 and AJ Naddaff '19 pose with former presidential candidate Martin O'Malley. Photo by Jane Campbell
Martin O'Malley responds to student questions at Summit Outpost. Photo by AJ Naddaff people and white people alike). Right now we’re at a reflection point in our country and with the arrival of new and democratized technology, like cellphones, video cameras we are seeing more of footage of these police involved in shoottings than we ever had before. Part of this is also because the police department's understanding the higher citizen expectation for openness and transparency; they are deploying more everyday. And all of that is good. But this is still very much a work in progress. The fact that we’re seeing more of these shootings is irrefutable. What we’re not as clear on is what cities are actually managing to reduce police involved shootings and in what cities or jurisdictions are they actually on the rise. During my six years as Mayor of Baltimore, we reduced police involved shootings to the lowest levels of any modern time in Baltimore. We did it with better trainings, openness, and transparency, and we were also very upfront with the public--not only with our numbers on a regular basis in terms of shootings that were not fatal but also complaints of excessive force and courtesy...I was constantly in and among our poorest neighbors in Baltimore, encouraging people to report on incidents on police brutality and assuring them that they would actually be fully investigated. We also paid our police officers more during that period of time, and we increased the size of our internal affairs division so the cases actually did get investigated and resolved one way or the other. So these are things we did, but they are not things that go on in every department, and in some places those things get discarded in the change of one mayor’s term to another. Hillary Clinton has a political justice reform [plan] that includes national standards for use of force and national requirements that police departments report on the number of shooting incidents ,so that we can see whether we are doing better as a country or not, and we can see what cities are doing well.
nation in the near future and this region specifically? O’Malley: I think that it’s important to talk about these things and to do it in a way that gives freedom to different perspectives. I think the important thing I noticed from teaching at Georgetown and Maryland this year, one of the very refreshing things I’ve found from teaching your generation is that you expect for their to be evidence for public policy choices. You expect for there to be data that supports moving in one direction or another--implementing one set of actions over another set of actions. I think that your generation is especially in the here and now by asking more of these questions--like whether there are more of these shootings or less, and what shootings are doing a good job, and why in terms of reducing the shooting numbers. Collaboration and being able to prove what works are really the keys in public sector...but we need to foster a conversation. That’s true not only on public safety but on climate and various other issues as well.
Do you believe that the Charlotte police department should release the video in question (since the interview, the tape has been released)? O’Malley: I said yesterday I think they should. I mean I am a lawyer by training. I was a prosecutor, and I was a tax attorney. I understand the arguments both ways on this, but I think the public interest and justice more broadly is best served by a quicker disclosure of these video tapes rather than sitting on them. In terms of any tainting of a jury poll or poisoning of a jury pool by the issues unaccompanied by other evidence, I think that can be resolved by a transfer of evidence to the jurisdiction in order to assure the fairness of any trial should prosecutors determine that is the way to go. I said yesterday that I do believe they should. I don’t think there is anything good sitting on them. In retrospect, Chicago wishes they released their videos early when they sat on them for a year.
With regard to NC’s current status under HB2, how do you advise those in opposition to proceed while the government remains in favor of such policies, especially in regard to the elimination of an avenue for employees to sue on grounds of discrimination in state courts? O’Malley: I think citizens need to have their voices heard. I think you need to write the letters, the emails. I think you need to boycott, protest, do everything else that's in your power to do to get the state government [to repeal HB2]. Discrimination is bad for business. I mean, good Lord you guys have some many people around the country that are deciding to switch their venues - the NCAA. I would encourage you to do as Franklin D. Roosevelt said “agitate, agitate, agitate” until this gets overturned. The arch of history is always towards greater respect for the dignity of all and greater inclusion of all. The other states have been able to keep reactionaries and charlatans from hijacking this issue to dividing people, and I think you guys will come through it, and I think it’s just on its way to being overturned. You all just need to keep dialing up the volume and the agitation and the protest.
How would you advise non-black college students to make a positive impact on the systematic institution of racial inequality in our
Do you believe gun control will be an issue that we see in the Supreme Court in the next few years? O’Malley: It depends on if we ever get a full complement of Supreme Court Justices again. Believers of progress always seem to work in conjunction. Sometimes it's the states sometimes it’s court’s sometimes it’s the Supreme Court; sometimes it’s combinations. I would image that issues on those probably will reach the state (they have in the past). In our own state we passed the legislation on the ban of combat assault weapons and licensing and fingerprints. I do believe that our legislation went [far]. I suppose that a lot of these issues will continue to go up. That’s where we make progress as a country: Congress, states, court, and people.
News HB2 Will Not Impact A10 Events ANDREW KENNESON Senior Staff Writer
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While we recognize that the NBA cannot choose the law in every city, state, and country in which we do business, we do not believe we can successfully host our All-Star festivities in Charlotte in the climate created by HB2.” With this statement in mid-July, the National Basketball Association (NBA) removed its All-Star game from Charlotte over concerns with House Bill Two (HB2). Recently, college athletics has followed suit. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) pulled seven championships from North Carolina, saying the state had HB2 violated the NCAA’s commitment to fairness and inclusion. The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) pulled all neutral site games, including its football championship, over similar concerns. None of these decisions will directly affect Davidson besides the fact that students now cannot drive twenty minutes to see Steph Curry play in the All-Star game next February. Davidson is continuing to host an athletic championship this fall. The A10 men’s soccer tournament is slated for Alumni Field on Nov 10-13. For a brief moment, head coach Matt Spear and the men’s soccer team did not know if the tournament would remain on campus. Spear and the team were on their way to Seattle ten days ago when the conference met to discuss the tournament. In the end, the A10 decided to keep the tournament at Davidson. The decision came down to two factors. First, the championship rotates between member schools, making it different than the ACC tournament, which is held at a neutral site. This meant that the A10’s decision was still in line with the choices made by the NCAA and the ACC. Second, Davidson has strenuously opposed HB2 since its inception. After the A10 announced it would keep the men’s soccer tournament at Davidson, Athletics Director Jim Murphy issued a statement condemning HB2 and reiterating Davidson’s support of inclusion. Murphy said of the statement, “Hosting the tournament is a fantastic opportunity that we wanted to take advantage of. At the same time, we wanted to reiterate our
position on House Bill Two. It all seemed to tie together.” President Carol Quillen added, “This is a statement about values. The NBA, the NCAA, the ACC, and the A10 are organizations based around certain values like equal opportunity and inclusivity.” Davidson is one of five schools in North Carolina to publicly denounce HB2, along with Duke University, Elon University, Wake Forest University, and Guilford College. Quillen, herself, also strongly denounces the law. Not only is it discriminatory, it contains all kinds of contradictions and flaws. But Davidson’s role goes beyond just opposition to the law. “It’s a real opportunity for education,” says Quillen. “HB2 assumes that there’s something called your natural sex that is obvious at birth. But that’s not always how it works; sex and gender are complicated.” She also sees the people on either side of this issue talking past each other. “People who are opposed to HB2 say this violates their values of inclusivity. People who are for it say they don’t want adult men in the bathroom with little girls. They’re not the same conversation.” Quillen believes Davidson and its students can help push these issues forward by constantly reframing the questions and attempting to locate what exactly is driving all the strong feelings related to HB2 and gender. She recognizes that most people never question their gender identity, but that is obviously not true of everyone. At the heart of this issue is a lack of understanding between those two groups. “You have to have some confidence in other people’s ability to interpret their own experience,” Quillen said. Sports continue to play a huge role in American society. It is inevitable that big issues like HB2 will end up affecting the sports because it is an easy way to get people’s attention. Davidson, due to its commitment to inclusivity, will defy the standards set by HB2 and continue to hold its sporting events in a private, safe environment. “I’m happy that the tournament will be hosted here and proud of Davidson’s commitment to inclusivity. We have one of the best places to play in the country, and we’re excited to showcase that,” Spear said.
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Davidsonian.com
crime log Time Reported
Description / Location
09/24/16 at 0020 hrs
Suspicious Activity at Patterson Ct. Circle. Further Investigation.
09/24/16 at 0110 hrs
Underage Consumption/Possession/ Unathorized Use of Motor Vehicle/ Poss. Fraudualent ID at Ridge Road. Prosecution Declined.
90/24/16 at 0220 hrs
Underage Consumption at Dormitory Drive. Dean Referral.
09/24/16 at 1159 hrs
Second Degree Rape at North Camppus. Prosecution Denied.
09/24/16 at 1910 hrs
Suspicious Persons at Concord Rd. Inactive.
09/25/16 at 0040 hrs
Suspicious Odor at Patterson Ct. Circle. Further Investigation.
09/25/16 at 0040 hrs
Underage Consumption at Dormitory Drive. Dean Referral.
09/25/16 at 0120 hrs
Underage Consumption at Patterson Ct. Circle. Dean Referral.
families,” a simple misdemeanor can land anyone a one way ticket out of the US. Deportation has taken a toll on the US itself, not just those deported. In the past 25 years, 25 million undocumented migrants have been deported. Since 1986 the US has spent $186 billion on deportations, and $18 billion alone in 2012. Kanstroom closed by talking about what deportation and immigration may look like going into the next presidency. Regardless of who is elected, he says it will be impossible to deport the 11-12 million undocumented immigrants currently in the country. Rounding them up and deporting them would cost approximately $300$400 billion. He suspects we will see increased
detentions, expedited removal, and an overall deformalization of the process. Additional paths to naturalization may be a possibility. Studies show Americans are more sympathetic to naturalizing illegals if they have lived in the country for longer and raised families. Kanstroom has dedicated much of his life to helping the undocumented and pushing for immigration reform. He founded the Post-Deportation Human Rights Project in 2006. The project gives legal counsel and aid to immigrants under threat of deportation and their families. Kanstroom explains, “This is not charity. We are doing this for us. [Because] they are us, and we are them.”
Lecture Series Educates on Deportation Issues in the US
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ETHAN EHRENHAFT Staff Writer
o help spread awareness of deportation issues, the Latin American Studies Department, along with several other academic and student organizations, hosted the first in a series of Immigration “Teach-Ins.” According to Professor Matt Samson of the Anthropology Department, the “Teach-Ins” will be “a series of irregular events held at irregular times throughout the year” meant to engage students on the topic of immigration in the United States. Future events in the series include film screenings and a possible trip to a Georgia deportation center. As part of the series, on Thursday, September 22, Davidson hosted a lecture by Professor Daniel Kanstroom, a nationally renowned expert on deportation. Kanstroom, who currently teaches as Boston College and runs its Center for Human Rights and International Justice, delivered a powerful talk on what he calls “the formidable machinery of deportation” in America. He was introduced by Davidson’s own Professor Rebeca Fernandez, who specializes in teaching writing to multilingual and novice writers at Davidson. Professor Fernandez has a personal connection to Kanstroom, who helped her become a naturalized citizen after realizing a Cuban passport and green card would not provide a secure future living in the US. The lecture was broken down into examining historical deportations policies, their current impact, and the future of deportation, especially with regards to the presidential election. Kanstroom began his talk by speaking of the unique position of America as a “nation of immigrants.” Immigration is at the core of American mythology from Ellis to Angel Island, and yet deportation has always lain right alongside it. Kanstroom spoke of the devastating impact the
Supreme Court’s decision on Chinese immigration cases in the late 1800s still have on undocumented migrants today. He especially made reference to Chae Chan Ping v. United States (1889). Thanks to this case and others like it, the Court decided that illegal immigrants lack Constitutional rights while in the US. Even today, detained, undocumented residents have no right to bail or to an attorney. “A lot of people put in detention are held for months at a time with very little legal access” said Professor Samson. According to Kanstroom, since the late 1980s immigration policy in the US has “undertaken a radical unprecedented social experiment, with massive harsh deportation enforcement.” More than anything, he spoke of the human toll deportation has on immigrants. Between 1997-2007 more than 100,000 undocumented parents of children born on US soil have been deported. “A lot of people want to talk about family values in the United States. These deportation policies end up dividing families,” says Samson. Parents aren’t the only group being deported in the masses. Since around 2013, there has been a massive influx of youth from Central America seeking the safety from gang warfare and drug cartels. 7,000 minors from such countries were sent back south in 2015. The violence they returned to is astonishing. Guatemala has roughly 5,000 murders per year in a population of 15 million. Kanstroom told the audience of how he was in Guatemala during President Obama’s first election. He worked with children, many of whom wished to move up north. He said he told them he was hopeful that immigration reform would occur. It did not. Obama failed to make it a priority during his first term and continued many of the mass deportation policies of his immediate predecessor. While the Obama administration’s deportation policy has been to target “felons not
living davidson
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September 28, 2016
Students Respond to Ambiguities of Sculpture “You”
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DEANNA GRAYSON, MARINA SHALLCROSS, GRACE LEONHARDT STAFF WRITERS
eanna: On a busy Wednesday afternoon, students scurry back and forth from class to the library while a sculpture nearby hangs inert. In its stillness, the sculpture “You” by Antony Gormley is almost comical. Nobody ever stands still at Davidson. And if we do, we feel immense shame. This sculpture could be seen as an object that has nothing to do with us. The sculpture is, if anything, a subject of mockery. Furthermore, the sculpture is completely vulnerable to the natural environment. Its existence outside exposes it to the dangers of weather changes, temperature changes and chemical changes. We can see evidence of the natural world’s impact on the sculpture through the colorful marks that bleed down the surface of the body, never intercepted. These marks are likely from the interaction of the material with the outside air, and therefore emphasize the sculpture’s helplessness and position as a victim of circumstance. For many of us, the kind of stillness and vulnerability expressed in the sculpture “You” is our worst nightmare. We live in a world focused on control. We must control everything, from our family lives to our grades to our social media pages. We must never be vulnerable and, as mentioned before, we must always be moving. “That is not me,” we think as we pass by and turn our noses up at the sculpture. But really, we are “You.” We are just as vulnerable as this sculpture. We can construct our lives any way we want, but we will always be victims
to luck, chance, and random temperament of the natural world. We can sprint, scurry and scamper away, but we are inevitably forced to stand still, figuratively and sometimes literally, as we confront unforeseen circumstances. Marina: With a slouched and unassuming posture that reflects more despondency than cowardice, I feel as though this slender, enigmatic figure, “You”, explores the idea of normalcy in every aspect of life and how it has created standards and molds for all that we do. The figure represented in “You” is undoubtedly human, but his limbs are attached to his body which make him appear more amorphous and nondescript, as though he has been squeezed into these molds so many times that it has robbed him of his personal identity; all that he has left is the vague shape of his body something that he can never escape. “You” to me also seems to illustrate how we often times have to conceal our raw, authentic selves from those around us, and this action is consequently detrimental as we are forced to internalize many influential circumstances that shaped who we are and how we identify ourselves. As a result, we present a shell of ourselves to the world around us and cultivate a different persona for others. “You” encompasses a contemplative nature; it is simultaneously self-effacing and striking as I pass it on my way to the library each day, and I appreciate how it is a constant in our fast-paced lives at Davidson that is able to encapsulate a myriad of thought and emotion. Grace: On my first day as a first-year student, I was sitting on one of those green Adirondack chairs enjoying my arrival at Davidson, when I suddenly saw the statue “You” by Antony Gormley. I no-
ticed the figure and had to get closer out of sheer curiosity. I wanted to see the face of this figure and understand its stance. I believe this would be the first reaction that Gormley would have wanted from a passerby: to get close, notice the face, the title of the piece. Only by getting close could more details about this statue be uncovered. It was then that I noticed my favorite aspect of the piece—the material used. The iron creates a dripping effect that expresses the figure’s inwardness that is further outlined by soft creases in the body’s shape. The drips are also reminiscent of all the times this figure stood in the rain. The second time I saw this statue was the same day as I left the library at night. I looked out into the dark and the statue’s non-human but also clearly human outline scared me. I think this is the second reaction that Gormley would have liked to see from a passerby. A figure in the night is initially frightening, but when paired with the title “You” is also powerfully personal and lonely. At night, the face is not meant to be studied, but the small huddled humanity of the metal is. The statue had managed to provoke two drastically different feelings out of me in a single day, leaving me to reflect on my own feelings of inwardness and loneliness that I felt on my first day of college.
Gormley, Antony. You, 2006. Sculpture. Davidson College. Photograph by Bill Giduz Gift of President Emeritus Robert Vagt ’69 and Ruth Anne Vagt in honor of their daughters Ashley Vagt Buford ’94 and Lindsey Vagt ’01
Peace Fest Photograph by Jose Balcazar ‘19
Sponsored by Better Together, students celebrated the International Day of Peace on September 21 by foldng 1,000 paper cranes, listening to music, and sharing baked goods.
THE CHEW 2.12 Pumpkin Pudding Mary Porter Adapted from RachelRay.com Makes 6 Servings Courtesy Photo
Materials 1 8-inch baking dish 1 Roasting Pan 1 Whisk Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
20 ounces pumpkin (or butternut squash) puree 1 14 ounce can coconut milk 4 eggs 1/2 cup pure maple syrup Whipped cream Cinnamon, to taste
Directions 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 2. Blend or whisk squash, coconut milk, eggs and syrup. 3. Pour into 8-inch baking dish. Put dish in roasting pan; pour boiling water halfway up dish to make water bath. 4. Bake, 1 hour. Top with cream and cinnamon.
Want your favorite recipe featured? Email editor Mary Porter at maporter@davidson.edu to get involved!
perspectives Soufeast Perspective JADE POLLY “To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.” - James Baldwin
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ast week, two more people who looked like me were murdered, in Charlotte, North Carolina and Tulsa, Oklahoma. One was disabled and the other was a loving father. Last week, a child was assaulted, brutalized, and pepper sprayed by a police officer for refusing help after getting in a bicycle accident. She was only 15. She looked like my little sister. Last week, I went home because my health was not in a good state. I went home to realize Davidson was not my reality. I went home to Soufeast, D.C., where I have to say “be safe” after every ending conversation and and a hopeful "see you later" rather than "goodbye" because it's dangerous to live as a black person in our society. Last week, a friend of mine was killed in a Soufeast shooting. He was a hard-working father, scholar, and athlete. He
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planned to attend college in the Spring. Last week, I was told to put “academics over health.” A phrase that remains foreign to me. A phrase that will never be meant for me. Being at Davidson, I have realized that self-care and self-love was not meant for my kind. How can we take care of ourselves when every day a black person goes missing? When we have to work ten times as hard just to make it clear that we deserve to be here? How can we learn to love ourselves when everyone else tells us not to? When society makes us feel worthless? When we are burdened with a black target on our backs? Last week, I realized that I was living in two different worlds - one of possibility (Davidson) and one of struggle (Soufeast). I came to the conclusion that my being at Davidson
was not going to change what happens when I return home. My being here did not make me worth more than my next door neighbors. Also, I noticed that my being home did not take me out of the struggle. My being there did not prevent my friends being murdered. It didn’t prevent anything. My blackness never changes no matter which state I’m in. I went home, and I cried. I cried because the Davidson community does not understand the different black perspectives. In some cases, they are not obligated to. Many
Last week, two more people who looked like me were murdered, in Charlotte, North Carolina and Tulsa, Oklahoma.
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Davidson students go back home to two parents, a house, cars, no financial worries, and privilege. I go home to living in an apartment, where rent is a constant worry every month. I go home to my hard-working parents who have to pay for my medical expenses, while they try to fulfill my desires. I truly appreciate you both Mom and Dad. I go home on breaks not to go on vacations like some of my fellow classmates, but to work in retail. I say all of this because my reality is different than the average, white Davidson student that this college was created for. The trauma of being black and living black and watching black bodies be killed off, while being an African-American Davidson student is not easy, but I am proud to be an African-American at Davidson College. Jade Polly, '19, is an Africana Studies major from Washington, D.C. Contact her at japolly@davidson.edu
Redefining Republicanism: from Trump to freedom XAN STODDARD
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he Davidson College Republicans have voted not to endorse Donald Trump for President of the United States. I am incredibly relieved. Last week, Grace Woodward and Beth Wright wrote an article for the Perspectives section of the Davidsonian, titled “Redefining Republicanism in 2016”. They mention that the Republican Party “must grow stronger by becoming more dynamic and inclusive to reflect the world that we live in today.” I am not a “traditional Republican.” I do not believe in expanding wars. I do not believe in spying on Muslims. I do not believe in keeping marijuana illegal. I certainly do not believe in letting the government discriminate between citizens based on circumstances beyond their control, such as their skin color or innate sexual orientation. I am not even a registered Republican and have never voted for a Republican presidential candidate. Instead, I am a liberal. No, not a modern liberal. I do not align with the Democratic Party ideology. Rather, I am a classical liberal, which means that I believe that liberty should be the guiding objective in politics. It should dictate how the government considers all policy, especially related to citizens’ personal lives. Individuals should have full autonomy over the decisions that they make, provided that those decisions do not infringe upon the rights of other individuals. The Republican Party is increasingly fragmented and seems unable to adjust to dynamic trends in society, such as a growing push for LGBT rights and drug decriminalization. The
traditional Republican Party has rejected these societal changes for decades, causing a decline in its success. As Grace and Beth point out, the Republican Party must redefine its image in order to improve its reputation and experience more success in elections. Specifically, the party must become more [classically] liberal. By this, I do not suggest that it become more left-wing. It does not have to forego free trade, gun rights, or even a costly military. Instead, it must unify all of its divergent branches and sub-platforms (Tea Party Republican, constitutional conser vative, neoconser vative, and so on) with one core principle: individual liberty. Often, the Republican Party attempts to align itself with the ideology of liberty. However, some of its own platforms contradict the goal of liberty, for example: mass incarceration of peaceful African-Americans, unsuccessful wars on drugs and terror, and a problematic characterization of marriage between “one man and one woman”. I am not implying that all individuals who identify with the Republican Party are irrationally racist, militant, or logical, but the entire
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The Republican Party is increasingly fragmented and seems unable to adjust to dynamic trends in society, such as a growing push for LGBT rights and drug decriminalization.
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party is characterized in this way. Thus, in my view, the only solution for the Republican Party is to embrace liberty as its primary objective. It bothers me when I hear Davidson College’s student body characterized as "liberal." When I have asked left-wing students why they align with that ideology, they often mumble something like “I’m not a racist” or “I support gays.” So, if the Republican Party redefined itself by becoming unconditionally tolerant of all races and all sexual orientations, it would almost certainly gain more traction on our campus and prevent our college from “leaning to the left.” Political controversies in the United States seem to be focused less on social issues and much more on economic issues. In the past ten years, our nation has changed in a way such that over half of the electorate now supports same-sex marriage. Roughly 58% of people want to see a nation with legalized marijuana. Is it possible for the Republican Party to consider these dynamic trends while still holding true to its ideals of fiscal conservatism and limited government? Yes. Just because you believe in cutting tax-
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es does not mean that you hate minorities. Just because you believe that the Second Amendment implies unbounded access to guns does not make you a misogynist. A redefined Republican Party should advocate individual rights as its primary dogma. Cut taxes, but expand the opportunities for hard-working immigrants to help our country. Balance the budget, but do so by removing our unjust and financially costly system of mass incarceration. Donald Trump brings out the very worst in the Republican Party. In a few concise terms, I view him as a bigot, a misanthrope, an egomaniac, and, if elected, an overwhelming threat to global stability. As Grace and Beth write, if he is elected, “it will be the end of the Republican party…” I sympathize with conservatives who want to make our nation a freer and happier place to live but hate being in the same political party as Donald Trump. I am one of these conservatives. I will be voting for Gary Johnson on November 8. I am skeptical of Hillary Clinton and far more averse to Donald Trump and will not forfeit my personal ideology by voting for the “lesser of two evils.” “He’s not gonna win, Xan.” I acknowledge that Gary Johnson is not likely to become president during this election. Perhaps we would not need Gary Johnsons if the Republican Party tried to accommodate people like me. *http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/ do-people-support-legalizing-marijuana-223928 Xan Stoddard, '17, is a Mathematics major from Hillsborough, California. Contact him at xastoddard@davidson.edu
The Craig issue Basketball Player Still Thinks the Football Coach Was Recruiting Him Ironically
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Escape! Union Board Fugitives Engage in Fight with Feds After Last Week’s Rigged Trivia Scandal
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Survey Reveals that 77% of Davidson Students are “The Best” at Beer Pong, 98% Are “Really Good”
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Black Hole Inadvertently Created After A Davidson Political Science Professor Votes Republican
Outrageously Broken Buzzfeed Quiz Claims President Quillen is a Hufflepuff Sources from within the Quillen household have confirmed that a Buzzfeed quiz taken by President Quillen to determine “Which Harry Potter House Are You” wildly and incorrectly placed the Davidson College President in Hufflepuff. The event, which has been described by some as a “mathematical impossibility,” is said to have occurred late last Thursday night. “What the hell? That’s like the worst one,” President Quillen is said to have mumbled to herself, before closing the browser window and clearing her history. “Some sorting hat you are.” “Everyone knows that Buzzfeed quizzes are renowned for their accuracy, especially those of the Harry Potter variety,” commented Professor David Williams of the Davidson College Mathematics and Computer Science Department. “The brief yet in depth series of questions deployed by the quiz is de-
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Each Rendition of “Moonlight Sontata” On Union Piano Better and More Wanted Than the Last
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Professor’s Wacky Tacky Wardrobe Betrays Nihilistic Personal Beliefs
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Missing Summit Orders Being Stolen by Poltergeist
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“What the hell? That’s like the worst one,’ President Quillen is said to have mumbled to herself before closing the browser window and clearing her history. ‘Some sorting hat you are.” signed to generate a personality profile of the user that shows their true self. Well, clearly something went wrong with the programming here. Unless she actually answered that “when confronted with danger,” her natural reaction is to “cower away and hide,” then receiving the rank of Hufflepuff is a nearly impossible task.” According to the report, this is the first time that President Quillen has received a faulty result on such a Buzzfeed quiz. Last March, she is said to have gotten the result “Tyrion” on a Game of Thrones quiz, which she was apparently “fairly satisfied with.” Other quizzes have also yielded similarly shareable results. This event, however, stands out as the only one that was not worthy of posting to Facebook. “Considering the significant amount of minutes one puts into completing a quiz, it is always disappointing when the end result is not one that reflects the user in a positive light,” continued Professor Williams. “This end result stings even more, however, as the results are not only incorrect, they are insulting. I think it is fair to assume that many of us will take caution the next time we partake in a such a test.”
Freshman is Definitely Not Disappointed He Did Not Get Into an Ivy League School Davidson College freshman and prospective member of the ultimate Frisbee team Alex Daniels is definitely not disappointed that he is not attending an Ivy League school this Fall. “Honestly, at the end of the day, Davidson is just way more up my alley,” said Daniels, his lip quivering and a single tear appearing in the corner of his eye. “Like, my Dad gave me this cool, old Yale banner from when he went there, but who needs it, ya know? I can just run over to the bookstore and grab some new Davidson garb for my dorm room. No problem. This is exactly what I wanted.” Daniels was reportedly seen feigning to throw away the Yale banner before stealthy placing it back into a drawer in his desk. “Harvard of the South, that’s what they say. Forbes doesn’t lie. Besides what’s so important about getting your first choice anyway? Tenth choices can be just as good, maybe even better.” “Proudly sporting a new ‘Go Proudly sporting a new Cats’ sticker on the back of his “Go Cats” sticker on the back of his laptop, Daniels is laptop, Daniels is said to be said to be constantly searchconstantly searching for ing for transfer applications “ironically” and “as a joke.” transfer applications ‘ironi“I love it here guys, serically’ and ‘as a joke.” ously. I just think its funny to look up how the hell to get out of here. Just as a joke though, as if anyone would seriously consider leaving,” Daniels said to his roommate who was doing homework with headphones on. “By the way, do you think these stickers can come off? I’m just wondering.” “He’s always giving me a thumbs up, like, constantly,” said Daniel’s classmate Becky Hannaman. “It’s every single time we make eye contact. Then he’ll point to the Davidson logo on his shirt and start nodding his head vigorously. Sometimes he’ll turn his laptop around to me and it will be open to the Yale website. That’s when he starts shaking his head back and forth and crossing his arms in an ‘X’ formation.” At press time, Daniels was seen by his hallmates listening to “Behind Blue Eyes” in the Belk lounge whilst smiling as widely and vibrantly as he could.
Sudden Vacancy of Window Booth in Summit Causes Student-Faculty Stampede A stampede of Davidson students, faculty and off-duty Summit staff is said to have occurred at Common hour last Tuesday following the sudden and unexpected vacancy of the coveted “window booth.” Dozens of injuries resulted from the event, many of which were supposedly “kale-related.” The booth, which according to reports was occupied by a single student prior to the stampede, is widely regarded as the single greatest place to sit on campus. “I was just doing my work, minding my own business. And then I heard it,” reflected Grace Mackey ‘17, one of the students that had participated in the rush for the booth. “It was quiet at first, just the ruffling of papers, the tinkling of two plates being stacked. But once I heard the zipping of a backpack, instinct took over. Naturally, I had been keeping an eye on the booth since I walked in. It was my chance.” Mackey is said to be have been one of many that intently watched the student rise from the
“I was just doing my work, minding my own buisness. And then I heard it. It was quiet at first, just the ruffling of papers... But once I heard the zipping of a backpack, instinct took over.”
bench and collect her things while the entire population of Summit Coffee fell into an spellbound silence. “It was powerful, the kind of moment where the baristas stop working and the cooks poke their head out of the kitchen. Everyone was holding their breath,” said Professor Stewart Bill, one of those whose gaze was locked on the seat. “It’s the moment you spend weeks waiting for, and finally a student dumb enough to give up prime seating at Common Hour. What an idiot.” The crowd is said to have waited for the moment when the student’s backpack left the seat before bounding towards the booth. Mackey, Bill, and others instinctually threw their kale salads at each other in order to secure a spot, an approach that resulted in the temporary blindness of several Summit-goers. The stampede came to an abrupt end when a lucky freshman exited the bathroom and secured the booth for himself.
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Football Looks to Continue Upward Trend JACOB MARGOLIS
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Staff Writer
avidson football hasn’t won more thanthree games since 2011. However, this young and talented 2016 team has a chance to match that in a four game stretch (@ Kentucky Wesleyan, Livingstone, @Valparaiso, Stetson). Three of those games have already been played including the games against Kentucky Wesleyan and Livingstone. The cats won those two games by an average of 20 points. Their recent two game winning streak is probably one of the better stretches Davidson Football has played since coach Paul Nichols took over in 2012. When Nichols took the head coaching job he faced a total rebuild, a mountainous task. It is apparent that he and his staff have done an admirable job to climb that mountain. Each season under his tenure has been an improvement on the last. His first year the team failed to win a game then in his second season, the Cats won one game. In his third season Nichols and the Wildcats won two games and finished tied for eighth in the Pioneer Football League (the best finish during his time). Now in Nichols’ fourth season real improvement
is being witnessed. The team already has two dominant victories and played extremely tough against a powerhouse Georgetown team, who currently hold a 3-0 record. This week the team travelled to northwest Indiana to face Valparaiso, a Pioneer Football League opponent. The game was a nail bitter that Davidson failed to win and lost by a score of 24-20.
and this team, as well as future teams that Nichols will coach, are fighters. Davidson Football still has a long way to go if it intends to contend for a spot in the FCS playoffs but it is clear that the college has the right man leading the charge. Paul Nichols is a phenomenal coach who will continue to improve this program, year-by-year and gameby-game.
Silver Lining
What Went Wrong
To despair over this loss would be a mistake however. This game illustrated how far the program has come under Paul Nichols’ tenure. The fact that the team challenged a conference opponent on the road and almost escaped with a victory is a great sign. It’s always tough to find silver linings in losses, especially heartbreakers like this one. Regardless, Quarterback Taylor Mitchell noted, “the team played hard and fought until the end. There never was a moment when the team rolled over.” It is language like this that has to make a Davidson Football fan feel optimistic not just about the future but about the rest of this season as well. A team usually displays the character of its coach. If this holds true for Davidson then Paul Nichols is a tough, persistent competitor and coach. Nichols
Boo Jordan ‘17 fights off a lineman to make the tackle. Photo by Valpo Athletics
As is the case in any sport with a losing effort there are always areas where a team can improve. Talking with Taylor Mitchell shed some light on where the team lost the game and how the team can improve. First thing first, execution is key. Mitchell stated that the, “team just needs to focus on cleaning up execution errors. If [the team] execute[s] to the best of [its] ability and clean[s] up the pre snap penalties, [the team] will be able to have success.” The other area that is critical to the success of the team is finishing drives. To this
extent Mitchell said, “[the team wasn’t] able to finish drives in the first half and execute the entire game.” It is clear that with some practice and emphasis this week the team will attack the areas stated and come out ready to excel this weekend.
Looking Ahead
Davidson faces Stetson this weekend in a game many consider almost a pure toss-up. Either team can win; therefore Davidson must come out at its best and play tough, something that shouldn’t be an issue with a coach like Paul Nichols at the helm. Mitchell echoes this sentiment when he says that, “if [the team] can play a solid game for all 60 minutes, [the team] will be in a great position to win this week’s game.” It is also important to note that this game is a home game. Home field advantage can play a massive role in the outcome of a college football game, so the Cats need all the support they can get as they hope to nab their third victory of the season.
Want free tickets to the Renaissance Festival? Email emjohnson@davidson.edu!
Pragnell Dreaming Big in Final Season WILL JONES
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Staff Writer
had the pleasure of sitting down with Max Pragnell and discussing his career and plans for the future. Pragnell is Senior Captain and Striker for the Men’s Soccer team. As the team’s leading scorer, he has posted 3 goals along with an assist in 6 games this season. He is a senior psychology major from Kingston, Jamaica. He will lead the men next in their conference opener at the University of Rhode Island on October 1. When you were younger and growing up, what led you to choose soccer? I know it’s a popular sport down there. I guess in my family my brothers were avid soccer supporters and I just grew up around it, you know, in Jamaica and England. It’s just part of the culture; it’s a little different from the States. They’re catching on here, but I guess just always being around it I fell in love at an early age. Did you play any other sports when you were younger? I also played rugby, cricket, and track and field. I was a sprinter. This is when I was much younger. I was never really exposed to the American sports like basketball, baseball, that sort of thing. What led you to choose soccer over the others? Well, both of my brothers growing up were really into soccer, so naturally I got into it just from growing up around them. Not to mention it’s also the most popular sport in Jamaica by far. Did you realize from an early age that you had the potential to go places with soccer, like playing college in America or even going pro? I mean there always was, and I still have an ambition to play pro. I played in England for a little bit, checked out the Academy scene, but the way it works in England, if you decide to go that route, you’re very much saying goodbye to your academics. It’s almost as if they expect you to invest your whole life into soccer without academics, so coming here was a perfect solution for that. Can have a good education as well as playing at a top level in the sport.
How do you describe your progression as an athlete over the course of your career at Davidson? Was there a lot of pressure being a recruit from a different country where soccer is the national pastime? Well, our recruiting class coming in was a little unique in that there were only 4 of us; only two now, one transferred and the other one left the team. As far as pressure, I wouldn’t say I felt much. I typically don’t, really. I don’t tend to put pressure on myself in athletic events. I’ve been a part of the starting 11 pretty much since I came in, which was nice. One of the reasons I chose Davidson was playing time, actually. I looked around at Wake Forest and some other big schools, but ultimately the decision came down to academics as well as playing time. I’ve been very fortunate to be a part of the starting eleven here at Davidson, but I have tried not to put pressure on myself.
Have you seen a progression in your skill set since you came here? I’ve changed positions a tiny bit based on what the squad needed, but I would say that I have definitely improved over the last few years. I was recruited as a forward, and then started last year and a little bit of the year before as an attacking [midfielder], and then this year I’m playing sole striker by myself, so it’s a little bit of a change.
So the team goal is to do as well as you can there? What do you guys think you are capable of doing there? Well, yeah. Owing to the nature of the knockout tournament in the A10, anyone can take it away. We’re not really trying to let our tough start of the season get to us. We’re trying to really give it our all in practice and focus on the tournament at the end of the year. Winning the title would absolutely be the dream. What about your personal goals? As senior captain, what are you trying to accomplish this season? I’d say my role has become more of a goal-scorer this year. At this point in the season [1-5 at the time of this interview], we’ve only had two goal-scorers, so a lot of weight has come, understandably, on my shoulders as the striker. One of my goals is definitely to score more for the team this season, game in and game out. You said earlier that it was your dream as a kid growing up to go professional. Is that still on your mind as a post-collegiate goal?
Oh very much so. I had a little stint with the Columbus Crew [Professional MLS club] over this summer. It was only for about a week before I began another internship. The main priority right now is the season at hand and then we’ll see what happens from there. I might go in for a few tryouts and see how it goes. And if not, even though it’s been a long-time dream, but I won’t be bummed; I won’t regret not being able to go pro. What about academically? You’re graduating soon, what else are you thinking about potentially doing after college career-wise? Even though I’m a psychology major, I really don’t have much ambition to go to grad school to study psychology at least. As of right now, I have a tentative offer at an insurance agency in Chicago which will be interesting but I have to clear a lot of Visa stuff before that happens. But as of now, if soccer doesn’t work out, I’d like to go into the insurance world, which is what my dad does. I might also consider business school in the distant future as a possibility.
Are there any defining moments in your career here so far that stand out to you? My sophomore year in particular, we had a pretty good season. The game that really comes to mind is the game we played against UVA (University of Virginia), when we were ranked #20 in the nation at that time and they were ranked #1. We beat them over at their place which was a pretty big deal. It was one of those early season out of conference games. Sophomore year was definitely a real highlight. This year we’ve had a bit of a struggle towards the start, but we’re really trying to put our emphasis on the A10 tournament at the end of the school year, even more so now that we’re hosting it. Davidson fell to Appalachian State 2-1 on September 24. Photo by Abby Miller
THE DAVIDSONIAN Men’s Soccer Gearing up For Conference Play See Page 7
Max Pragnell ’17 Photo by Jane Campbell
September 28, 2016