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davidsonian.com Inside the UK’s departure from the EU and its impact on Davidson students

Volume 114, Issue 9

November 7, 2018 Dahlia Krutkovich ‘21 reflects upon institutional support of Jewish identity

Men’s basketball charges into the season with an appetite for victory

Horoscopes: relevant to life at Davidson or just to Ted Cruz?

Midterms 2018: Davidson Votes

‘Cats to the polls: Severine Stier ‘19 engages with a poll volunteer prior to voting in the 2018 midterms at Davidson Town Hall on Election Day. Photo by Hannah Dugan ‘21

DREW EASTLAND ‘20 STAFF WRITER

n North Carolina, the 2018 midterm elections will define the state legislative power in the coming years. In the current, sitting North Carolina General Assembly, the Republicans hold a super majority in both chambers: six seats in the Senate and four seats in the House. Democrats are confident they can break up at least one of the super majorities, if not both. The key elections for Davidson students on Tuesday were State Senate: Natasha Marcus (D.) v. Jeff Tarte (R.); State House: Christy Clark (D.) v. John Bradford (R.); and the Judicial elections. There is an election for U.S. House

between Alma Adams (D.) and Paul Wright (R.); however, Adams’s district includes the Charlotte area which is generally a safe district for Democrats. Both Tarte and Bradford are incumbents in the Republican super majority, but their districts were redrawn after 2016, potentially opening the door for a challenger to steal their seat. Senate opponent Marcus likes her chances. “I focus very much on my race, but not the others,” Democratic State Senate candidate Natasha Marcus told The Davidsonian. “From [the reports I have heard], we are likely to break the GOP supermajority in the house.” This election also featured North Carolina court nominees, but with a twist. For the first time, judicial candi-

dates will be affiliated with parties. “The Supreme Court shouldn’t be partisan,” said Co-President of College Libertarians Elliot Polin ‘21. “The Supreme Court should be for the sake of justice, not for the sake of filling a party role.” Some argue that including judicial party affiliations corrupts the integrity of the judicial system; however, having a party affiliation will lead to more interest in the races and will potentially increase the number of people voting for justices. “I think I’d be more likely to vote for someone in the party that I was affiliated to” remarked Ben Heuser ‘21.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Native Foodways and Davidson’s Food Culture ALYSSA TIRRELL ‘22 STAFF WRITER

n October 26, 2018, four professors from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP) gathered in the Lily Gallery for Davidson’s first Native Foodways Symposium. Foodways is a developing, interdisciplinary field of study that focuses on the ways in which food and food production shape culture. These four speakers integrated their respective fields of American Indian Studies, Biology, and Nursing into a discussion that reflected the complexity of food throughout Native history and spoke to the ongoing effect of this history in contemporary Native communities, such as Pembroke.

Because of the cultural and spiritual importance of food in Native communities, food was “an intentional target of colonization efforts,” explained Jane Haladay, a Professor of American Indian studies at UNCP.

Native groups from traditional land disrupted a knowledge base of environmental patterns which had been built upon for centuries. Beyond the loss of these traditional knowledge bases, other aspects of colonization, such

“Food waste can be an entry point into sustainability. I’m glad to see that it has been getting so much attention on campus.” Yancey Fouche, Director of Sustainability “Native people have become very separated from their land,” said Dr. Mary Ann Jacobs, a member of the UNCP American Indian Studies department and a citizen of the Lumbee Nation. Jacobs explained that removing

as residential school systems, affected Indigenous peoples’ abilities to pass this information on to the next generation and the communal aspect of food production and consumption was disrupted as well. Native Foodways, as

explored by the panel, is the study of how our relationship to food historically reflects our past and may give us opportunities to better our future. How then is the Davidson community shaped by its relationship with food? Yancey Fouche, Director of Sustainability at Davidson College, uses the “farm-to-table-to-compost” system at Davidson as an example of a sustainable way in which the community engages with food production. Despite the fact that managing food waste may not be as urgent as climate-centered sustainability efforts, Fouche believes that it can help individuals begin to engage with the subject of sustainability and feel that they are

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

News

Brexit Affects International Students BETSY SUGAR ‘21 STAFF WRITER

n March 23, 2019, the United Kingdom will officially leave the EU, with December 31, 2020, as the goal for the last day of transition. Two years have passed since the UK first voted in a referendum to leave. The future of Brexit remains uncertain after failure to negotiate a deal at the supposed final decision deadline at an EU summit last month. At the October, 2018 EU summit, Theresa May proposed her plan for the UK’s departure, also known as the Chequer’s Plan. The plan entails a departure from the EU’s single market and customs union, but also includes a “pledge to maintain a common standards rulebook for goods, food, and agriculture, along with other continued regulatory alignments,” according to The Guardian. However, EU leaders, such as French president, Emmanuel Macron, and president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, declared that her plan could not work and was “cherry picking” all the benefits of being in the EU without actually contributing any funds or responsibility. The plan intends to minimize issues of trade and movement between the UK and the rest of Europe, especially with Ireland and Northern Ireland in mind. The UK wants to ensure that there is a soft border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, meaning no “physical checks or infrastructure” between the two countries, according to the BBC.

whose families still live in the UK. Dr. Timo Lochocki, an expert in European party politics visiting Davidson this semester, explained some of the ramifications for students: “The worst thing is that they don’t know yet how it will affect them.” What can be expected from British students is the economic downturn in the UK affecting study abroad participation. The UK’s departure from the EU will cause economic shocks that will turn around and hurt Britain to a much greater degree than the remainder of the Union. British students at Davidson have expressed these exact concerns about their home country in the after-effects of Brexit. “Withdrawing from the stability of the EU will, I think, naturally result in some sort of instability. We can see this even now, with the strength of the pound and how that is affecting the economy at the moment,” expressed Siân Lewis ‘20, one of Davidson’s concerned British students. Fellow British student Leo Artus ‘21 also voiced concerns about “the crash of the pound in currency markets.” Interestingly, while the pound has been declining in international currency markets, the recent gridlock in Brexit debates actually aided the pound. According to Market Watch,

the pound experienced a slight bump in real value due to both the halting of Brexit debates and the Bank of England lowering interest rates. Even though the past few days have seemed bright for the pound in money markets, as Brexit continues to become realized throughout Europe, the pound will most likely suffer. This could mean that in the future, fewer students from the UK will have the opportunity to attend Davidson if their country goes into a recession, as appears probable. In an interview with Jonathan Berkey, director of the Dean Rusk International Studies Program, he expressed those fears. “The political ramifications of Brexit could be enormous and have significant impact on all of us. Brexit may have a terrible impact on the British economy, for example, which would affect British students at Davidson.” At the moment, very little is known about the future of Brexit and which direction it will take concerning the separation debates. Uncertainty for the UK and the EU linger, which means a continued state of unrest for Britain and British students alike.

“The political ramifications of Brexit could be enormous and have significant impact on all of us. Brexit may have a terrible impact on the British economy, for example, which would affect British students at Davidson.” Jonathan Berkey Dean Rusk Program Director Unless the United Kingdom can come up with a new plan soon, it appears as though they may have to end up with a “No Deal Brexit” which would mean no more Article 50 discussions. The Guardian explains that Article 50 mediates the “formal mechanism for exiting the EU [...] which among other things must settle citizens’ rights, the question of the Irish border and the UK’s exit bill.” Effectively, if a “No Deal Brexit” does occur, the UK will be left on its own without the formal ties that May wants to keep with the Union. While everything concerning Brexit may seem distant, it directly affects many Davidson students, especially those

(L to R) Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson, and Theresa May loom over Chambers. Illustration by Richard Farrell ‘22

NC Races Drive Voter Turnout CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “If they weren’t endorsed by a party, I don’t know if I would have voted for them.” Gerrymandering is another contentious issue that may be mitigated or exacerbated by the results of Tuesday’s election. In 2016, a court case stuck down some of the then current district lines gerrymandered in favor of Republicans. Problems with this issue extend beyond just Democrats; many college students have expressed issues with gerrymandering. “I don’t think any of the partisan problems are going to be fixed until North Carolina does something about its gerrymandering,” said Co-President of College Libertarians Andy Hoyle ‘21. This election ballot also featured six amendments all of which have been pushed forward by a Republican legislature. Many of the amendments focus on transfering power from the executive to the legislative branch. This is likely because the current North Carolina governor is a Democrat. Democrats oppose all six amendments while Republicans favor all six. Because this election does not feature a gubernatorial or U.S. Senate race, turn out could be low. However, some students expressed

Political signs lined Davidson Town Hall on Tuesday morning. Photo by Hannah Dugan ‘21 hope that in the wake of the 2016 election, the Inc. Members from all political organizations turnout may surpass expectations. across campus helped to run and sponsor the “I[t’s] 2018, there is always the Trump ef- event. fect,” College Democrats President Kate Bock “Just by having that event [students] will ‘19 said. “A lot of women in particular are vot- have a base level of information that [they] ing Democrat...Hopefully more people will be can then use to vote in an informed way,” said galvanized to vote then have been in the past.” Chair of the Center for Political Engagement In anticipation of the midterm election, Matthew LeBar ‘19. “It’s important that we the Center for Political Engagement hosted work to make those institutions better and two events with Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, more just and to hold accountable politicians

who aren’t doing that.” “These races…can be flipped by a matter of one hundred votes,” said Bock. “Your vote, no matter which party you affiliate with, is really impactful in this election, so all students should go vote.” Outside the Davidson Town Hall, the polling district for the Davidson community, representatives from both the Democratic and Republican parties stood waiting to inform or persuade any uninformed voters. They also emphasized how only a few votes can make a huge difference. Adams (D) won her race by a wide margin, retaining her seat in Congress for the 12th District. Marcus (D) triumphed over Tarte (R) to claim his state senatorial seat (41st District). Clark (D) similarly achieved victory, landing Bradford’s (R) State House seat for the 98th District. Of the amendments, expanding constitutional rights for crime victims, requiring voter IDs, capping income taxes, and establishing a constitutional right to hunt and fish were approved. The creation of judicial vacancy commission amendment and legislative appointments to elections board were halted by a majority of voters.

November 7, 2018

Academic Inquiry Sparks Broad Discussions about Sustainability, Food Waste CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 making a difference. A student may not be able to “give Davidson solar panels,” said Fouche, “but food waste can be an entry point into sustainability. I’m glad to see that it has been getting so much attention on campus.” Even eating houses are altering their self-selection “toppings” tradition to be more food waste conscious and sustainable by using paint instead of condiments.

“Higher education has normalized values of efficiency and low cost over physical and social nourishment.” Dr. Rose Stremlau History Department Dr. Rose Stremlau, Assistant Professor of History at Davidson College, agreed that the compost and farm-to-table initiatives at Davidson are beneficial in a sustainability sense, but

she wonders about the cultural aspect of our relationship with food. “Higher education has normalized values of efficiency and low cost over physical and social nourishment,” said Stremlau. Stremlau feels that understanding and applying Native Foodways principles can serve not only as a “path to sustainability” but also as a means of reinventing our own cultural interactions which center around food. Davidson will soon have an opportunity to experience Native Foodways in a tangible way, beyond a theory or a field of study. Sean Sherman, an internationally celebrated Oglala Lakota chef, has been collaborating with Craig Mombert and other Commons staff to provide a meal which is reflective of Native Foodways. On November 9th, Commons lunch will feature customized Wild Rice Bowls, Sunflower-Crusted Trout, Three Sisters Mash, and more. As a leading advocate for both the restoration and reclamation of Native Foodways, Sherman develops his menus with the intention of integrating Native cuisine into mainstream American Foodways.

PSA 3

Davidson College graduate Patrick Braxton-Andrew ‘06, 34, who teaches Spanish at the private Woodlawn School in Mooresville, went missing while on a walk or hike in or near the village of Urique, Mexico, on Sunday, October 28. His family has been working with local authorities and U.S. officials to conduct a search. There is currently a Facebook page (Missing/Desaparecido - Patrick Braxton-Andrew) for ongoing efforts to locate him. Anyone with information or potential connections to share use findpba@ gmail.com and spread the news about Patrick’s disappearance via social media using #findpat and #buscapato.

Crime Log NOVEMBER 1

Agenda

Takeaways

Attendance

LIZZIE KANE ‘22 SGA CORRESPONDENT

81%

Description/Location

10/28/18 at 0001 hrs

Underage Consumption x2 Cannon, Dean Referral

25 31

Late (excused): Andres Sanchez ‘19, Samuel Owusu ‘21, Kate Bock ‘19 Absent (excused): Mauricio Lozano ‘22, Kibriyaa Morgan ‘20 Absent (non-excused): Wilson Pava ‘19, Jesus Ibarra ‘20, Jack Shumway ’19, Bess Li ‘19 Some of the restaurants in town are unaware of the discounts they are supposed to be giving students. RLO is evaluating the effectiveness of gender neutral housing. Currently, the designated area is third floor Duke, but they are considering expansion. New project: to pass out sandwiches and water at F during parties to help students make it home safely. The SGA will vote soon to provide or withhold funds. The Planned Parenthood Generation Action (PPGA) club presented their “wellness vending machine” idea. This machine would provide Planned B, feminine hygiene products, pain relief, and other sexual health items. It would potentially be placed in the basement of the library—to provide a discrete location—with the goal of increasing accessibility of these materials. PPGA obtained a grant for the physical machine, but they also need $200-$400 to pilot the program. The SGA will vote soon to provide or withhold funds. IIIIA member of the SGA is looking into the possibility of making all incoming freshmen take a Baseline Concussion Test. This test would make it easier to diagnose future concussions. Field Day is likely no longer happening.

1. Baseline Concussions 2. New Project 3. Wellness Vending Machine 4. Announcements

Time Reported

10/28/18 at 0215 hrs

Domestic Disturbance/ Simple Assault Ryburn, Further Investigation

10/29/18, hour not reported Rape Residence Hall, Prosecution Declined

10/30/18 at 1030 hrs

Underage Possession of Alcohol x2 Chidsey, Dean Referral

11/03/18 at 0026 hrs

Underage Consumption

11/04/18 at 0120 hrs

Underage Consumption

11/04/18 at 0140 hrs

Underage Consumption

Chidsey, Dean Referral

Belk, Dean Referral

Richardson, Dean Referral/Medic Transport

Perspectives TransgenderRights EMMA SHEALY ‘22 On October 24th, the Department of Justice of the United States filed an amicus curiae brief in the case of R.G. and G. R. Funeral Homes v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a lawsuit involving a trans woman who was fired from her job after informing her boss that she was transgender. In their brief, the DOJ argued that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits discrimination based on “race, religion, sex, and national origin,” does not protect against discrimination based on gender identity.

A lack of protections from the federal government will lead to discrimination against transgender and intersex people in all areas of life, from the housing industry to the job market. Thankfully, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission already won their case in the 6th Circuit. However, the case is now being appealed to the Supreme Court. The DOJ’s brief follows the Trump Administration’s memo that the New York Times reported on a week or so ago that called for the term “gender identity” to be removed from Title IX, which protects against discrimination on the basis of sex and gender identity in educational settings. The Health and Human Resources Department has also sought to restrict the definition of sex to be solely based on the sex that someone is assigned at birth, based strictly on genitalia. These acts by the Trump Administration do not account for the 1.4 million trans-identifying Americans as well as the over 5.5 million people born intersex or with genitals, gonads, or chromosomes that differ from the typical “female” and “male” body types. A lack of protections from the federal government will lead to discrimination against transgender and intersex people in all areas of life, from the housing industry to the job market. It is hard to imagine what it is like to go through life as trans or intersex for those of us who are cisgender. We take for granted the fact that we do not have to undertake the burden of gender reassignment surgery, taking estrogen or testosterone, being misgendered, or simply stared at. But just because it is hard to understand or relate to, does not mean that the rights of trans and intersex people are any less valid or important. Protecting our fellow trans-identifying and

intersex citizens, especially those who are people of color, is particularly relevant in our current political climate. The Trump Administration has been specifically targeting the rights of trans people for the past two years. The Administration tried to ban trans people from entering the military in 2016, and the President has successfully revoked the executive orders brought on by the Obama Administration that required schools to validate the gender identity of their trans students by allowing them to use the restrooms and locker rooms of their choice. American diplomats have also been trying to remove the word “gender” from U.N. civil rights documents and replace it with “women.” In previous rulings regarding transgender discrimination, the courts have ruled in favor of trans people under the Civil Rights Act by arguing that being transgender falls under the word “sex” in discrimination based on “race, religion, sex, and national origin.” But with the restrictive language that the Trump administration is hoping to add to Title IX and the Civil Rights Act, legal victories for trans and intersex people would become even more rare, if not cease to exist. The Trump Administration’s actions towards transgender and intersex people will make the process of legally changing one’s legal gender marker and name even more difficult, in addition to promoting increased discrimination. I encourage Davidson students to read the book Tomorrow Will Be Better by Sarah McBride, a trans rights activist, and None of the Above by I.W. Gregorio to learn more about the everyday struggles of people who identify as transgender and intersex. Please contact the Trump Administration, the Justice Department, and the Department of Health and Human Services (each has a website with information on how to contact them) to voice your concerns about the recent actions of the Administration. Please also call your local congress members to voice your support for “gender identity” to be included in American civil rights legislation. Donating to organizations such as the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, the Astraea Foundation, or Lambda Legal can also help in the fight for trans and intersex rights. Finally, if you know anyone who is intersex or trans-identifying, let them know that they are loved and that their identities are valid, because everyone deserves to present the way they wish without the fear of discrimination or harassment. Emma Shealy ‘22 is an undeclared student from Columbia, South Carolina. Contact her at emshealy@davidson.edu

FREE HEADSHOTS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH

1:00 PM - 4:00 PM OUTSIDE LIBRARY coffee and donuts provided

Jewish Studies DAHLIA KRUTKOVICH ‘21 My Russian professor, Dr. Amanda Ewington, began our first class after the shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh with a brief overview of Russian anti-Semitism. After moving through different waves of pogroms, forced resettlements, and mass-emigrations, she ended with a warning: be vigilant of a modern American anti-Semitism.

Ultimately, Jewish Studies remains a glaring, dangerous curricular gap at Davidson College. While the shooting in Pittsburgh is nothing short of a tragedy, she said, it is equally important to recognize that those who rail against “cosmopolitan” and “globalist” conspiracies invoke a centuries-old pedigree of anti-Semitic animus. Any rhetoric that tags individuals or institutions as aligned with omniscient “globalists” permits and perpetuates violence against Jews. After all, those same terms appear as companions to literal slurs in some of anti-Semitism’s seminal texts, the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, The International Jew, and Mein Kampf, to name a few. For many students in the class that morning, this was the very first time they had ever heard these terms contextualized. They were shocked almost to the point of disbelief. During my first semester at Davidson, the fact of my classmates’ shock would have in turn shocked me. As a Jewish student from New York City, terms like “cosmopolitan” and “globalist” feel like some of the most basic, most obvious anti-Semitic dog-whistling. Having spent time negotiating Jewishness at a Southern Presbyterian college, I realize my classmates’ reaction wasn’t borne of any sort of disengagement or apathy, but of a lack of exposure. I could attribute their unfamiliarity with conversations about anti-Semitism to our admittedly small Jewish community or the particularities of Southern Judaism, but that would absolve the college of the responsibility it has to its students. Ultimately, Jewish Studies remains a glaring, dangerous curricular gap at Davidson College. Professors Karl Plank and Scott Denham have done an incredible job of providing some course offerings, but they themselves are among the first to say the college should hire more Jewish-identifying and Jewish Studies-specific faculty. Aside from Plank/ Denham classes like Wisdom Literature (a 300-level religion course), Modern Jewish Thought (not offered this year), and the Holocaust & Representations (a twelve-person

seminar), exploration of Jewish contemporary identity and history remain, at best, peripheral to Davidson’s academic offerings. Maybe a survey religion course offers a unit on Jewish theology; a Medieval history course could spend a day on blood libel; or an anthropology listing might briefly discuss ritual in Orthodox practice-- but as far as courses devoted to understanding the cultural, historical, and political forces that govern Jewish positionality, Davidson students remain critically underserved. Without academic access to Jewishness at Davidson, the burden of education falls on Jewish students-- all 90 of us. This is neither fair to us nor the people who ask for what feels like a “Monolithic Jewish Opinion” on subjects ranging from the death of Jesus to the Gaza Blockade. Unfortunately, my Bat Mitzvah and the copy of The Origins of Totalitarianism sitting on my desk don’t make me a substitute for someone with a PhD. This semester would have been difficult regardless of curricular support, but it’s been particularly difficult because of the lack of a Jewish Studies program. Events on campus-be they calls for a boycott of Sabra products or instances of unambiguous Holocaust denial-- reflect a larger reckoning with Jewishness playing out in our national discourse. Across the country, phenomena that challenge Jewish identity will only become more extreme and more urgent as time goes on. At some point, Davidson students will be called upon, as those committed to “lives of leadership and service,” to respond to these challenges, regardless of whether they’re equipped to handle them or not. President Quillen wrote last Tuesday that she sees the college’s fundamental mission as one to “assist students in developing disciplined minds so that they can distinguish fact from lie, epithet from argument and prejudice from point of view.” While I take solace in these words, statements like “Hitler did nothing wrong” and their associated ideologies will continue to linger on our campus as long as students remain unequipped to push back. Intent was easily legible in this case, but next time, the epithets scrawled across the top of a whiteboard might be more difficult to locate, more veiled in what they seek to communicate. While Davidson can reactively attempt to stamp out anti-Semitism on its campus, at what point will the college seek to actively prevent it? I cannot express the extent of my gratitude to administrators as individuals, as people. Their words of support and comfort throughout the last week have helped sustain our admittedly beleaguered Jewish community. Institutionally, however, I have to ask for more. Dahlia Krutkovich ‘21 is an undeclared student from New York, New York. Contact her at dakrutkovich@davidson.edu

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Sports

McNair Case Reveals Institutional Failure SAM THOMAS ‘20 SPORTS EDITOR

ordan McNair, a freshman offensive lineman on the University of Maryland, College Park, football team, died of heatstroke on June 13, 2018, after collapsing in the midst of practice two weeks earlier. McNair had shown visible signs of exhaustion through sprints and his teammates had reportedly been told not to help him up when he first collapsed by strength and conditioning coach Rick Court. With the results of external investigation looming, head coach DJ Durkin was put on administrative leave on August 11, 2018, and Court resigned from his position on August 13. On Tuesday, October 30, the University System of Maryland’s (USM) Board of Regents announced its recommendation to reinstate Durkin and keep Athletic Director Damon Evans, who had received the position during the June investigation into McNair’s death, on the university’s staff. In the same press conference, University of Maryland College Park President William Loh announced that he will retire at the end of the year. Per the USM Board of Regents website, the group is responsible for the oversight of

“academic, administrative, and financial operations… and appoint presidents of the system’s 12 institutions.” On the day Loh announced his retirement, ESPN sources close to the University of Maryland reported that the Board of Regents told Loh that he would be fired if he did not reinstate Durkin. On Wednesday, October 31, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan asked the Board of Regents and Loh to reconsider the recommendations made a day earlier. That afternoon, Loh informed Evans that Durkin would be fired independent of the Board of Regents. Evans has retained his position.

Lost within the institutional madness and headlines are the efforts put forth by the players. McNair’s death begs the question of the enforceable rights that athletes have against a program. At state universities, administrative bodies, like the USM’s Board of Regents, are appointed by the governor. For private institutions, these boards are not applicable to institutional administration. The Univer-

sity of Maryland, a member of the Big 10 conference, is also under the authority of the NCAA when it comes to athletic decisions. Article 1.2 of the NCAA Constitution states that first purpose of the NCAA as an institution is “to initiate, stimulate and improve intercollegiate athletics programs for student-athletes and to promote and develop educational leadership, physical fitness, athletics excellence and athletics participation as a recreational pursuit.” Having what ESPN reported as a “toxic coaching culture” filled with “intimidation, humiliation, and verbal abuse” coupled with “using food punitively against players” contradicts many if not all clauses of the first purpose of the NCAA independent of McNair’s death. The NCAA has not released any official statements nor given any indication that they are to investigate either McNair’s death nor the way that the USM has handled the case. Justice will never fully be provided for the McNair’s family. By allowing an athlete to fulfill their dream of competing at a Division 1 level, families place tremendous amount of trust in the institution. Had it not been for the pressure from Governor Hogan, Durkin may have been allowed to continue coaching at the University of Maryland, where several

football players put their scholarships at risk by protesting practices upon his return to the school. At a private institution, like Davidson, where the state government does not have power over decision making, trust in the institution itself is all the more important. Fortunately, Davidson Athletic Director Chris Clunie ‘06 has made a concerted and deliberate effort to emphasize the importance of multidimensional accountability from coaches to athletes and vice versa from his earliest interview as Athletic Director with The Davidsonian. Lost within the institutional madness and headlines are the efforts put forth by the players. The football players at Maryland pay tribute to McNair before every game. The team started its first possession of the season by going onto the field with ten players, leaving a glaring hole open in the offensive line where McNair would have been positioned. Each player has a sticker with McNair’s number, 79, on the back of his helmet, and before the start of each game, the team waves a flag with McNair’s number as a tribute to his memory.

David[son] Poised to Slay Goliath: Men’s Basketball DEEN HALEEM ‘21 BASKETBALL CORRESPONDENT

Weekly Sports Update

very basketball team has an identity. The Golden State Warriors are a Hydra: ferocious, killer from range, and able to bring in two heads for every one you cut off. The Duke Blue Devils are Goliath: big, skilled, and powerful as can be. Davidson? We’re David… but different. We can’t hammer Goliath down with blows in the post. We can’t outrun him on a fast break, and we can’t face him one-on-one on the perimeter. Like David, we have to keep our space and shoot from range, but unlike David, we have at our disposal a cohesive team that can bring down giants together. When the Wildcats start their offense, they’re in prime giant-killing formation. Instead of using a traditional blend of guards, forwards, and big men, Coach Bob McKillop has opted for a starting lineup of 4 guards and one center. This allows the ‘Cats to put 4 three point shooters on the floor alongside a center that can also shoot threes if necessary. More importantly, it allows them to be quicker and more mobile than opposing teams. If you’ve seen Davidson’s offense, you already know it’s a flurry of quick cuts, sprints, and screens. The plays start with two shooters set in the corners, pulling the other team’s players away from the basket and getting ready to capitalize on basketball’s most efficient shot (the corner three). From here, the primary ball handler, big man, and another guard will come up the middle of the court within about 3 feet

of each other. This immediately puts opposing team’s defenses in an awkward position. If they keep too much space, the ball handler can drive. If they come too far out, they’re vulnerable to quick dives to the basket, and if they stay too far back, they risk giving up an easy three. But even when the defense gets it just right, Davidson can still find ways to attack. McKillop’s system requires everyone to be moving and screening, commonly resulting in an open lane, a well-positioned post-up, or an open shooter. Defensively, the Cats are just as well positioned. Adapting to modern defensive trends, they switch defensive assignments with teammates when put into a vulnerable position. Though this can be exploited by teams like the Rockets, (who used the Warrior’s switching to force defensively average Steph Curry into guarding offensive savants James Harden and Chris Paul) Davidson has the personnel to make this system work. All of their starters are at least 6’4’ and are, at the minimum, solid individual defenders. Because of this, there’s no player offenses can “pick on” in order to get scoring in bunches. These schemes, along with a deeply talented team, will give Davidson a fighting chance against any opponent. How this materializes is anyone’s guess, but what’s clear is that there’s no ceiling on how far this team can go. Don’t be surprised if you see Davidson back in the tournament this year, and don’t be surprised if you see them slay some giants while they’re at it. Davidson men’s basketball scrimmages in preparation for a competitive season. Photo by Emma Brentjens ‘21

Words of Wisdom What do you like to tell your athletes to help them get over a mental block in competition?

“Be strong when you are weak, be brave when you are scared, be humble when you are victorious.” Jenn Straub, Head Coach Women’s Cross Country and Track and Field

Wildcat Standings: Volleyball Team VCU Dayton La Salle George Mason Duquesne Davidson Saint Louis George Washington Fordham Rhode Island

Pct.

12 10 9 8 6 5 4 3 2 2

1 2 3 4 6 8 8 9 10 10

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

.923 .833 .750 .667 .500 .385 .333 .250 .167 .167

Arts and Culture

Defining Davidson: Voices from the Margins This piece was inspired by Jonathan Shepard-Smith’s personal essay published in The Davidsonian on September 26th entitled “What does it mean to be Black at Davidson?” Valerie Arias ’19, Maeve Arthur ’22, Josh Lodish ’22, and Ricky Pinnock ’22 offer four additional perspectives as students who identify as minorities. Because of our country’s deeply rooted history of oppression of people of color, predominantly white institutions need to make clear efforts to include the diverse people they are bringing to their campuses; people of different religious

backgrounds should not be neglected either. Some of the writers illustrate a “hyper awareness” of his/her own skin color, which may be an uncontrollable factor, however, I think that the Davidson community could be doing more to ease this sense of discomfort. I am left with these questions: Does the college actively try to retain and acclimate their minority students, or does it just bring them here and leave them on their own? Do we— students, faculty, and staff alike—do our best to understand other people’s experiences? How does the current rocky state

of civil discourse in our country contribute to a misunderstanding of or an unwillingness to understand people’s identities when they differ from our own? I hope that this piece makes members of our community think about how they can be more inclusive—open to listening to voices that are easily unheard. Similar to what Arias proposes in her piece, I encourage people to ask questions and be inquisitive because none of us have all the answers. -Lizzie Kane ‘22

Josh Lodish ‘22 As a Jew, it is impossible to avoid learning about the history of Anti-Semitism. It has always been something I knew existed, but have never experienced. After the murder of eleven Jews in Pittsburgh, that changed. I began to recognize and feel its eﬀects. I began to acknowledge that it easily could have been my synagogue or that of a friend. Thankfully, I was comforted by the powerful vigil here at Davidson, and felt secure in the fact that I was at a college where Anti-Semitism was not present.

But the following day, I walked into my classroom to see the words, “Hitler did nothing wrong,” written on the board. I was crushed. It was as if all the positive emotions from the support of the vigil escaped me and were usurped by confusion, anger, and frustration. This week many Jewish students, myself included, have been unable to focus on school. We are in shock: first from Pittsburgh and now from this. In conversation with many members of the

community, I noticed a common response to the words on the whiteboard: that it was likely a joke, done by an immature and unaware person. I really want to push back against that idea. Ask yourself why many members of our community are quick to discount purely malicious intent from this hateful speech. Perhaps it is the fact that we have a hard time recognizing our deep and entrenched biases that we carry with us to this school. We have a hard time accepting that here, at a school like Davidson, that a member of our community could write such hateful words. We all share in the responsibility for the words written on the whiteboard, and in the community’s response

to those words. What I have taken from this experience, as a Jew here at Davidson, is that although we may say we want to change our biases, we actually do not. The correct course of action is not to write off the clear demonstration of anti-semitism at Davidson as a joke, but instead to analyze the biases at work in our community, and the refusal of many to recognize and attempt to change these biases; we should do the work of discussing and understanding the effects of current and historic oppression and privilege deeply entrenched in our Davidson community.

Maeve Arthur ‘22 Coming from Maine, I’ve always been keenly aware of my race. As one of only a handful of kids of color in my high school and in my town, I never felt fully included. It was frustrating to so often feel like an outsider in the place I lived all my life, but that is what life is like in small-town Maine. When I came to Davidson, I hoped that a lot of this frustration would dissipate. I knew that I was coming to a predominantly white institution, but, because of all of the rhetoric the college uses about diversity, I thought that it would be an improvement compared to where I was coming from, if not in the statistics then at least in how people deal with race. In a lot of ways, I’ve found that these expectations have been

met. But the more I understand life here at Davidson, the more frustrated I become with it. To a large extent, I see more problems than I did in Maine. Over the past few months here, I’ve noticed in classroom settings that, while many of the conversations about race are genuine and intelligent, they also often appear rehearsed; it is like a select number of correct answers are ingrained into students’ minds. These conversations, while important for our education and growth, generally happen within our comfort zone: the classroom. My frustration is that we assume that the academic conversations that take place in this space are enough, and so we do not participate in outside acts that

are just as important for our education on racial issues. While I appreciate the deep intellectual commitment Davidson students have to antiracism, it is a whole other thing to put yourself in non-academic situations that might take you out of your comfort zone, such as going to POC–sponsored events, engaging in conversations about how to increase and embrace diversity, and inviting people of color to share their stories, all while listening with an open mind. Though these situations might bring out feelings of sorrow, anger, guilt and

more, they are necessary, because better understanding has to be shaped in part by discomfort. At Davidson, people of color are thrown into settings where they might feel uncomfortable every day, even in the classroom or the library, because we are the minority. It requires a great deal of bravery just to exist in these settings, and bravery like this has to be exercised by everyone, not just people of color. It is daunting to take this step, but intellectualizing can only take us so far. We all have to take the knowledge that we have gained in the

Valerie Arias ‘19 In my experience, Latinidad manifests itself through a hierarchy. It is defined by your place of birth, ability to speak Spanish, and the extent to which you “look” Latinx. The stereotypical Latina in the United States is expected to have brown eyes and brown hair with bronzed skin, be short and curvy, passionate and loud, and naturally sexy. But I prefer the definition from a sticker on my laptop: “Latina: (n) not

someone that is inherently sexy or ‘spicy’ or ‘fiery,’ not a chica you should fetishize.” In this time of posters, banners, stickers, and social media posts, perhaps distributing this sticker across campus and the nation would help Americans with deconstructing their stereotypical image of Latinas. Although the “Davidson Bubble” is predominantly liberal and inclusive, it does not

function as a safe haven from the stereotyping of Latinas and the whitewashing of Latinidad. Surprise! I don’t eat spicy food. Contrary to popular opinion, a spicy cuisine is not ubiquitous across Latin America. Additionally, Shakira’s “Hips Don’t Lie” and the Justin Bieber remix of “Despacito” represent the whitewashing of Latin American music at the convenience of a predominantly English-speaking audience. Although fluency in Spanish is not a requirement for identifying as Latinx, in my personal experience, I have been attacked for speaking Spanish with the justification that

“this is America.” If only “America” could be perceived as a land of immigrants, both past and present, valued for their distinct heritages. I challenge you to contact your peers who identify as Latinx, as well as other students of color, and listen to their experiences both on and off campus. I hope that such active engagement will dismantle stereotypes of Latinas and Latinidad. Perhaps only then will Colombian students at Davidson College no longer experience my reality of being called a “cocaine cartel” on the first day of class.

Ricardo Pinnock ‘22 “We love recolonizing spaces at Davidson!” a friend of color said to me and a small group of POC while we were all sitting in Summit Outpost (Nummit) many weeks ago. Her comment made me pay attention to how “white” Nummit was at that very moment. Her comment made me realized that I’ve become used to being surrounded by whiteness to the point where I don’t ever question the lack of racial diversity in any space I enter. What should I expect though? I chose to go to a predominantly white institution. Arriving at Davidson, I should have reasonably concluded that most spaces in a predominantly white institution will be predominantly, or even entirely, white. After eighteen years of living, I’ve come to think of myself as more than just my blackness; I am a whole intersectional person with

many interests, and being black is just one aspect of myself. In my two months here, however, I have been reminded of my blackness at the most inopportune times, whether it be at F, at a hall meeting, when all the POC sit in the back of my Religious Studies class, or even when I think about the possibility of a crush liking me back. For long stretches of time, I am not as conscious of my blackness—being black is not front and center in my mind—so instances that force me to recognize my blackness tear me down. I’ll enter a predominantly white space and then remember that I am the only Black person in the room or one of a few. I remember that I am outnumbered and easily singled out. I feel like I am under a microscope and that all my actions will be scrutinized, though

that obviously not the case. Feelings of increased responsibility and anxiety characterize every harsh reminder of my blackness. These “harsh” reminders are not innocent and aren’t easily brushed off. Over and over again I am put in the position to think about the fact that America’s past and present is tied to anti-blackness. It feels like I have these harsh reminders because I am black, and since I can never escape being black, nor do I want to, I’ll never be free of the problem. Some of my Black friends and I will sometimes jokingly fantasize about what it would be like to go to some of the well known HB-

CU’s like Howard, Spelman or Morehouse, and at the end of the day, I know those sentiments, for me at least, will stay as a joke. The idea behind the joke is that we would feel less like outcasts at an HBCU, but the dynamic that I’ve discussed in this piece doesn’t detract from my love for Davidson. The choice of attending a predominantly white institution as opposed to a historically black college or university means I will constantly be reminded of my blackness because microaggressions on the basis of race will inevitably happen more frequently.

Et Cetera

Waste of Energy The [Sometimes] Weekly Judge BY JUDGE VICTOR FLEMING ‘73 Across 1 Ira of “This American Life” 6 A psychic may read one 10 Trac II alternative 14 Juliet’s beloved 15 Skin-cream element 16 Ugly Duckling, eventually 17 Desktop array 18 Putting in italics, say 20 Start of a confession 22 Cookie ingredient in dirt cake 23 Black-ink item 24 Like many a Davidson student 28 “Give me a ___” 30 Davidson-to-Kannapolis direction 31 Arabian leader? 33 Nightclothes, for short 36 Part 2 of the confession 40 Guitar booster 41 Nine-performer work 42 Grammy winner Fitzgerald 43 End of a sneeze? 44 Anne ___ (Henry VIII’s second wife) 46 Like many a Davidson student 49 Bull’s counterpart, in the market 51 End of the confession 58 Window dressings 59 Belief 60 Descartes or Lacoste 61 High-protein food 62 Has a yearning

63 Breaks bread 64 “Or ___!” (threat ender) 65 Lauder of fashion Down 1 Filled with gloom 2 Bonkers 3 Famous ___ (cookie brand) 4 Dispatched 5 “Already?” 6 Sticky stuff 7 Notwithstanding, informally 8 Anecdotal knowledge 9 Come face to face with 10 Help 11 “Identical” siblings 12 Grazing area 13 Existential turmoil 19 “Up!” singer Twain 21 Cook, as bacon 24 Software prototype 25 Chicago Mayor ___ Emanuel 26 Rush order 27 Hairy Addams 28 Jay ___ Hub For Innovation & Entrepreneurship 29 Charlie Weaver’s Mount ___ 31 Prefix with gram or meter 32 Is for more than one? 33 Angler’s need 34 ___ Experience (3-week college immer-

sion program for high-schoolers) 35 ___ Humphries (Class of 1990), Zillow chief analytics officer 37 Be a natural part 38 Seek favor with 39 Fr. neighbor 43 Brunch fare 44 Exclamation of contempt 45 Person who divines the future 46 Agassi or Previn 47 “If I ___ rich man ...” 48 ___-garde 49 Strengthens, with “up”

Day 2

50 Follow in sequence 52 One-named art deco master 53 Cello’s cousin 54 Money players 55 ___ up (confined) 56 Living on the ___ 57 Narrow winning margin

Day 4

Marcos Balsera ‘19 I think we communicate with what we wear before we even open our mouths. Therefore, I aim to be deliberate in the way I dress every day, so as to be deliberate in my communication. I try to fit a perfect mix of comfort, weather conscious clothing, and a spectrum of professionalism to fun. As far as fashion icons go, I have a range from crazy risk takers to more consistent dressers; and I try to consolidate the two.

Day 1

The

Davidsonian Staff

Editors in Chief News Editors Perspectives Editor Arts and Culture Editor Sports Editor Photography Editor Yowl Editors Design Editor Web Editor Art Editor Copy Editors

Laura Dunnagan ‘19, Olivia Daniels ‘19 AJ Naddaff ‘19, Emma Pettit ‘20 Kayla Edwards ‘20 Lucas Weals ‘19 Sam Thomas ‘20 Elayna Daniels ‘21 EJ Kelley ‘20, Katie Walsh ‘20 Sebastian Sola-Sole ‘21 Hope Anderson ‘22 Richard Farrell ‘22 Sarah Austin ‘21, Lindy Bustabad ‘21, Susannah Cate ‘20, Yashi Gunawardena ‘19

Day 3

Day 5

The

Yowl

inside

Irreverent student journalism since 2004. Castigat Ridendo Mores. yowl.com/yowl The Abandonment Issue November 7, 2018 Local Senior Frat Boy Preparing “Summa Cum Load” Instagram Graduation Caption as We Speak Page gross

Final Project Partners Make Local First Year Question Whether People Here are Actually Smart Pages 100000000000

Bare-Legged Man in Sleeveless Vest Just Has Really Chilly Torso

Voter Registration Crazies Seen Wandering Around Campus with No Purpose in Life Following Election Day Page vote!

Page 69

Father of Constantly Traveling, Instagramming Abroad Student Probably in Finance, New Report Indicates Page 38

Horoscopes That Won’t Have Any Bearing On Your Life, But It’s What The People Want Gemini: From the post-office worker who claims not to have your package (even though they definitely f*cking have it back there I saw the tracking notification) to the frat boy who you caught feelings for, this week is going to suck your soul out of your body faster than your hair is going to soak up the humidity this week. Leo: I have a crush on you. Send me an outlook invite thanks. Aquarius: On top of accidentally ripping a fart in the overcrowded Union gym, you’re in for a whole host of morally traumatizing events this week (you may even call your professor dad. Yike!). Scorpio: This is a good week to be seen publicly studying in your usual haunts. Start a blog. Do a face mask. Theorize about your aesthetic. It’s all about you this week Scorpio. Make sure to boldly flaunt your highly organized and visually pleasing Passion Planner to your seat neighbors in your 8:30. Nobody is more together than you, Scorpio (even if you’re really falling apart inside from midterm stress, at least you look bomb af).

Virgo: We know you like to cry, Virgo. This is the week to do it publically. We suggest letting it all out when you realize you’re out of dining dollars in line at Davis Cafe. Sagittarius: Hey there Saggy, expect to be the sole provider for your various group project families this week. The world’s on your shoulders and everyone is going to disappoint you. But don’t sweat it! Taurus: We know you leave your laundry for 32 hours unattended in a damp heap. You’re the worst and we hate you. Cancer: Office hours are going to be rough this week. Crying through them will garner you pity, which is really deep respect if you think about it not hard enough. Pisces: We get it Pisces. You, unlike everyone on campus, are on top of their sh*t. So you did the entire reading. So you’ve already started your annotated bibliography. Whatever. Capricorn: Do you guys even exist tho?

Aries: Try not to roll your eyes at the annoying, over-participating, freshman in your 200 level poli-sci class. We assure you, you were twice as overbearing and oblivious, Aries.

Libra: You dealt with that whole “juuling” incident very diplomatically. A surprise double Commons portion of pad thai is in your future.

Outlook Alignment Chart Disclaimer: The Yowl is not attempting to usurp the meme page by producing this graphic. Without giving ourselves too much credit, one of our editors birthed the meme page as his brain child into the Davidson social sphere like the altruistic

Lawful Good Assignment Clarification

comedy god he is (EJ we miss you where are you? Why aren’t you here? Are you being interviewed by the FBI? Are you cheating on us with another publication?). Anyways, here’s this bomb graphic about Office 365 from one of our contributors.

Neutral Good

Chaotic Good Canceled Class

Post-office Package Delivered

Lawful Neutral

Neutral Neutral

Chaotic Neutral

Invite to edit group project google doc

Anything Carol sends

The Crier

Lawful Evil

Neutral Evil

Chaotic Evil

Web Tree Form Reminder

Update on (dying) club meeting you skipped

Pre-game invite with excessive GIF use

An Ode To My Other Editorial Half

The

Yowl

Dearest Curly Haired Will Ferrell Lookalike, This week you and your graphic design skills were severely missed. I can only imagine you’re off getting employed or in Aruba drinking fruity cocktails (if the latter, f*ck off). This week was a struggle bus, and like this box, your other editor was full of BS and emptiness. We’re excited to see you again next week EJ. Who will be the Matt Damon to my less creatively talented Ben Affleck? Come back soon thanks!

Student Health Center to launch rehabilitation program for users of “Lo-Fi Beats” DAVIDSON, NC —According to a recent report published by the Center for Disease Control, college students throughout the nation have been experimenting with a potent new category of drugs known as “Lo-fi Beats.” Known by such names as “Chillhop,” “Jazzy Beats,” or just “Lo-Fi,” this drug is reported to cause feelings of euphoria, a suppressed sense of responsibility, and extreme lethargy. The drug is administered aurally and takes effect immediately. Users report use of the drug mostly via YouTube, a platform on which many dealers produce 24/7 streams of Lo-Fi. On YouTube, users can find many different strains of Lo-Fi, most of which are accompanied by repetitive animations of cafes, rain, or individuals studying in their rooms. Yowl investigators found strains under names such as “Stay at home today,” “Sleepless nights,” and the notorious “lo-fi hip hop radio - beats to relax/study to” – all made by the Lo-Fi dealer operating under the alias “Chilled Cow.” Dealers like Chilled Cow have also found their way into mainstream platforms such like Spotify, which now features staff-curated playlists like “Lo-Fi Beats” and “Jazz Vibes.” Says Dr. J. Z. Viebes of the CDC: “the platform and correct hyphenation of ‘Lo-Fi’ act to legitimize the drug to get users ‘hooked.’” “It started as a random playlist on Spotify,” says Jason Walker ‘19, local chemistry major and self-proclaimed Lo-Fi user. “Now I’m listening to ‘lo-fi beats to relax/study to’ and I’m not even studying!” Walker will be one of the first to try a new program launched by the Student Health Center aimed at mitigating the effects of Lo-Fi use. The program will encourage listeners to listen to “actual god-damned music” such as The Chainsmoker’s Paris; Zedd, Maren Morris, and Grey’s The Middle; or Shek Wes’ Mo Bamba. The “normal music” regimen will purportedly help people lower their expectations of music and avoid any sense of tranquility which could threaten to lower student productivity.

WRITERS

THE BOX

Nico Agosta, Mum, Malificent, and (ominously) others

Quote of the Week: “So I own the bone of an elephant penis, what of it?” - Professor Pubis

Note: The Yowl is a satirical supplement to The Davidsonian. Hence, nothing in it should be taken as truth. We don’t make the news, we fake the news™.