The Reveille 3-19-26

WHO’S NEXT?

Student Govenment elections are open Thursday and Friday. Learn more about the candidates and their policies.

Read on page 2

MEET THE CANDIDATES

BY MORGAN VANNOSDALL Staff Writer

Getting to know the candidates

Lê is a computer science junior and an international student from Vietnam. He is currently a student worker for the Honors College and LSU AgCenter. He is also doing research within his respective department, the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

His running mate Tisdale is a chemistry junior from Austin, Texas.

He is currently a member of Bridge LSU, a student group that aims to bridge partisan division through conversation, and is the president of the Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society at LSU.

Purpose

Lê said they decided to run because he lost in fantasy football. An untraditional approach, he went

to Tisdale and the two thought it would be a fun way to engage with students.

From their perspective, they feel LSU is doing a lot of things right and their goal would be to “carry on that momentum,” if elected.

“There’s been a lot of drama in Student Government in recent years, and that’s not productive for a student body,” Tisdale said. “What’s happening in the drama decreases

BY JORJA ETHRIDGE Staff Writer

Getting to know the candidates

Tyhlar Holliway is a junior pursuing a dual degree in English and political science and minoring in Louisiana Service and Leadership research. She currently serves as the Student Government Senate Speaker Pro Tempore and chairs the rules committee. Through Student Government, Hol-

liway founded Custodian Appreciation Week. She is also director of the Food Recovery Network and chair of outreach for the Injustice Reform. She is an Honors College advocate and also participates in a gender and politics research lab.

Gabreyela Gonzalez, a chemical engineering junior minoring in chemistry, also currently serves in Student Government. She is the coordinator of campus affairs and sustainabil-

BY CADE SAVOY Deputy News Editor

Getting to know the candidates

Both active members of student organizations on campus, Benjamin and Anna Katherine say that they are passionate about leadership — and leading well.

Barousse is a junior finance major and a Covington native. He currently serves in Student Government as the

Getting to know the candidates

Jack Miller is a management junior and an active member of Phi Gamma Delta at LSU. He has served in multiple leadership roles in his fraternity, from being on the Judicial Board to being risk manager.

He is very active in the Christ the King Catholic Church on campus,

assistant director of finance, and he formerly served as the president of his fraternity, Tau Kappa Epsilon.

Barousse said that his experience in Student Government has inspired him to make LSU a better place for all students.

“I’ve seen a lot of areas where we can improve in Student Government, and just as a campus and university,” he explained. “But I’ve also seen a lot of the good that’s happened, and that’s

ity, chair of the Student Sustainability Fund and chair of the Latin Caucus. In addition to Student Government, Gonzalez is media chair of these four clubs: Society of Women Engineers, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronomics. She is a student worker in the Mass Spectrometry Facility. Gonzalez is also in LSU’s chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta

the actual legislative and executive productivity of the Student Government, and so I think we really focus on efficiency within Student Government.”

Goals

A shared goal between the two candidates is reducing the number of students accepted on LSU’s campus.

“I recognize that there’s actions

see CRAWFISH, page 3

and attends Christ the King Catholic Church.

Their campaign includes around 168 volunteers, staff and others supporting the ticket.

Purpose

Holliway said she and Gonzalez believe that their leadership should have heart behind everything they do. She said leaders should be servants who meet people’s needs.

see HEART, page 3

BY AIDAN ANTHAUME Staff Writer

Getting to know the candidates

Darion Frazier said he and Bellamin Miceli decided to run after noticing what he described as a growing disconnect between students and the institution meant to represent them.

“We’re truly running to bring the student body together,” Frazier said. “There’s been a divide among orga-

Sydney Hebert. Miller was also a member of the Student Senate and currently serves as the director of public policy.

Hebert is a biological engineering junior, who is currently serving as vice president of College of Engineering for SG’s College Council. She is an active member of Chi Omega where she has been on multiple committees such as marketing, recruitment and internal affairs. She is

inspired us to step in and take a leadership role on.”

Harrell is a junior psychology major from Baton Rouge, and she serves in Student Government as an assistant director of strategic communications.

Like Barousse, Harrell is involved in Greek life: she is an active member of her sorority, Kappa Delta.

Harrell said that her involvement with student organizations has empowered her to make a bid for vice

also a member of the Biological Engineering Student Organization and Tau Beta Pi, an engineering honor society.

Both candidates have served in every sector of the legislative and executive branch of SG. Combined they have served on the executive branch, college council and Senate, each having at least a year of experience within the branch.

“We’ve been able to see where the problems are and see where discon-

president.

“I recognized the power of student leadership and wanted to put myself out there because I recognized how much of a difference student initiatives and student leadership can make on campus,” she explained. “It is possible to make changes — however small or however big.”

Last election cycle, Barousse and Harrell supported different tickets.

see HOME, page 3

nects are, and see where the college council is not communicating with the Senate properly, how that can move easier, executive issues and stuff like that,” Hebert said. “I think that that knowledge and that basis to work on is something that I think is very unique to us and very special.”

Miller was issued a public reprimand by the SG University Court on Wednesday for neglecting a statu-

see ROOTED, page 3

nizations, a divide in communication and a divide in how students see Student Government working for them.”

He said their goal is to make SG more hands-on while focusing on initiatives that will reach beyond just their administration.

“I want to get back to doing really tangible things that are going to leave a lasting impact past just our term as president and vice president,” Frazier said.

Miceli said her experience observing and participating in SG during her time at LSU helped shape her vision for leadership.

“I have a huge passion for the executive branch,” Miceli said. “I think the president and vice president should be bringing that group together and helping them learn how to make events successful and do what students actually need.”

Their campaign includes roughly

110 to 115 volunteers, staff members and candidates supporting the ticket.

Purpose

At the heart of the campaign is a push to make students feel heard at such a large university, where many can feel overlooked.

“I think the biggest problem is students not feeling heard, or feeling like they’re being listened to but actions aren’t being taken,” Frazier said.

see TOGETHER, page 3

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CRAWFISH CAMPAIGN

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being taken with the ACT scores not being optional anymore, and all of the increasingly rigorous requirements. But then you have to kind of allow the infrastructure to catch up,” Lê said.

Lê noted that he feels the dorms and infrastructure must be adapted to the number of students being admitted. He be-

lieves that there is a stress on the amount of applicants and qualities of the applicants, but there is less focus on the existing students.

He claims that the amount of students accepted is what is causing all the problems of parking and housing on campus, including scooters.

Tisdale spoke on another goal of theirs which he called,

“controlling the scooter epidemic.” The goal would be to find a home for the scooters that lay across campus. They also plan on finding ways to reduce the harm they feel scooters bring to campus.

“If we get elected, I feel like we could definitely get to having some conversations with the administrators to see what’s going on there and what adjustments

we need to make,” Lê said. Student outreach

The pair have been active on social media in preparation for their campaign. Their team is only made up of themselves and a campaign manager who helps run their social media.

They hope that their posts exemplify their commitment to being “bold, provocative, but

“We have this drive in us. We constantly seek out people and ask what they need,” Gonzalez said. “We’re not perfect. We’re still learning, but we are very knowledgeable due to all of the work and outreach we’ve already done.”

This campaign strives to uplift students and make sure they

feel heard. Holliway said she would ensure that students see SG as an approachable, active presence.

“I think too often we hear students say, ‘I don’t know what Student Government is doing, I don’t know how to apply for funding, I don’t know how to access resources.’ They feel excluded from Student Government when it is located in the heart of

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Baroussee was the deputy campaign manager for the Henderson–Layrisson campaign, while Harrell campaigned for the Forward: Foret & Tatman ticket.

But the candidates said that their experience working for different campaigns has broadened their horizons.

“We saw all of the best things

ROOTED, from page 2

duty in his current role as the director of public policy. The decision came after the Student Senate voted to have the court consider impeachment, which would’ve potentially barred Miller from appearing on the spring election ballot.

Purpose

Both candidates expressed

TOGETHER, from page 2

The pair says their campaign is rooted in the idea that SG should advocate more aggressively for student concerns when dealing with university leadership.

“It’s such a big university, but it’s also a small community,” Miceli said. “Some students don’t feel at home here, and we

about those tickets and all of the spots where they maybe could have been better,” Barousse said. “So we thought we should come together and make a campaign that encompasses all of the good and run a good campaign.”

Goals

Enhancing representation

Barousse said the biggest mistake student leaders can make is to think that they are doing every-

our campus,” Holliway said. Holliway and Gonzalez want SG to be a resource hub.

Goals

HEART is an acronym for Holliway and Gonzalez’s policies which are to hear every voice, empower student success, accessibility and well being, resources and recognition and tiger unity.

Should Holliway and Gon-

thing correctly.

In an effort to allow student organizations to voice their concerns to SG, the Barousse–Harrell ticket supports creating a “president’s cabinet” — a collection of student leaders across campus who advise SG representatives on issues pertinent to their organizations.

“We think that having a unified spot to hear organizations

the goal of uniting the student body and using these positions to serve them, which Miller said is what he feels SG was founded on.

Miller expressed that it was a long process when deciding to run. Miller and Hebert both felt they wanted to do their part to support and uplift the student body.

“The decision was ultimately

made through real conversation and discernment and prayer with students across campus, which is ultimately how we reached the decision to be in the position that we’re in now,” Miller said.

If elected, Miller said it would allow them to give back and serve their community. They plan on implementing policies that would improve students’ day-to-day life.

want to create more communication and more community so everyone feels included.”

Goals

One of the campaign’s central proposals is a “Know Before You Enroll” initiative, which would create a syllabus bank allowing students to see course expectations before registering. Under the proposal, professors would submit syllabi at

least 10 days before the registration period opens, giving students a clearer understanding of coursework and requirements.

“This would give students an ample amount of time to decide whether or not they want to take the course requirements of the course they’re about to register for,” Frazier said.

Another policy is a “Work It Off” parking program that

zalez win, they would establish a an SG summit. Every student organization on campus could come and voice key concerns.

Gonzalez added that they would conduct interviews in the quad to learn what issues students are facing at the time.

Holliway and Gonzalez want to ensure students on a pre-profession track such as pre-

see HEART, page 4

and how we can serve them is a huge step in the right direction,” Barousse explained.

Harrell added that, if elected, the Barousse–Harrell ticket would work to encourage more students to join SG.

“We would not only make a space for every organization, but we want to expand involvement in

They have goals of creating need-based scholarships and implementing different policies in regard to students’ education. Herbert was called and asked to be a part of SG last year. She said she was not fully aware of the process and felt “it was really intimidating.” Her goals are to make the process more trans-

would allow students to perform community service in Baton Rouge or on campus to remove up to two parking citations per semester.

Frazier said the policy aims to provide an alternative for students who struggle to pay fines while encouraging community involvement.

The ticket is also advo -

TOGETHER, page 4 see HOME, page 4 see CRAWFISH, page 4 see ROOTED, page 4

CRAWFISH CAMPAIGN

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fun” with memes and edits that the average student can communicate with.

Along with official communications, they hope to include more palatable forms of communication such as memes, ads and format posts relating to their initiatives.

law or pre-med feel prepared as they take the next steps in their academic journeys. They would promote preprofession Moodle pages that include flow charts, timelines and internship opportunities.

Gonzalez thinks one of the biggest issues students face is the potholes on and around campus. She said they want to conduct pothole surveys

HOME CAMPAIGN

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Student Government because there’s vacancies in positions throughout the year,” he said. “We want them to feel like they’re not just voicing their concerns but actually making the change too.”

Barousse and Harrell also outlined several policy proposals aimed at making campus more accessible for students.

Barousse was particularly enthusiastic about his campaign’s proposal to partner with Parking and Transpor-

Although their ticket is small, the pair stated that they would increase the search to expand their ticket if elected.

“We are confident that, if we were elected, that we could network and

parent and approachable.

“When I reflect on it, I am running because I think that all the leadership on campus should be grounded in honesty and integrity. Hearing students’ voices and turning that into meaningful action, and just leading with a servant’s heart,” Herbert said.

Policies

They have outlined their policies as the “Every Tiger Agenda,” with the goal to represent all types of students.

One policy Hebert pushed for in

HEART CAMPAIGN TOGETHER CAMPAIGN

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cating for an “AI Second Chance” policy addressing the growing number of academic integrity cases involving artificial intelligence.

The proposal would allow students who improperly used AI to submit an explanation and complete an educational course about responsible AI use before facing harsher disciplinary action.

“AI isn’t going anywhere,” Fra-

every semester with students, faculty and staff and work closely with maintenance to address this issue.

In addition to expanding access to academic and professional resources, Holliway and Gonzalez would also increase basic resources like water.

Both candidates are from Louisiana but recognize how intense the heat is, especially for students who are not from here. They want to implement more stations for students

find ourselves a cabinet among the existing Student Government members,” Tisdale said.

Lê-Tisdale’s message to students Tisdale noted that even if students prefer another ticket over them, they can vote for the Lê-Tisdale ticket as their second ballot.

tation Services to provide a $10 Uber voucher to all LSU students every Thursday to Sunday, from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m.

“In the past few years, there have been so many deaths from students crossing busy roads on campus and not having a ride,” he lamented. He explained that giving students a voucher would allow students to travel more safely.

Harrell also said that the campaign has reached out to LSU Disability Services to find ways to make campus more accessible for disabled students.

to refill water and add more shade around campus that could help during game days.

In terms of recognition, the HEART campaign wants to recognize heroes of LSU every month. Heroes include students, faculty, staff, or alumni who make an impact at LSU.

To maintain a united front, Holliway and Gonzalez want to have multicultural town halls. These would be spaces specifically for cultural orga-

“So that way, if we are your second vote, your favorite ticket would be pushed up, and your other unaffiliated tickets would be pushed down,” Tisdale said. “So we essentially serve as the rear guard, a bumper ticket.”

particular is enforcing Good Samaritan laws in dorms and on campus.

Their goal is also to increase Narcan access, and if a student was to report in good faith that there was an issue in their dorm, there would be no disciplinary action taken on the student or friend if seeking for help.

“I feel like there’s a lot of people, when you’re supposed to report to your RA if you have a problem, don’t because they’re scared of disciplinary infraction. So that’s a big thing I want to push for,” Hebert said.

Other policies include improving

“We are passionate about making campus better for visually impaired and hard-of-hearing students,” she said. “We want to be in touch with Disability Services, not only for blind and deaf students, but for neurodivergent students and all students with disabilities.”

As artificial intelligence continues to redefine education, the Barousse–Harrell ticket promises to use LSU’s AI Taskforce to protect students against wrongful plagiarism allegations.

“Let’s look at the current systems we’re using, like Turnitin, and look at

the Integrative Community Studies Program to allow more improvements for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

They also want to establish a multicultural affairs committee to ensure communication between SG and multicultural organizations.

Student outreach

Throughout their campaign they have been diligent in interacting with the student body. Miller stressed transparency with students and organizations through communication.

“They don’t know that we have

zier said. “We need a policy that addresses the growing use of it and gives students a chance to learn how to use it correctly.”

The campaign has also proposed preserving student traditions like restoring Unity Field as a tailgating space for students and hosting a senior celebration inside Tiger Stadium before graduation.

“We want students to know they have a fighter in us,” Frazier said. “If a door is closed, that’s not a per-

manent closure. We’re going to keep pushing it open to keep the conversation going.”

Student Outreach

The campaign has leaned heavily on social media and peer-to-peer outreach to connect with students during the election cycle, using Instagram to present policies in clear, digestible segments.

“Our biggest strategy has been being public-facing,” Frazier said. “We wanted people to see what

The campaign wants the students to know they are there for them and want to make this an enjoyable experience for students.

nizations or international groups to voice their concerns.

Outreach and message to students

Holliway and Gonzalez contacted many students through Instagram or LinkedIn, and they talked to student organizations. Gonzalez added that they know a lot of service-oriented students and reached out to them.

Holliway said the HEART campaign prioritized a diverse ticket. Their ticket includes students who

“We are the most entertaining ticket. And I think what better way to have students be passionate about improving on campus than having people who are fun and enjoyable at the top,” Tisdale said.

other campuses to see what they’re using if it’s working for them,” Barousse explained. “We also want a preliminary verification process before sending students to Student Advocacy and Accountability.”

He said that a preliminary verification process would help to build trust between professors and students — and minimize bureaucracy.

“With the backup [Student Advocacy & Accountability] is experiencing, this would be a good opportunity for students and teachers to figure things out without escalation,” he explained.

not only look different but also have different thoughts and perspectives.

“If we’re elected and have the honor and privilege of serving as president and vice president, you best believe we’re going to do the work to actually uphold those positions and make it known student government is here for students,” Holliway said.

Students can view HEART’s policies and updates on its campaign Instagram, @holliwaygonzalez26.

Message to students

Despite the chaos of the campaign trail, Barousse and Harrell are excited to engage with students and hear their ideas for how to make campus better.

“I loved hopping on the phone with people, not just to recruit but to hear people’s ideas and have a conversation with them who I wouldn’t have gotten to speak to prior to the campaign,” Harrell explained.

Barousse promised that, if elected, he would use his leadership experience to represent all students on campus to the best of his ability.

these hundreds of thousands of dollars that could go towards their organization. We have a legislative body that can enact real and positive change,” Miller said.

Both candidates have engaged with other organizations on campus to gain student perspective. They said they’re happy to reach out to different multicultural organizations and groups to hear feedback and learn what the students are looking for.

They currently have 106 members on their staff, including themselves and those not running for a position.

Message to students If elected as student body president and vice president, they encourage students to reach out to them and use their voices. They hope to instill an open-door policy, if elected.

They stressed their experience in various roles across student government and being able to attain many perspectives.

“We are people that the student body can go to, and we can advocate for change on their behalf and enact that change. That’s something that I think really sets us apart,” Miller said.

we’re talking about, why people are on our team and what our vision is for LSU.”

Beyond social media, the campaign has encouraged supporters to speak directly with classmates and organizations across campus.

“The best way to win elections is by talking to people,” Frazier said. “Letting people know what’s going on and what we’re trying to build.”

Frazier-Miceli’s message to students

“We’re not afraid to make people upset if it means getting things done,” Miceli said. “We have experience in leadership and planning, and we know the work that the position requires.”

Frazier said the campaign ultimately comes down to whether students feel represented.

“If students want to feel seen, heard and appreciated, we’re the ticket they should support,” Frazier said.

Abstinence preacher Sister Cindy’s return draws crowds

BY MIA HATTAWAY Staff Writer

Fire-and-brimstone preachers, DoorDash giveaways and student organizations constantly crowd Free Speech Alley, each vying for the attention of students passing by. This week, the plaza in front of the Union has attracted even more foot traffic with the arrival of internet sensation Cindy Smock, known as Sister Cindy.

Smock is an Evangelical preacher who gained notoriety on social media for delivering provocative sermons on college campuses. With over 39,000 Instagram followers and 415,000 TikTok follower, Smock is truly an online celebrity.

Since the early ‘80s, Smock has included LSU in her preaching tours. Having seen the campus through the years, she believes current students are more connected to their faith than those in the past.

“I’ve been here for a lot of decades,” Smock said. “I would say Gen Z is definitely my favorite generation; they’re a chosen generation. Many of them are coming to God. There’s already a revival going on at LSU.

This year, she had a three-day preaching residency from Monday through Wednesday at LSU, the longest duration she has spent on a

campus the entire semester.

Many students first learned of Smock’s visit from an Instagram post in which she announced that she would soon be on campus and shared her pet name for LSU.

“I really appreciate her using LSU’s government name: Louisiana Sluts University,” joked Xavier Deleon, 18, a freshman civil engineering major.

At noon, Smock strolled from Memorial Tower to Free Speech Alley, attracting the attention of many fans, one of whom even ran to take a selfie with the famed preacher.

“Please, Sister, I need to be saved,” one student called out as Smock began setting up for her four-hour sermon.

Starting off, Smock told her famous margarita anecdote, warning men to not “take an LSU girl out for Mexican” food because each margarita you buy her will bring a new level of sexual promiscuity.

LSU graduates and semi-retired physicist couple Woody and Corinne Courtney joined Smock as parody musicians over the threeday visit, often requesting that the crowd directly interact with calland-response commands.

Though the crowd was at first sparse, with only around 30 attendees upon her arrival, it only grew as Smock began speaking, many

drawn to join during their mid-day lunch breaks from school and work.

Students who left in the middle of her sermon to go to class were prompted by Smock to email their professors to be excused as they joined the Ho-No-Mo’ Revolution, as she has deemed the mass Christian movement that she leads.

“Be witness to the raw, uncut Sister Cindy slut-shaming show,” Smock said, urging the crowd to hoot and holler in excitement.

Monday was marked by a lesson in “ho-ology 101,” where students learned what exactly it means to be a ho.

Smock is known for rewarding enthusiasm, correct answers and confessions with signed pins. While explaining the “seven levels of honess,” Smock asked students who resonated with the various levels to share their experiences with the crowd.

The first level, referred to as “beau’s ho,” describes a woman who is tempted to have premarital sex with a committed partner. To this, sophomore psychology student Caitlyn Wynn, 19, decided to step forward and confess.

“I admitted to having a boyfriend, but we’re waiting for marriage,” Wynn said.

Smock, with a satisfied smile on her face, signed a pin for Wynn, in-

spiring the audience to cheer on the student’s sexual restraint from her boyfriend.

Sitting back down from the interaction, Wynn proudly adorned the pin on her sweatshirt, having withheld a certain personal detail in order to win the souvenir.

“I’m a lesbian,” Wynn said.

The next level is described as an “oopsie ho,” where someone plans to remain a virgin but accidentally has sexual intercourse. Level three is a “hookup ho,” a category which Smock believes many LSU students fit into.

“You can lead a ho to water, but you can’t make her drink,” she said.

Strippers and prostitutes are called “mega hos,” while those who have OnlyFans accounts are in a tier above, called “giga-hos.”

Singing a tune suited to these two levels, the Courtneys covered Joan Jett and the Blackhearts’ “I Hate Myself for Loving You,” with the hook rewritten as “I hate myself for loving porn.”

Rounding out the levels of honess is the “establishment ho,” who is usually older and “a bit dried up,” according to Smock. Such people wear flashy jewelry, or “ho chains,” to attract men.

Though Monday centered around Smock’s views on what makes a ho, Tuesday’s sermon fo -

cused on her personal experience as a “low, low ho” during her college years.

During her college years, Smock attended the University of Florida. Her central anecdote followed her meet cute with her late husband, Jed Smock. At the time, Smock was a “vampire ho” who attempted to seduce the young preacher visiting her campus from Indiana.

While her plan for seduction didn’t work, she decided to preach, moved by Jed’s passion for his faith. From then on, she was a “ho no mo.”

Wednesday’s sermon was a discussion about what life looks like as a “ho no mo’” and included an open Q&A where students could ask Smock questions about Christianity.

For several hours across the span of three days, students filtered in and out of the plaza, some claiming a front row seat to Smock’s preaching while others simply stopped by between classes to watch, take videos or cheer her on.

At LSU, Smock’s words transcended sermons — they became a spectacle. Throughout campus, students sported their Ho No Mo’ pins, posted their selfies with Sister Cindy and debated the ethics of ho-ing. “Hell is hot, don’t be a thot,” Smock said.

LESSONS ON

‘HO-OLOGY’

Sister Cindy returned to Free Speech Alley on March 16-18.

BY ALEXIS PERSICKE | DESIGN BY EMILY BOUDREAUX

ENTERTAINMENT

Rising country singer Noah James set to headline show at Texas Club

BY LAURA ALLEN Entertainment Editor

Just six months ago, Noah James was making his hometown debut at The Station Sports Bar and Grill in Baton Rouge. Now, the young singer-songwriter has played for audiences all the way across the Atlantic.

James, 19, is a country artist from Baton Rouge who got his start singing covers on TikTok in late 2023. His account now stands at 434 thousand followers and 10.7 million likes as of March 18, and his career only continues to take off.

The singer just recently got back from a European tour, which ran from March 6-13, where he and other artists opened for country singer Zach Top. This was James’ first tour — an unexpected but very welcome opportunity.

“Usually, you would think that it would start in the U.S., where you’re from,” James said. “[But] it’s starting out of the country, which has happened with a couple different artists. I think it happened for Lady Gaga.”

James booked the tour after signing with UK-based record label 13 Artists in August 2025, shortly after signing with his first record label, Santa Anna Records.

“It’s been a dream of mine to go on a tour,” said James, “so it’s definitely a surreal moment for me.”

The European tour comprised nine shows over eight days, making stops in Berlin; London; Stockholm; Rotterdam, Netherlands; and Olso, Norway. Not only was this his first tour, but this was also James’ first time out of the country. He won’t be gone for long, however, as he will be back in Europe for a second tour in August.

For this second tour, James will be opening for Bailey Zim -

merman. He is even seeing the country artist perform live in early April, one of many concerts James will be attending this year. James is especially excited to see Zach Bryan perform at Tiger Stadium on March 28, as Bryan is one of James’ biggest musical influences.

In the meantime, James is gearing up to headline a show at the Texas Club. Though he has big shoes to fill — following in the footsteps of country legends like Willie Nelson and George Strait — James is excited to play his biggest show yet in his hometown of Baton Rouge.

“I’m super excited about it,” James said. “It’s definitely a huge honor for me, and to be following in their footsteps is really a crazy thing.”

The concert will be on Saturday, and tickets are available on Ticketmaster. James is even offering a two-for-one ticket deal, meaning that fans can purchase two tickets for the price of one if they use special discount code “NOAH” on Ticketmaster while supplies last.

Less than a year after signing to a record label, James has already made strides in the country music industry, and fans can expect much more from the singer-songwriter in the near future. James recently released a new single called “Girl Out In Nevada,” and the song will be part of his upcoming EP “Coming Home Again,” which is set to release this Friday.

The EP will also feature James’ cover of “Pink Skies” by Zach Bryan. This is the song that launched his career after going viral on TikTok in December 2024, and it now has 34.4 mil-

lion views on TikTok and over 1 million streams on Spotify.

“That video is still growing,” said James. “And people were asking for me to release my own version, so I did.”

James will also be a judge for Tiger TV’s annual Battle of the Bands on May 1 at Fred’s Bar.

With how fast his career has grown, things have been pretty hectic for the Baton Rouge native. Still, he feels blessed to have so many people in his own life and on social media supporting him and his music.

“I always expect the least most of the time, just so I’m not disappointed,” James said, “but it’s been a huge blessing of how far I’ve come in just a year.”

For more information about James’ upcoming show, visit the Texas Club website.

This campus book club spotlights books by and for women

BY PAIGE CHERAMIE Staff writer

The women of LSU can dive into their next book with the Women’s Book Club, where they are invited to share in the experience of reading.

The Women’s Book Club is an organization dedicated to bringing women together to enjoy literature written by and for women. The club focuses on not only empowering members to take control of

their own narrative, but to have fun while doing so.

Founder and President Reece Humphreys, a senior kinesiology student, created this organization alongside LSU alumna Lily Noland to form a space where women can meet new people and discuss literature.

“It’s a place for girls to come, not to only learn something, but just to be here and have a conversation with someone new,” Humphreys said. “We have a lot of fun.”

The club picks a new book every month, each from a different genre. The books are typically around 300 pages long and are newer publications.

“We read different books, and I think a lot of people come having a very distinct feeling about what genres they read,” Humphreys said. “I try to open everyone up to different things. Even if I just get one person a year to be like ‘Dang, I really like mystery now because we read a book,’ that’s my goal.”

During the biweekly meetings, members typically begin by finding a partner they haven’t spoken to before. Then, they fill out a premeeting survey with questions about the novel thus far.

This form isn’t a quiz. Instead, it is a conversation starter, allowing members to get to know others through their opinions about the book and what they think will happen next.

For Emma Thigpen, a secondyear graduate student studying history, these meetings are a way for her to share her love for the hobby with others.

“Reading is a solitary activity, but then getting to share that with other people is always really special,” Thigpen said.

Sambath Donuts’ owners go back to their roots with

BY PAUL TIBBETS Staff writer

Sambath Donuts and Khmer Cuisine is starting 2026 off strong with a new menu celebrating the traditional Cambodian food enjoyed by the owner and her family.

The owner of Sambath Donuts, Sambath Lim, moved to the United States from Cambodia in 2001. While she initially settled in Chicago, she moved down here to Baton Rouge in 2013 and opened her restaurant the following year.

At first, the operation was solely a doughnut shop. Lim would work hard every day to prepare doughnuts and other breakfast items from scratch. She still does, but around the COVID-19 pandemic, things began to change.

The pandemic was a trying time for many economically, and Lim and her shop were no different. Her daughter, Suasdey Julie Pha, said that this need for income led to an expansion in the menu. Thai food became a new feature of Sambath Donuts rather than Cambodian. Pha said this was to make it more appealing for an American audience.

“We started doing Thai food,” Pha said. “We didn’t do [Khmer] food at first because not a lot of American people know about Cambodian food, so obviously they’ll want to come eat Thai food more if they hear Thai.”

Once the members are finished with the survey, the whole group comes together to discuss the questions or just the novel in general. These discussions start as a debrief of the novel but sometimes translate into conversations about bigger social issues.

“It is just a starting point,” Humphreys said. “People can take the power of our conversation and carry it with them to wherever they need to go. Maybe their ideas can start here but manifest elsewhere.”

Besides these conversations about current issues, the club is also a place to just talk about novel tropes and outrageous plot twists in readings. Oftentimes, the conversations take a light-hearted route, with guesses on the potential outcome of the story being a major discussion topic.

For Raquel Hardy, a junior criminology student, reading novels by women is especially important to her because they highlight her experience as a woman.

“I think it’s important because it’s relatable,” Hardy said. “I think it’s important that we’re not just pushed by all men, men, men, but we instead push women and what surrounds us.”

For Katherine Horner, a fresh-

new lunch menu

The Thai menu stayed for a while at the establishment until Feb. 20 of this year. That is when Sambath Donuts had its grand re-opening, trading its Thai menu out for the new Cambodian one.

Pha said there is a greater Asian influence in Baton Rouge that empowers the family to embrace their cultural food, not to mention there are plenty of Thai restaurants already. Pha said her mother not only wants to share this food with Louisiana but also support family back home during a violent conflict on Cambodia and Thailand’s borders.

“The bombings and attacks are really hurting our family, which most of our family is in Cambodia,” Pha said. “All the ingredients, like the dried ingredients, soup bases and stuff like that, are actually all from Cambodia. So we’re helping buy from them while spreading our food to people in Louisiana.”

As luck would have it, the Sambath Donuts and Khmer Cuisine family reports the new menu as a success. The reception has been widely positive, and thanks to their new social media presence, Pha believes the word is spreading.

So, that is a much longer history section than I usually do for a Paul’s Plate. I want to give you guys something more to chew on since I will only be talking about the food this time around. I did not have the opportunity to

spend time in the lovely establishment, so it is only fair.

The food I got at Sambath’s was gracefully recommended by the family themselves. I gave two dishes a try: the amok fish and the samlor machu srea, along with a pine cone doughnut for dessert.

I absolutely adored both of these dishes for wildly different reasons. The amok fish, for one, is a rich and delicious fish curry mixed with lemongrass and coconut milk. With the cold weather outside, this is the perfect recipe to warm you right up. The curry hits just the right spot; the lemongrass adds a sweet, fresh tinge to the creaminess of the coconut milk.

With the amok fish, I was almost ready to call it quits. It was delicious, but quite filling, and I was not sure I could eat any more food.

Luckily for me, the samlor machu srea was the ideal counterbalance. This dish is a traditional sour tamarind soup with catfish and vegetables. The broth itself was incredibly refreshing, both parts acidic and sweet, making it so addictive. It went down so smoothly, I almost felt ready to eat more. I quite enjoyed the addition of the zucchini and pepper, as they added another layer of freshness I never thought possible.

At this point, I was legitimately full, so I only had a few bites of the pine cone donut. By

man accounting major, reading these novels is a chance to finally explore books written by women after years of high school spent reading novels by men.

Horner enjoys reading because for her, it’s more than just about the books.

“Intentionally reading books written by women is celebrating women making art,” Horner said. “I view books as an art form, and I love celebrating art in all forms and women in all spaces, as well. It’s my favorite part about this club.”

Members are encouraged to not just join the club to get into reading, but to also meet the people in the club and create long-lasting friendships.

“Building a bond with each other, meeting people here and taking that friendship outside of the classroom — I think that’s the ultimate goal,” Humphreys said.

For those interested in joining the Women’s Book Club, you can find the organization on TigerLink and Instagram. Meetings are on Mondays from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

The club is open to all women of LSU, avid reader or not. The April book will be announced at the next meeting on March 30, so be sure to stop by if you want to join.

PAUL’ S PLATE

God, though, I wish I had more room in my stomach to scarf it down.

The pine cone is heavenly, fluffy and has a flawless glaze on top. It is a lot bigger than your average doughnut, and it is a pull apart, so I recommend sharing it. You will want to share this cinnamon-sugary experience anyway so your partner can pinch you back to reality.

At the end of my meal, I was as satisfied as if I had just had dinner at my grandparents. Pha

said this is by design, as her mom wants her customers to feel not like customers, but like family.

“She wants for them to experience what us as children ate at home to them,” Pha said. “Just a different type of home-cooked meal that they haven’t tasted before but they can still feel the love in the food.”

You can check out Sambath Donuts and Khmer Cuisine’s menu, hours and more on its website and Instagram.

SPORTS MAP TO MARCH

Women’s basketball’s path runs through familiar foes

BY TRE ALLEN Staff Writer

The stories can write themselves in this year’s March Madness.

Awaiting patiently, the LSU women’s basketball team sat in the PMAC this weekend to see where and who would be along the way to the path of the Final Four in Phoenix.

On Selection Sunday, the Tigers received the No. 2 seed in the Sacramento Region 2.

It was the team’s highest seed under head coach Kim Mulkey after receiving the three-seed in the past four seasons.

While LSU’s attention will be on its first-round matchup against No. 15 seed Jacksonville, it’s hard not to notice some of the familiar teams also in the region.

No.

1 UCLA

No. 3 Duke

Earning the three-seed was the Duke Blue Devils. The ACC champions hosted the Tigers earlier in the season in a game where Duke came in not exceeding preseason expectations.

Duke started the season 3-5 and the No. 7 ranking they received soon vanished, meaning the potential top-10 matchup was thrown out of the window.

Yet Duke’s mindset did not falter, and it even had the chance to secure a big win against a top-five team at home. It felt like that would be the case after it began the game leading 17-3.

The Tigers ended up turning the tables and beat the Blue Devils 93-77 with one of the most memorable moments of the game coming from LSU guard Flau’jae Johnson staring down and talking trash to Duke’s head coach Kara Lawson.

Lawson coached Johnson during the FIBA Women’s Americup for Team USA, and Johnson “lost a lot of confidence” during the experience, Mulkey said in December, after not playing as much as she hoped.

Duke stayed the course and turned its season around, going 21-2 after losing to LSU. The Blue Devils carried the momentum into the ACC Tournament, where they came out on top.

Heading into the NCAA Tournament, Duke is one of the hottest teams in the country. It’s led by First Team All-ACC forward Toby Fournier, who averaged 17.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game.

Duke also has five other players averaging more than eight points. It would have to be the Sweet 16 for the two teams to meet for a rematch, but if they do, it’ll be one to watch.

And of course, there’s a chance for a potential round three. Earning the one-seed in the Tigers region was the UCLA Bruins. The Bruins’ only loss of the year was to Texas, and they finished the year 31-1 and won the Big 10 Tournament.

Senior Lauren Betts continues to dominate the paint, averaging 16.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.9 blocks per game. Following Betts, there are five other players who all average above eight points.

If LSU and UCLA meet in the Elite Eight, it would be the third consecutive time they’ve met in the NCAA Tournament. The first time, the Tigers got the best of the Bruins, winning 78-69 in the Sweet 16.

The year after, they met for a rematch with a trip to the Final Four on the line, and UCLA got its revenge, winning 72-65.

They would have to meet in the Elite Eight once again for the two to play each other this year. Bragging rights would be at an all-time high for the two programs, and it would be must-watch TV.

No. 5 Ole Miss

The No. 5 seed is an SEC rival in Ole Miss. It was another road game for the Tigers when the two played almost a month ago.

It took an 11-point comeback in the fourth quarter for LSU to come out on top. In that game, Rebels’ forward Cotie McMahon scored 18 of her 25 points in the first half, but in the fourth quarter, Ole Miss went 0-for17 from the field, which allowed the Tigers to come back.

McMahon was a top-20 scorer in the nation, averaging 19.9 points. She was named SEC Newcomer of the Year and earned a spot on the All-SEC First Team.

The Rebels entered the tournament with a 23-11 record after losing in the semifinals of the SEC championship. While LSU has come away with wins in five out of the last six games, only one of those games was a double-digit victory. The teams share a conference and see each other often.

If they end up meeting in the Elite Eight, expect another close and physical game.

No. 6 Baylor

Next is a team that isn’t familiar because they’ve faced off recently, but familiar because it was once home for Mulkey.

Before taking the job at LSU, Mulkey was the head coach for Baylor from 2000 to 2021. She turned around the program, producing a 632–104 record, four Final Four appearances and three national championships (2005, 2012, 2019).

The Baylor Bears received the No. 6 seed in LSU’s region after going 24-8 and losing to Colorado in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament.

It’s the second consecutive year Baylor and LSU are in the same region, with the two teams located in the Spokane Region 1 a year ago.

The Bears have a top-20 scorer in the country in Taliah Scott, who is averaging 20 points per game this season. It would be a surreal moment for Mulkey if she got the chance to meet her former team for the first time in this year’s Sweet 16.

LSU baseball looks to rebound against No. 8 Oklahoma

BY ALEX SHEESLEY Staff Writer

After falling out of the rankings with a sub-standard showing against Vanderbilt last weekend, LSU baseball will continue its 2026 SEC slate this weekend, this time as the host.

Oklahoma comes to Baton Rouge for a three-game series that will kick off on Thursday night. Game 1 of the series will get underway at 7 p.m., with Games 2 and 3 opening at 6:30 p.m. and 2 p.m., respectively.

The narrative surrounding the Sooners’ season has been the inverse of the Tigers’ so far. Oklahoma entered the season either ranked in the bottom half or out of preseason polls entirely, but has stormed into the top 10 of all major rankings.

To this point in the season, Oklahoma sports a 17-4 record with a solid resume of opponents under its belt.

Last month, it put away thenranked TCU 12-2 in a laugher in Arlington, Texas, and handled business in its SEC opener last weekend against No. 22 Texas A&M, winning the series two games to one.

But it hasn’t been entirely smooth sailing for the Sooners, as they dropped their last game on Tuesday in a 3-0 dud against Southeastern Louisiana in Hammond.

Still, Oklahoma is a side that carries plenty of menace. Led by head coach Skip Johnson, who carries more than 30 years of experience on the top step of a dugout, the Sooners will primarily win through offense. They proved that in a 12-11 win last weekend to close out their series against Texas A&M.

Perhaps unfavorably for LSU, Oklahoma’s meal ticket on offense is pesky hitting with a good feel for the zone. Through 21 games, it averages a little short of seven walks per

game.

That figure could be a spot of concern for an LSU staff that has been decimated by walks. In their last weekend series against Vanderbilt, the Tigers issued 26 free passes, 21 of which came in losing efforts.

As a team, the Sooners are hitting north of .300 and are led by catcher Dieten Lachance and outfielder and catcher Brendan Brock.

Lachance is batting .358 on the season and has failed to reach base just twice in 20 games this season. Brock represents a slight shift in Oklahoma’s hitting philosophy in 2026, as the team sought to extract more power from its lineup.

Nobody has profited from that change more than Brock, who leads the Sooners in homers with six and RBI with 26. He is also the team leader in total bases with 51, 13 more

REBOUNDING, from page 10 than second place in that category.

Wichita State transfer Camden Johnson is the only player to have started every game for Oklahoma. He presents a significant speed threat and leads the team with 18 stolen bases.

The Sooner pitching rotation this weekend is set to feature a pair of power lefties, including a familiar face for Tiger fans.

Cameron Johnson will get the ball on Thursday night. He transferred to Oklahoma from LSU ahead of last year’s season and has become the ace in Norman. He has excellent strikeout stuff on the back of an upper-90s fastball, which helped him fan 11 in his first start of the season.

The rotation’s lone righty, LJ Mercurius, has been arguably its best pitcher. In his first season as a Sooner after transferring from UNLV, Mercurius has pitched to a 1.59 ERA across five starts, a staff best by over a run. He hasn’t failed to make it out of the fifth inning this season and had a stretch of three outings where he didn’t surrender a run.

The silver lining for LSU? Mercurius had his worst start in his last start against Texas A&M. He gave up six runs, though two were unearned, and was credited the loss. Notably, he gave up three homers to the Aggies.

Cord Rager slots into the Saturday starting gig. The freshman has been hit around in his last two starts, only managing three innings and letting up four runs in each outing.

Rager can use his frame, standing at 6-foot-6 inches, to generate velocity and get batters out. But, if the Tigers can get to him early, they may be able to benefit from making it a de facto bullpen game against an arm barn that will be depleted come Game 3.

TRACK AND FIELD

CONFERENCE CLASH

Gymnastics looking for third consecutive SEC championship

BY GABBY GRAY Staff Writer

The postseason is officially on the rise within college gymnastics, which means No. 2 LSU is gearing up for its next battle.

Traveling to Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Tigers will be featured in Session II of the SEC gymnastics championship as the No. 2 seed.

They will compete against No. 1 seed Oklahoma, No. 3 Florida and No. 4 Alabama, starting at 7 p.m. CT in the BOK Center arena. Their performance will precede the competition’s first session, which will feature No. 9 seeded Kentucky, No. 8 Auburn, No. 7 Missouri, No. 6 Arkansas and No. 5 Georgia.

It just so happens that the SEC is home to seven of the top 10 teams in the nation, meaning that the second session of the championship competition is expected to be nothing short of cutthroat.

“It’s gonna be must-see TV, top four teams in the country, can’t get any better than that,” LSU head coach Jay Clark said.

Clark compared this upcoming meet to the NCAA Championships, noting that because of the talent and skills of gymnasts in the SEC, it’s likely that this competition will be more challenging than the national championship itself.

With that comparison, the 2024 Region 1 head coach of the year is reminding fans of the passion and rivalry that runs through

thick and thin when competing in one’s conference.

“I think in many ways it’s harder to win this thing,” Clark said. “That may not be the case every year, but in some cases, it has been, and I think this year looks like it is. I mean, you never know till you get out there.”

Yet, no matter how much of a fight LSU’s competitors are prepared to bring to Tulsa, the purple and gold program has nothing but respect for its opponents. Clark acknowledged that each session’s teams are stacked with wellcoached “tremendous talent” that led their teams to the top of their sport.

For Oklahoma, that takes form in the No. 3 all-around gymnast, sophomore Addison Fatta, who’s reached a national qualifying score high of 39.750. On Florida’s side of the mat, fans will be turning to Selena Harris-Miranda in hopes that she sticks her third consecutive perfect 10 on the balance beam and keeps up with her record performances that have been nothing short of a singular 9.750.

As the Tigers lead the way ahead of the Crimson Tide, they will be fighting against Alabama’s No. 2 position on both the uneven bars and the floor. While this level of competition is guaranteed to give fans an entertaining experience, it also says a lot about LSU’s identity as a team.

“We feel good about us,” Clark said. “We’re confident. And I’m

sure every other team is confident, and everybody should be, because they’ve all had amazing years. And you know, I’m excited. These meets excite you. These are the ones that can ar good physiand mentally emotionally. So you see the best of everybody.”

With the SEC Championships boiling down to a top-seven matchup, no matter who takes home the title, fans can expect a

LSU track and field star makes history at indoor nationals

BY MARISSA REISS Staff Writer

LSU track and field’s senior sprinter Ella Onojuvwevwo made history to conclude the Tigers’ indoor season — again.

Onojuvwevwo, a few weeks after earning gold in the SEC indoor championship, broke her 400-meter dash record on the first day of this year’s NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Tigers’ head coach Dennis Shaver has said time and time again that Onojuvwevwo has something outside of track that he cannot coach: the drive to be great.

Onojuvwevwo clocked a 50.28-second 400-meter to set the fastest women’s collegiate time this season during the championship. Not only was this the fastest dash time out of all collegiate sprinters, but Onojuvwevwo clocked the fastest time in the world for this indoor season.

On the first day of the championship, in the heat prior to Onojuvwevwo’s, Georgia’s senior sprinter Dejanea Oakley ran a relaxed 51.43-second 400-meter to win her

heat and hold the fastest time so far in the day. Oakley was the runnerup behind Onojuvwevwo in the SEC championship. All Onojuvwevwo had to do was beat Oakley’s time to place first in the event once more.

To begin the second heat, Onojuvwevwo faced three other run-

ners: USC’s Madison Whyte, Arkansas’ Sanaria Butler and BYU’s Sami Oblad. Whyte was the Big Ten 400-meter champion and previous 2026 collegiate leader in the dash with a 50.82-second time.

Onojuvwevwo started in the fifth lane, quickly easing around

the turn of the track to take a lead ahead of Whyte about 21 seconds into the heat, Butler and Oblad not far behind. Whyte challenged Onojuvwevwo the entire race, a consistent step right behind her as she moved over into the second lane to try and take a lead ahead of the senior.

Despite the competition being close, Onojuvwevwo pushed even harder to build a gap as the heat neared the finish line at the 50-second mark. Her composed pace and determination led to her 50.28-second finish to advance to the finals. Whyte inched behind her with a 50.68-second time and Butler ran a 50.70-second 400-meter to go below the 51-second mark.

This time saw Onojuvwevwo record a career-best 400-meter time, and the fastest time clocked in LSU’s program history. This record places her No. 5 in all-time collegiate history.

She also became the fastest sprinter in African indoor track and field history, a record that had not been topped in 28 years.

In the championship finals, Onojuvwevwo earned a bronze medal to bring back home to Baton Rouge.

She placed third with a time of 50.76 seconds in what was only her second meet running the 400-meter this season. Onojuvwevwo finished behind Oakley, who placed first at 50.47 seconds, and Whyte, who clocked 50.68 seconds.

In addition to Onojuvwevwo, a few other Tigers competed in two other events to close out the indoor season as well.

Junior Justine Jimoh competed for the Tigers in the men’s high jump, his first-ever appearance in the NCAA indoor championship. Jimoh placed ninth in the event with a clearance of 2.15 meters.

The Tigers also competed in the men’s 4x400-meter relay with a newer set of sprinters: junior Grant Buckmiller, senior Shakeem McKay, sophomore Amal Glasgow and redshirt freshman Malachi Austin. The four finished ninth overall on the final day with a time of 3:05.28, aided by Glasgow’s 400-meter split of 45.92 seconds.

With LSU’s indoor season now concluded, the Tigers look ahead to what will be a competitive outdoor season beginning March 21 with the LSU Opener at Bernie Moore Track Stadium.

OPINION

History suggests Iran bombings won’t achieve Trump’s goals

BERGERON’S BRIEFINGS

THOMAS

BERGERON Columnist

As the joint U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign against Iran intensifies, the Trump administration is facing oncoming strategic challenges. Despite early tactical success, Operation Epic Fury has yet to materialize a clear and achievable goal to the American public. More concerning, though, a fundamental limitation has become apparent: the air war alone is not sustainable in achieving longterm change in Iran.

Since the advent of air power, history has illustrated this limitation. During World War II, Nazi Germany believed that the strategic bombing of British cities during the Blitz would subdue the

United Kingdom into submission; it did not.

In Korea, the U.S. Air Force destroyed much of North Korea’s industry and targeted lines of communication to limit Chinese support; the conflict paused in a stalemate.

In Vietnam, U.S. bombers dropped many millions of munitions on North Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia in an attempt to force capitulation; instead, Saigon fell to communist forces.

While these campaigns produced tactical successes such as killing enemy combatants or interdicting logistics networks, they failed to translate into any kind of strategic victory.

Even the Gulf War, often cited for its model air planning, proved that air power alone was insufficient in achieving political objectives. It was the introduction of ground forces capable of seizing

and holding terrain that ultimately forced the end of Saddam Hussein’s regime.

This same hindrance is now faced by the Trump administration in Iran. Following Tehran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on commercial shipping, the U.S. Navy announced the relocation of the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli and elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit from Japan to support operations in the region.

While official mission parameters remain unannounced, such movements of these units suggest one thing: ground maneuver may be imminent. However, the scope of these operations will likely involve Marines securing only a limited area of key geographies near the strait, providing at least temporary safe passage for maritime traffic.

Yet while this limited deploy-

ment may facilitate a near return to normalcy for the global economy, there still remains a deeper strategic question about the broader American-Israeli political objectives in Iran. Airstrikes may degrade military capabilities but seem to have had little effect in coercing Tehran into surrender. If the ultimate goal is to create lasting change, such as removing the current regime, operations will likely have to expand to a combined-arms effort.

At the same time, escalation into a large-scale ground invasion would incur significant risks. The U.S. military is currently not prepared nor postured to undertake another prolonged conflict in the Middle East, especially as the U.S. presence in Syria, Iraq and other zones across the region has decreased in recent years.

Additionally, a new expansive regional conflict would likely

prove highly unpopular with the American public, especially as the White House continues to provide mixed messaging on its war goals.

President Trump and his cabinet must do far more to explain their intentions to the American people, and it cannot be done by claiming victory while the bombs are still falling.

Either a clearly-defined and achievable objective must be articulated, or the Trump administration will need to prepare the American public for the consequences of another prolonged desert conflict. Refusing to do either risks repeating the very “forever wars” the Trump campaign so ardently opposed during election season.

Thomas Bergeron is a 26-yearold graduate student from Baton Rouge.

We are grossly obsessed with tragedy. Enough is enough

MICHAIAH’S MINUTES

MICHAIAH STEPHENS Columnist

There was a love story that found its way into my living room and dining room conversations recently. The new hit TV show, Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette. It presents a whirlwind, dramatic and uncomfortably public romance of an enigmatic career woman and a man with a name that filled in the blanks for him.

I learned the story ends in a tragic plane crash off Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. Though I knew the ending, I still wanted to watch. That made me wonder: Why do stories with tragic endings find themselves on top? Do we, the people, have an appetite for tragedy?

Stacie Friend, in her paper entitled “The Pleasures of Documentary Tragedy,” philosophically cites David Hume for an answer stating, “The more they are touched and affected, the more are they delighted with the spectacle; and as soon as the uneasy passions cease to operate, the piece is at an end.”

We can’t look away because we find ourselves in the experiences. I mean, how often have

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you heard, “This could be you one day”?

My gripe with this notion is that though it isn’t wrong to find sympathy or empathize with others’ misfortunes, I find that we revere those with tragedies attached to them. We gnash our teeth and tear at hot fascia like predators taking over territory not their own.

As Friend states, “For it seems that the value we attribute to great tragedies is closely tied to the pleasure we take in them. As usually interpreted, Aristotle located both the pleasure and the value of tragedy in its production of pity and fear through mimesis and the catharsis of those emotions.”

This thinking is most prevalent in the myth of the 27 Club. The series of events that lead to the deaths of these musicians and artists teeters between memorializing and sensationalizing. Language like “club” creates exclusivity and sensationalizes the circumstances, as if saying if you “live fast and die young”, then you too can join this club.

Speech like this primes people for tragedy and spectacle to go hand-in-hand. During major disastrous events like 9/11, the coverage oftentimes did more harm than good. It prioritized sensationalism and views over commemoration and connection.

In the paper “The Role of the Media and Media Hypes in the Aftermath of Disasters” by Peter Vasterman and others, they quote the media coverage saying, “People all over the world watched the dramatic images of the planes crashing into the World Trade Center; they saw the gigantic smoke clouds, the panic in the city, the people jumping from the buildings, and finally the collapse of the towers.”

Then they describe how that media coverage affected their public opinion, stating, “The media are portrayed negatively: as writing sensation-seeking, enlarging anecdotic stories, especially on who is to blame; being in the way of rescue workers; repeating the same images (for example, the planes hitting the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers) over and over again.”

In today’s media, I find true crime media to be an extension of this madness, especially when the consumers are placed as the focal point instead of the victims and accuracy.

University of Nebraska–Lincoln scholar Kelli Boling in “Research examines the good, bad and ugly of true crime media” finds how exhaustive it is for families seeking justice for their loved ones and dealing with the loss of anonymity, saying, “There’s a horrible intrusiveness that’s never

going to go away and often, it’s going to be covered for the rest of their lives,” and also, “They do feel like they’ve got some innate ability to solve the case that nobody else has, which isn’t true.”

True crime media also raises ethical questions of whether sensationalizing to gain attention is better in the long run for the courts. Someone could get one side of the story being bloated and want harsher punishments, and others could get the accurate information and want a less harsh sentence.

The Florida Pre-Law Review found this to be the case: “These differences in their desired responses to injustice can have significant legal implications as

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potential jurors with high levels of victim justice sensitivity may argue that a perpetrator should receive harsher punishment or a longer sentence.”

Do you find yourself Shakespearean? Hashing and re-hashing tragic tales for the sheer fact that knowing something someone else doesn’t brings you joy? We all have a little drama in us. You aren’t the only one. I’m not saying I’m perfect, but stopping to check for facts and remembering that there are real people attached to these stories is just as important.

Michaiah Stephens is a 22-yearold English major from Durham, N.C.

Quote of the Week

“Sometimes questions are more important than answers.”

Nancy